Do you ever need input on plot points but don't want to spoil it?

[windikite]

I have so many things I need input with, but I don't want to bore people or spoil things if they are actually interested. Furthermore, it is unrealistic to expect other to like my stuff and give good critique when there isn't really content to like.

[keii4ii]

That's why you have to do it on a private, or at least semi-private, basis. Find a sounding board person, or a group where you can exchange feedback on WIP stories. I know it's hard to find the right people (I have the same problem!) but it's not impossible.

[heyitsjaki]

^What @keii4ii said!

Bouncing ideas off a few in-the-know people always helps me a lot. I think it's especially useful when you don't have much existing content--in the early stages of development, there's more flexibility for you to change plot/world-building details if you realize something doesn't work!

[Kura]

My little sister is the one that gets the bouncing ideas on and off each other spoilers.

Aside from her though my unreleased plot is still kept pretty secret.

[UzukiCheverie]

I go to the real life Saichi and Mikumi regarding all my Time Gate shit. Most of the time they don't really pay attention, they just give their opinions where opinions are due, so it always surprises me when one of them is like "isn't this supposed to happen?" and i'm like "WHOA YOU WERE LISTENING TO ME?!????" Especially when it comes to Time Gate; I ALWAYS end up going on tangents and boring the shit out of them lol

Although one time, I was contemplating one of two endings for Time Gate (like the ENTIRE series, this was an important decision to make!) and I brought it up with a classmate of mine, a gentleman a couple years older than me and in a similar program (I was in 2D, he was in 3D). He sat there for forty-five minutes listening to me telling him the basis of the story, how it evolved, and how it would eventually lead to the ending, at which point I'd have to decide which ending to actually go with, which one would tie the series to a close, etc. And he actually sat and asked questions throughout it and seemed genuinely interested! He even offered suggestions! I think that was the most pleasant experience I've ever had regarding spoiling someone my story so I could get input. It was super nice of him and it was just nice to have someone sit there and listen to my crazy ramblings lol

[Aetherwing]

I usually rely on close friends for input and idea-bouncing. I'm rather lucky that many of them are also artists and writes (we mostly all went to college together.) It also helps that I work in tandem with a different person to create my comic so there is a balance.

[windikite]

I do these things, but I usually worry about boring my friends. Sometimes I get caught up in it when a friend gives me a goahead to go on a rant and is actually interested.There are few greater happinesses than to talk about something you love and have someone be genuinely interested. I think it's more so because they care about you as a person and that makes me feel better. When some of my freinds talk about their stories I try really hard to be interested. It's not too hard since I care about them and I do actually come to like there stories, but when they first start talking about it it takes a bit extra from me to jump on it. I usually start asking big questions or try to break their stories' rules. c:

[AnnaLandin]

Sometimes, in which case I discuss it with my mom (who reads a lot, even if she doesn't read a lot of comics) who can be depended on to listen seriously and either make good suggestions or let me talk until I talk my own way to a solution - or I bring it up with a bunch of friends who are also comic-readers and artists.

But really, sometimes it's enough to talk to my cat. He has NO IDEA what I'm saying, but will sit and listen for as long as I'm also scratching his ears, and a lot of the time all I really need is to speak about something out loud until I figure it out for myself.

[KSlinger]

Yup, quite a bit. I have a writer friend who acts as a sounding board for anything I'm stuck on. She reads the story as a regular follower and reacts very strongly to it, but also digs the background info I give her and the previews she gets to see when I'm having trouble.

I think the key to not spoiling anything is to go into those discussions knowing what you need.

I often ask things like

'What impression does x give you?'

or

'Look at this panel. What is happening here?'

or

'Does x character strike you as y?'

The answers to these questions are simple. I'm not asking my friend how they would do things or even if they like it, just touching base with them to make sure I'm on track. I can also trust her to be honest with me and give advice objectively without being overly harsh or critical. She's my friend, not my teacher, and we see it as more of a collaboration than a lesson.

I don't receive unsolicited advice, thank god.

[Marvin]

Personally I need to talk about my story for input and to get it out of my system (cause it progresses so slowly on tapastic, it's killing me). And you know how it is, when you're passionate about something, you need to talk about it (while shaking someone by the shoulders most of the time)

Fortunately, I have my buddy @Blop (come on mate, I know you're here) living right down my street so you have no idea how many gallons of beer we've been drinking talking about our comics...

[blop]

Yep, my liver agrees. Eating a plate full of cheese would also be an important part of it.

[LittleEndian]

In my case, I only rely on my boyfriend point of view. Nobody else knows my plots (not even me!).
I do have close friends who reads my comics, but I need their "fresh" and "unspoiled" reactions and feedbacks in order to check if my goal are achieved of not.
In my last pages, published in french, there were a revelation which was obvious to me and my boyfriend since we are aware of the characters intentions. But.... no one among my readers took the info as a revelation. ... xD Big fail xD

AnnaLandin> TO YOUR CAT !? The scene I'm imagining is very funny
But.... Finally, it's the same, when my boyfriend starts to tell me
"hm. hm. okay. hm. yes. hm."
Me : "Do you understand the complicated relation between A and B ???"
BF : "..... Sorry I wasn't listening...."