What is it about a particular scene or story that makes it your favorite? Is it the subject matter itself of the accomplishment you feel while writing it? Can you name some examples?
I think it all goes back to my emotional response to it. It's hard to be objective with my own writing and be like, "This is a well-structured, perfectly-paced chapter that moves the plot forward and shows a change in the character from beginning to end." My favorite chapters are the ones that make me feel something, whether it's pride, amusement, nostalgia, bloodlust LOL. Usually they are the ones that I can actually remember writing. Like that BMS chapter, the car accident one, I remember vividly how I felt as I was writing that. It was so intense and I was so into it that it made my heart race and my stomach hurt. And that is still how I feel when I reread it, which is why I put it as my favorite.
Another example would be Chapter 31 of Song for the Undead, which was the big zombie reveal and the one in which Brian kills his zombie family. Not only was that a BIG moment, which is always fun to write, but it was also angsty, which I enjoy, and it was also my first attempt at writing about... zombies LOL. Rose and I always knew we were going to get the zombies in there at some point, but we wrote 30 chapters between us with no zombies, so it was kind of scary leading up to that part, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to get it right. I think it turned out perfectly, so not only do I love it for the emotional punch it packs, but because I'm proud of it too.
One part I wrote that's kind of an odd choice for a favorite is the beginning of the "Ice Ice Baby" episode of 00Carter, which is the introduction to Dr. Rough's genetically-modified moonwalking penguin, MJ. http://absolutechaos.net/viewstory.php?sid=9085&chapter=14 It's just setting the scene for the rest of the episode, but what I love about it is how descriptive it is. It's set in Antarctica, and I actually did quite a bit of research on the geography of Antarctica to describe it correctly. And then, of course, there's the moonwalking penguin, which was fun to write. I just remember being really impressed with myself after I finished this part, and it's one that I've always enjoyed.
And then there's the funny ones. Maybe because I'm used to writing so much angst and drama and not a lot of comedy, I tend to love the funny stuff I write. I love all of the deaths and kills I've written for the round robin, to the point where I have a hard time picking favorites. I also love most of the parts I've written for 00Carter, although my favorite is the whole Speed parody involving figure skaters and a Zamoboni that will blow up if it goes below 5 mph and fruity Lance Bass flitting around the skating rink to the save the day in "Wreckage in a Winter Wonderland." And then there's the pandaskunk story... even though it's really silly and weird, I love the pandaskunk story, especially the Planet of Misfit Fans chapter. I had a hard time filling out Funniest Chapter on that survey, too, and the one I chose, I didn't think of as I was typing up this answer... I had to go back and remind myself of what I actually put LOL.
That was a really self-loving response; sorry for that LOL. Everyone else better write a nice long answer to this question with examples so I don't feel so pompous.
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Topic: Question of the day part 9 (even though days go by lol) (Read 137997 times)