i didn't actually read more than a few paragraphs, but might i ask your friend why 75% of the phrases in the very first paragraph begin with I? it is a bit too familiar to a 4th grade text and not the best way to begin the story i think. it if is a literary thing, then i don't really see the reason for it
i don't know if your friend has any means of reading this post, but if you can please do transmit him what i say
after reading the second paragraph it seems like he is just telling a story without much emphasis on emotions. a great way to register emotion is to give objects an adjective. for example:
in the line "As the masked executioner raised his iron mace to bash my skull(...)" your friend could have given us a lot more information and have made the line more "pretty" with an adjective regarding the mace.
"As the masked executioner raised his condescending iron mace to bash my skull(...)" would have given us the impression that the executioner is disdainful or scornful towards the main character, maybe because he hates his kind/race/whatever ties up to the plot. it is things like that that enrich the story and make it a lot more varied than a bunch of straight forward sentences. "As the masked executioner raised his hesitant iron mace to bash my skull(...)" on the other hand would make it seem like the executioner, for some reason, does not wish to kill the character, or dislikes his job. hopefully your friend gets what i mean (that is if you even show him this)
also i don't see the purpose of saying "with my hair cut above my neck" in that circumstance, i was reading about a village and then suddenly physical characterization.
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edit: oh but if you do actually take my advice please be aware that sticking unnecessary adjectives left and right is one of the most pretentious thing one can do :o there is a place for everything
Last edited by pusga; Apr 22, 2015 at 06:53 PM.
Reason: <24 hour edit/bump