Writing 'Nothing': Storytelling with Unsaid Words and Unreliable Narrators 

Howd it go?

Having it be a personality quiz type thing is not only a lot of work you dont understand, it *completely* defeats the purpose of having the character choose the seat. The choosing of the seat is to show where the character's priorities lie, by having her be an unreliable narrator in that moment. Not just that "mEmories Are flexIble". Its not shocking info to anyone older than 14 that memories arent reliable. The WHY is whats being conveyed here, which would be erased if any of your dumb ideas were put in. This isnt for one of you kids to do the "Wouldnt it be cool if??" thing. Completely defeats the purpose, maybe pretend to be able to make a good story and a game when you have language comprehension.

The genius attribute gets peddled around much these days...

...nice video.

no. you actually do have a point. In real life I despise people like those who act like they inadvertently changed the topic. But, there are times when it works.

I think in this case the topic change implicates the answer to the original question, which makes it really cool and powerful. If they don't make it they don't need the coat. I understand that some people can find this offensive, but I would be totally fine with responses like this. It is more reassuring than saying something like "yeah, we will definitely make it".

I get what you mean, but personally, if the answer was "I... just check your ammo," then it would feel like an actual response to the question without denoting the question's importance from the one asking, mostly because you can understand what the other guy is feeling from it. If one is rambling about something and the other responds with something unrelated, I feel there needs to be a clear disconnect from the understanding of the conversation or from each other. There needs to be a person who doesn't understand and wants to change the subject to understand or it needs to be with changing the mood in a meaningful way. The example he gives, tries to change the mood, but it doesn't change the mood nor does it imply the guy answering doesn't understand the question. As a person who've been interrupted a lot in my life(I'm sure everyone has), I think there are particular ways of coming off as answering it meaningful vs disrespectfully, but most of the time, I never get the prior without an apology to change the topic first. If I did, I feel that the answer would be a little confusing if I don't know they are seriously answering the question. Overall, I think it can work, but if you try to put too many emotions in it, it comes off with a bit of a miscommunication, at least from me.

Nothing wrong with sophisticated interactions, but it depends if the scene calls for it. If the tone demands a direct answer, you don't give one that leaves anyone confused or unsure, unless you intend to distort the pacing and emotions present. Nothing from the interactions should come of as misunderstood, whether it's for the character or the audience.

he was just providing an example, if you feel "i... just check your ammo," is a better response, than go with that. But you have no other context, maybe they're going to have to expedite in the middle of the night and it's storming, etc, they need a coat. You're clearly missing the point. try harder. You're completely ignoring the complexity/dynamic of humanized player/actors. Let's say the 2nd person is literally out of breath, not from running, but pure exhaustion, emotional distress, you dont just come into a story out of no where, will we make it? maybe, the end. This is 2 lines in the middle of thousands. How are the characters acting? What else are they doing? Attacking? Defending? Scavenging? Uncertain? Maybe the portrayed character is incapable of maintaining their composure. They hear the question but they're already in the middle of another thought, maybe out of their self-demeaning nature unsure of themselves, affraid to show to the other person their ignorance of the current state of affairs they redirect the conversation they're mentally incapable of having. Not everyone always every time is going to be perfect, that's not how people work. Some people think in different ways, some have harder times speaking, etc. There are hundreds of different ways of explaining this. And I'm going to have to give your point a non passing grade.

He mentioned that