Diary Preview And Questions Thread

[Irish Wolf]

So yeah. I've written diaries before and i'm planning another one but i seem to be running into the same problem writing up the shows as i have in the past, but never asked about it. I can write up angles pretty well, getting across character but i can't seem to write matches so well. Which is funny seeing as i am a wrestler and I watch wrestling so i know what it looks like from the inside and the outside of the ring but I just can't seem to get it done.

 

So is it OK to just use the match output from the game i mean it works, but then sometimes I think the entrances are important as well to right up. So yeah I'm just not sure and any suggestions would be appreciated.

[christmas_ape]

So yeah. I've written diaries before and i'm planning another one but i seem to be running into the same problem writing up the shows as i have in the past, but never asked about it. I can write up angles pretty well, getting across character but i can't seem to write matches so well. Which is funny seeing as i am a wrestler and I watch wrestling so i know what it looks like from the inside and the outside of the ring but I just can't seem to get it done.

 

So is it OK to just use the match output from the game i mean it works, but then sometimes I think the entrances are important as well to right up. So yeah I'm just not sure and any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

I'm not the best person to take diary advice from and I definitely wouldn't say the matches are the strongest parts of my diaries but I'll chip in my thoughts. Especially as you answered my question on the small questions thread!

 

I would say a lot of it depends on the type of promotion you are going to do, to use real world examples I feel like a ring of honor diary would NEED to place some detail into the match writeups whereas with something like WWE I think you could definitely get away with just using the match outputs, at least for smaller matches.

 

But personally as cheesy as it sounds I would say it all simply depends on the story you are trying to write, if all you want the reader to take from the match is that this person won and perhaps hype up his finishing move then the match output is enough. If you want to you stress that it was some epic battle then perhaps some detail is needed, if you want to get some heat on a heel then mentioning how he cheats or whatever in the match. None of these mean you have to go into a step by step account of the match but perhaps treat it more like you are explaining some highlights (personally I find this easier to do if I use bullet points). If you feel the entrance to something is important but nothing of note happens in the match then go ahead and just mention the entrance.

 

Most importantly though (and perhaps again with the cheese) I would say it's whatever you enjoy writing. I don't think there is much of a set expectation of what matches should be so just go with whatever you would most want.

 

Anyway I've rambled on mostly to avoid the work I'm meant to be doing but I hope it helped a little bit!

[Irish Wolf]

I'm not the best person to take diary advice from and I definitely wouldn't say the matches are the strongest parts of my diaries but I'll chip in my thoughts. Especially as you answered my question on the small questions thread!

 

I would say a lot of it depends on the type of promotion you are going to do, to use real world examples I feel like a ring of honor diary would NEED to place some detail into the match writeups whereas with something like WWE I think you could definitely get away with just using the match outputs, at least for smaller matches.

 

But personally as cheesy as it sounds I would say it all simply depends on the story you are trying to write, if all you want the reader to take from the match is that this person won and perhaps hype up his finishing move then the match output is enough. If you want to you stress that it was some epic battle then perhaps some detail is needed, if you want to get some heat on a heel then mentioning how he cheats or whatever in the match. None of these mean you have to go into a step by step account of the match but perhaps treat it more like you are explaining some highlights (personally I find this easier to do if I use bullet points). If you feel the entrance to something is important but nothing of note happens in the match then go ahead and just mention the entrance.

 

Most importantly though (and perhaps again with the cheese) I would say it's whatever you enjoy writing. I don't think there is much of a set expectation of what matches should be so just go with whatever you would most want.

 

Anyway I've rambled on mostly to avoid the work I'm meant to be doing but I hope it helped a little bit!

 

Thanks. That helps a little. For reference I'm gonna be doing SWF. I think my biggest issue is on the one hand I agree that matches can be written up depending on what they are used for. On the other I have a little touch of the OCD and if everything is consistently done the same way I freak out. So yeah I could highlight certain things and then make a long write up for a mian event but then it would gnaw at me they didn't contain the same informational structure.

 

But I suppose once I get over that little stumbling block I can just try writing as much or as little for each match as I want. But still any other suggestions or comments are welcome.

[CQI13]

Apu, the match output should match the tone of the storyline. For example:

 

*If a worker has a lethal submission move, work that into the match. Also, if you are trying to push the opponent of said worker, maybe he escapes the move before it's locked in completely...or he is able to hang on for longer than anyone before.

 

*For Elimination Matches (or Battle Royals) focus on the order of eliminations. This means in a 4 way elimination match you could say "[Match output from game]. Worker A was eliminated by Worker B after (finishing move). Worker C by ..., and finally it came down to A vs D." You'll have to take creative liberty in the elimination order, as I don't think the game will let you choose that.

 

In Battle Royals, focus on the monster who has the most eliminations. Highlight a worker who will do exceptionally well in the future, or work his character into the match. What I mean is, if you have a cocky worker who always goes for the big move, but doesn't always hit it, work that in.

 

*Finally, work road agent notes into the match. So Gargantuan was protected? Make a reference to it. Wolf Hawkins & Cornell had an unscripted match? Reference that. One of the notes backfired? You can work that in as well.

 

Alternatively, as a matter of style, write it from the fan's perspective. It was a horrible match? Say you went to the bathroom during it, if it was truly wretched.

 

**When it comes to style, it depends on the point of view of the worker you are writing as. If it's a fan's review, you can be more sarcastic or make snide remarks. If you are a booker, maybe you want to take a more nurturing approach to the workers who underperform (or say that they will be working dark matches until they improve).

 

Yet another way would be to use the match output, and give your thoughts or analysis...

 

I guess it really comes down to what style you are going for.

[Irish Wolf]

Apu, the match output should match the tone of the storyline. For example:

 

*If a worker has a lethal submission move, work that into the match. Also, if you are trying to push the opponent of said worker, maybe he escapes the move before it's locked in completely...or he is able to hang on for longer than anyone before.

 

*For Elimination Matches (or Battle Royals) focus on the order of eliminations. This means in a 4 way elimination match you could say "[Match output from game]. Worker A was eliminated by Worker B after (finishing move). Worker C by ..., and finally it came down to A vs D." You'll have to take creative liberty in the elimination order, as I don't think the game will let you choose that.

 

In Battle Royals, focus on the monster who has the most eliminations. Highlight a worker who will do exceptionally well in the future, or work his character into the match. What I mean is, if you have a cocky worker who always goes for the big move, but doesn't always hit it, work that in.

 

*Finally, work road agent notes into the match. So Gargantuan was protected? Make a reference to it. Wolf Hawkins & Cornell had an unscripted match? Reference that. One of the notes backfired? You can work that in as well.

 

Alternatively, as a matter of style, write it from the fan's perspective. It was a horrible match? Say you went to the bathroom during it, if it was truly wretched.

 

**When it comes to style, it depends on the point of view of the worker you are writing as. If it's a fan's review, you can be more sarcastic or make snide remarks. If you are a booker, maybe you want to take a more nurturing approach to the workers who underperform (or say that they will be working dark matches until they improve).

 

Yet another way would be to use the match output, and give your thoughts or analysis...

 

I guess it really comes down to what style you are going for.

 

All very good ideas thanks. I'm writing the diary as an impartial and unnamed outside narrator, trying to come across as if the reader is just watching the show not as a person telling what happened. Which may actually be a more difficult way of writing the matches up then I anticipated, but it seems to work well for the angles.

[Togg]

So I love my TNA Diarys, but after losing my TNA:No Limitations diary, I've been lost on new ideals. But now here goes the new TNA Diary concept.

 

It's 2013 and TNA are carrying along as normal when... An affair between Hogan and Bischoff's wife is revealed. Bischoff's refuses to work with hogan and both men force the company to decide between who stays and who goes.

The person who parts ways with TNA starts up a new company and thanks to a lawsuit, has the power and funding with an out of court settlement to steal a few key workers and set up business themselves with TV and PPV deals in place.

Both company's then go into a bitter war and the diary begins with myself playing the part of TNA. Battling the other promotion to put them out of business.

 

Worth perusing?

[christmas_ape]

So I love my TNA Diarys, but after losing my TNA:No Limitations diary, I've been lost on new ideals. But now here goes the new TNA Diary concept.

 

It's 2013 and TNA are carrying along as normal when... An affair between Hogan and Bischoff's wife is revealed. Bischoff's refuses to work with hogan and both men force the company to decide between who stays and who goes.

The person who parts ways with TNA starts up a new company and thanks to a lawsuit, has the power and funding with an out of court settlement to steal a few key workers and set up business themselves with TV and PPV deals in place.

Both company's then go into a bitter war and the diary begins with myself playing the part of TNA. Battling the other promotion to put them out of business.

 

Worth perusing?

 

Definitely think it could be worth persuing. One think that came to mind though is from the way you described the scenario the new company definitely sounded more like underdogs. If you were sure you wanted to be TNA I think the challenge is thinking of a realistic scenario in which the new company can straight away legitimately challenge them. I think the court settlement thing is a great start for that don't get me wrong I just think even if they stole quite a few big names that doesn't quite mean they are equal. Although others may disagree...?

[20LEgend]

It also depends if they take Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy (for example), the amount it hurts TNA and helps the new company may have a bigger impact to take them much closer than if they stole Storm and Roode I think. Of course TNA are more established, and I agree that TNA should be at least slightly more well known, but in a position where the new promotion can reasonably reach TNA's level. Mainly though I'd say it's about how you set it up, the more impact you make the split have (I'm assuming something like that would be pretty big news) and how you present how the persons new company is set up, like is it while the news is still hot or after it dies down. Also I think Hogan starting a new company after leaving would have a bigger impact than Bischoff so I'd also take into consideration whose promotion it is when deciding how close they are.

 

Either way, it's definitely worth a go

[Dawn]

Well, after my first dynasty failed, my next is going to be a 1991, 1994 or 1996 one with the WWF, can someone help me choose the time period?

[BHK1978]

So yeah. I've written diaries before and i'm planning another one but i seem to be running into the same problem writing up the shows as i have in the past, but never asked about it. I can write up angles pretty well, getting across character but i can't seem to write matches so well. Which is funny seeing as i am a wrestler and I watch wrestling so i know what it looks like from the inside and the outside of the ring but I just can't seem to get it done.

 

So is it OK to just use the match output from the game i mean it works, but then sometimes I think the entrances are important as well to right up. So yeah I'm just not sure and any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Keep in mind that I am someone who hates to do match write-ups and I know I am not very good at them.

 

What you could do is what I call the Jingo style of match write-ups (I call it that because Jingo is the first person on this board that I saw do match write-ups that way.). Basically all you do is give bulletpoint highlights of your match only talking about what was important that happened in the match.

 

A lot of writes on the board have seemed to adopt this way of doing match write-ups and it makes it easier than writing a blow-by-blow replay of the action.

 

Do not do write-ups for the entrances. I did that for one of my diaries (I think it was my NYCW diary though I am not sure.) and a "respected" (I always laugh when someone says that about a writer of fan fiction but that is beyond my point.) writer on here trashed me for doing so and damn near killed my audience in the process.

 

Well, after my first dynasty failed, my next is going to be a 1991, 1994 or 1996 one with the WWF, can someone help me choose the time period?

 

I would say go with 1996. I would say either 91 or 96. The WWF was crap in 1994. With 91 you have some talent left over from the glory days of the 80's and with 96 you have some workers that will become huge in the next couple of years.

[Dawn]

Thank you BHK, you really helped me.

[BHK1978]

Thank you BHK, you really helped me.

 

Well it did not come out the way I meant it to, that is what I get for writing that at 4 am my time. I am not even sure why I wrote that first sentence, but you got what I meant so that is all that matters.

[Irish Wolf]

Keep in mind that I am someone who hates to do match write-ups and I know I am not very good at them.

 

What you could do is what I call the Jingo style of match write-ups (I call it that because Jingo is the first person on this board that I saw do match write-ups that way.). Basically all you do is give bulletpoint highlights of your match only talking about what was important that happened in the match.

 

A lot of writes on the board have seemed to adopt this way of doing match write-ups and it makes it easier than writing a blow-by-blow replay of the action.

 

Do not do write-ups for the entrances. I did that for one of my diaries (I think it was my NYCW diary though I am not sure.) and a "respected" (I always laugh when someone says that about a writer of fan fiction but that is beyond my point.) writer on here trashed me for doing so and damn near killed my audience in the process.

 

Was there a reason given for not doing entrances, I mean a good reason. I don't just mean so and so walks down to the ring but important things, like entrance order; heel always comes out first unless he's the champ. Or in a tag team the heels come out play up to the crowd (say like five second pose or something) then the first face comes out heels leave the ring but then slowly circle and get ready to attack just as second face comes out .

[BHK1978]

Was there a reason given for not doing entrances, I mean a good reason. I don't just mean so and so walks down to the ring but important things, like entrance order; heel always comes out first unless he's the champ. Or in a tag team the heels come out play up to the crowd (say like five second pose or something) then the first face comes out heels leave the ring but then slowly circle and get ready to attack just as second face comes out .

 

Basically what I would do is write the wrestler walking down to the ring and the reactions they got from the crowd. For instance I might put what the fans chanted about them as they walk down to the ring or I might talk about their interaction with a fan who was cheering or jeering them. Stuff like that.

[Bigpapa42]

Interesting. I honestly don't see anything wrong with including that. Might seem wrong if the entrances got a full paragraph and the match got a line or two. In contemporary SE, the entrances are a big part of the presentation. Giving some detail on the individual entrances would, in my opinion, help bring to life the individuals workers in a fictional universe like the C-verse. A downside to it is that it would probably get repetitive after awhile, so it becomes unnecessary. It may not always work in execution, I suppose, but in theory? Don't have issue...

[Croquemitaine]

I'm with Bigpapa42. An entrance can tell you a lot about who a character is and how they're being received by the crowd. Plus it's common for some kind of worked incident to happen during an entrance. I still wouldn't include them every time (after all, we know without being told that a big face is getting cheered and a big heel is getting booed), but if something out of the routine is happening during an entrance, go ahead and write about it.

[Dawn]

Hey, just remembered that i had a converted September 1999 database. I think a diary with it it's worth a try.

[christmas_ape]

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r498/christmas_ape/SAW/SAW%20Graphics/Comic_Graphics_Hits_PrevImage_zpsa901d7a6.jpg

 

This week exploding onto your screens is...

 

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r498/christmas_ape/SAW/SAW%20Graphics/SAW_zpsb4dbbe95.jpg

 

SIMPLY AWESOME WRESTLING!

[Bonafide_Bluffa]

So I was browsing EWB the other day and came across and interesting idea. Basically, I come up with a deck of 52 cards. On each card, a stipulation is written for booking a show. For example, one card might say "the WWE Championship must be defending twice on the same show", another might say "a former WWE Champion must debut as a manager". So on, and so on. Every week, I would draw 5 cards, and readers would vote on which stipulation they would most like to see booked into one of my shows. After 10 weeks, I (along with the readers) would establish a new set of 52 cards. I feel like this idea could do really well, since a lot of reader interactivity would be involved. The diary that I had in mind would take place in 2004. So, any interest in something like this? The idea would fall through if I didn't have enough people contributing to the voting/creation of the cards, so I'd like to see if there is anyone who would be interested at all.

 

Finally, huge thanks to brenchill over at EWB.

[michgcs]

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r498/christmas_ape/SAW/SAW%20Graphics/Comic_Graphics_Hits_PrevImage_zpsa901d7a6.jpg

 

This week exploding onto your screens is...

 

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r498/christmas_ape/SAW/SAW%20Graphics/SAW_zpsb4dbbe95.jpg

 

SIMPLY AWESOME WRESTLING!

 

You've got five days to make this come true

[Big Roguey]

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r498/christmas_ape/SAW/SAW%20Graphics/Comic_Graphics_Hits_PrevImage_zpsa901d7a6.jpg

 

This week exploding onto your screens is...

 

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r498/christmas_ape/SAW/SAW%20Graphics/SAW_zpsb4dbbe95.jpg

 

SIMPLY AWESOME WRESTLING!

 

This has to happen!

[Jingo]

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r498/christmas_ape/SAW/SAW%20Graphics/Comic_Graphics_Hits_PrevImage_zpsa901d7a6.jpg

 

This week exploding onto your screens is...

 

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r498/christmas_ape/SAW/SAW%20Graphics/SAW_zpsb4dbbe95.jpg

 

SIMPLY AWESOME WRESTLING!

 

"Theatrical Entertainment" is quite clearly the next logical step for Pro Wrestling ... Looking forward to this.

[christmas_ape]

You've got five days to make this come true

 

This has to happen!

 

Very pleased this has gotten some support, got the first few shows written up but just need some small starting post and then I can get going. Should be soon!

 

"Theatrical Entertainment" is quite clearly the next logical step for Pro Wrestling ... Looking forward to this.

 

Thanks, it sure is a unique company. I imagine people have different ideas of what a product like this should be so I just hope my vision of it sits well with others. Time will tell!

[Oregano Jensen]

The year is 2023. The last decade of wrestling in America has been a story of fragmentation -- the Internet has leveled the playing field, allowing small companies to develop a following previously thought impossible. It's not quite the days of the territories again, but no less than 20 promotions in America can boast regional fame. The big three are still three, but not so big any more... and they're practically neck and neck.

 

For SWF, TCW and USPW, the last ten years have been mostly a defensive battle -- SWF's Peter Michaels, TCW's Joel Bryant and now Rick Sanders, and the various USPW bookers (six over the last decade!) know their three companies are in a virtual dead heat, and they don't want to disrupt that balance by promoting unproven talent. The result: all three promotions feature main eventers well past their sell-by date, and while they all continue to get by, none of them has truly cracked the national mainstream for half a decade.

 

Surprisingly, SWF is the first one to make a move. After a series of dubious storylines in 2022, including a feud in which 50-year-old Jack Bruce is pushed as a legitimate championship contender and a midcard title run for the comically out-of-shape Eric Eisen, Peter Michaels is nudged into retirement. His replacement doesn't seem like a fresh face at first -- Paul Huntingdon, midcard staple, transitional World Champion (2019-2020), and on-screen lackey of the Chase Agency.

 

But while Huntingdon is a company man, he's also younger than SWF's main event power brokers, and he knows he has to bring this company into the modern era. The time of Bruce, Brandon James, Angry Gilmore and Rich Money is coming to an end... a slow end in some cases, a long-overdue one in others, but an end nonetheless. It's not time for a full-on youth movement, but if the greatest company in American wrestling history wants to regain that crown, they need to change with the times -- and create new stars for the first time in years. If they do that, they can truly call themselves Supreme.

 

SWF 2023: BREAKING THE DEADLOCK

Coming soon.

[3rdStringPG]

 

SWF 2023: BREAKING THE DEADLOCK

Coming soon.

 

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