# How long does it normally take to write up one installment of your Story Hour?



## Celtavian (Jan 21, 2003)

Question for some you story hour authors. I am writing a story hour for my current campaign, and it seems to take me a number of hours to craft a decent installment for my new story hour. 

How long does it usually take to craft a story hour installment? I would love to get some idea of how long it takes other authors.

Does it get easier as you flesh out the characters and practice writing? 

Trying to cohesively put together a series of events that occurs in a D&D campaign in an entertaining manner is more difficult than I thought it would be.


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## LostSoul (Jan 21, 2003)

It usually takes me somewhere around an hour, maybe less.  I'm trying to just focus on the writing rather than trying to edit as I type.  That way the ideas flow out faster.  I always go back and edit once I think I've finished the installment.


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## Sammael99 (Jan 21, 2003)

Celtavian said:
			
		

> *Question for some you story hour authors. I am writing a story hour for my current campaign, and it seems to take me a number of hours to craft a decent installment for my new story hour.
> 
> How long does it usually take to craft a story hour installment? I would love to get some idea of how long it takes other authors.
> 
> ...




I would say ten hours. Keep in mind that one installment for me is one full game session. I obviouusly don't write it in one sitting. Most of the time, I try and get my players to write them these days...

I found that dialog is the best means to life for PCs, so I focus a lot on dialog. In the past, I also spent a lot of time describing combat, but I decided to cut back on that in the future, for lack of time and also because ultimately, I think it's not the most interesting part of a Story Hour...


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## Zad (Jan 21, 2003)

Generally what happens is I take extremely brief notes on my laptop during the game - mostly just to help my memory.

Then Monday morning I sit down and type up the story hour, which covers one game session (4-5 hours is normal for us). That takes me a good couple hours - usually I'll have it posted before lunch.


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## Dr Midnight (Jan 21, 2003)

Takes me several sessions of 1.5-2 hour typings.

Just keep my sig in mind, and you'll do fine.


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## arwink (Jan 21, 2003)

About an hour, maybe longer if I type while surfing other threads.  But I generally have a run log typed up for every session, which takes the better part of two or three hours, and I only type a fraction of the game at any time.


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## NiTessine (Jan 21, 2003)

Once I actually get around to typing, an installment will take about an hour. It's the 'getting around to typing' part that's so time-consuming...


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## Shayuri (Jan 21, 2003)

The actual writing of an update doesn't take too long. A couple or three hours, perhaps, depending on the length. It's actually finding the time and inclination to sit down and DO it that's a challenge for me. 

It begins a vicious circle. The Story Hour is updated infrequently, so not too many people read it...which leads to a certain lack of motivation to write the next installment...which leads to an infrequent update cycle...etc.


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## diaglo (Jan 23, 2003)

one six hour game session takes about 9 hours of writing/organizing.


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## ForceUser (Jan 23, 2003)

diaglo said:
			
		

> *one six hour game session takes about 9 hours of writing/organizing. *



That sounds about right. One eight hour session breaks down into four to six updates, each of which take about two to three hours to write.


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## Ziona (Jan 23, 2003)

I take my notes while we're gaming, and then use my journal when I'm writing.  I like to take my time, and I edit as I go, so it takes me several hours.  

For instance, last night I picked up the session that I had started this past weekend and wrote six pages.  It took me about 3 hours or so.  But, like I said, I like taking my time.  I listen to music (fantasy soundtracks) and really try to get back into the session.  It takes longer, but I find it more enjoyable and I'm happier with my results in the end.


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## Lars Frehse (Jan 25, 2003)

I usually need about two hours for writing an update, and I am usually writing four updates per session. That means that I am usually writing eight hours to cover one five hour session...


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## ForceUser (Jan 26, 2003)

> I listen to music (fantasy soundtracks) and really try to get back into the session. It takes longer, but I find it more enjoyable and I'm happier with my results in the end.



Wow, I'm exactly the opposite. If there's a tv on in the background or music playing, I can't focus enough to write. I must have absolute silence.


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## el-remmen (Jan 26, 2003)

Well, it usually take me three installment to describe one full six hour session - and about two to four hours per installment - mean about 6 to 12 hours for one session's worth.

And that is with both a quote log and a detailed combat log that two of my player's maintain.

I consider that pretty time-consuming - especially since I practice guitar and write songs about 2 to 3 hours every night.


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## dshai527 (Jan 27, 2003)

Small Beginnings being a two person show, it ususally takes a littlelonger I think than the average story hour as we try to find time to work together. We usually spend and hour a day writinjg and it takes about one week for a post. So a good guess-timate would be about 6-8 hours per episode, although it takes about 6 episodes to get one gaming session on average. 

It is a lot of work, but something we both take pride in, and would do even if nobody read it. Fortunately we have a minor fan following now and we enjoy the reviews. If the HULK reads it so should you! Really he does.


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## (contact) (Jan 27, 2003)

Celtavian said:
			
		

> *How long does it usually take to craft a story hour installment? I would love to get some idea of how long it takes other authors.*



*

Usually about an hour or two for the first pass, sometimes less-- I also like to print a copy and give it an edit on the commute to work.




Does it get easier as you flesh out the characters and practice writing? 

Click to expand...



Of course it does!




Trying to cohesively put together a series of events that occurs in a D&D campaign in an entertaining manner is more difficult than I thought it would be. 

Click to expand...



But doing so gives you a perspective on your plotting in general.  I've been logging my games since about a year prior to 3e, and I feel that my plotting and general story cohesiveness has really improved as a result.  I'm more likely to have a good sense of when to let a scene run, and when to cut it short.*


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## barsoomcore (Jan 27, 2003)

Celtavian said:
			
		

> *How long does it usually take to craft a story hour installment?*



I spend probably five to six hours on each installment. My story hour is a little different than most people's, though. Each installment has no particular connection to a given game session, and I'm writing about sessions that happened like two years ago, so I'm making up virtually everything. I have some quick notes, mostly filled with snide observations on player stupidity.
[qoute]*Does it get easier as you flesh out the characters and practice writing? *[/quote]
Absolutely. You can't really know your characters until you've written them for a while. There's no other way to get to know them -- you have to let them run around on your page, doing their thing, while you figure out how to make them do what you want. Pesky characters.


> *Trying to cohesively put together a series of events that occurs in a D&D campaign in an entertaining manner is more difficult than I thought it would be. *



I heard that. I've been wanting to put together a Story Hour for ages now. It wasn't until I had the bright idea of starting with a bunch of NPCs and having them encounter the PCs that I was able to get mine off the ground.

Good luck! And have fun!


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## Silver Moon (Jan 28, 2003)

I'd say around an hour for each 3-hour game night, which each work out to about 2 or 3 chapter posts.   But I take detailed very notes during the game and can type around 60 WPM, so I am probably faster than most.   

I've actually been keeping a running log of my group's adventures since 1982 which I have always distributed to my players (with the exception of a few years in the mid-1990's when I feel behind, although I still have the notes for those modules and may get to them some day).  I've had to clean them up a bit for EN World Story Hour postings, breaking them into chapters, deleting references to player's actual names, deleting most out-of-character comments about players, and then adding background information and extra detail for readers about things that my regular players would have already known.


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