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Hi AC/FICTALKers. If you see this (11/12/2024) please see new post in General Discussions about Open Doors OTW Organization for Transformative Works) offering to help preserve the AC archive and let me know your thoughts:

https://absolutechaos.net/fictalk/index.php/topic,3415.msg125627.html#new

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Author Topic: The Writing Thread  (Read 379670 times)

nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #240 on: January 05, 2021, 10:28:30 PM »

Same, for the bugs. I also always liked Once Upon A December when the paintings came to life. Love Don Bluth.
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

RokofAges75

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #241 on: January 05, 2021, 10:29:21 PM »

Oh, I was reading an article earlier this evening during the Heisman Ceremony "7 Writing Lessons Learned in 2020" by K.M. Weiland. It really resonated with me. Anyone learn any lessons this year that stick out? I found myself nodding along with most of it. Inspiration was probably the big one for me. Like once I gave into the smallest inspiration, I suddenly went from writing 0 words a year (ho hum emails do not count, obviously) to writing thousands in a few months. I also think that keeping my writing as my little project for a few months really helped rebolster my confidence that I actually had a story to tell and not just some things to get out of my head.

Thanks for the recommendation!  I looked up the article and enjoyed reading it.  Here's a link if anyone else wants to read it:  https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/7-writing-lessons-learned-in-2020/

The lessons of hers that I related most to when looking back at 2020 were the first two, "Don't be so serious" and "Remember why you're here."  I spent the first part of last year finishing up a series of 20 blogs that looked back on the last 20 years of my fanfic writing for my site's anniversary.  I reread some of my old stories, not through a writer's or editor's lens, but simply through a reader's lens, and that was really fun.  It definitely reminded me why I still enjoy writing fanfic and how much I've grown as a writer over the years.

As for not being so serious, I wrote three stories last year, and they were all fun in their own way.  I started the year finishing The Year Without a Pandaskunk, which was pure silliness.  Then I moved on to finally finishing the BSB/ER crossover I've been working on sporadically since like 2012.  That one was much more serious in terms of subject matter, but still fun for me because of how much I love ER and medical drama.  And then I started The Road to Bethlehem, which has also been fun because it's a genre of story I haven't written in a long time.  Sometimes I get bogged down in what's realistic or not, and I shoot down my own ideas because "that's not believable" or "that would never happen in real life."  I didn't do that with this story.  I figured, in a story set in 2020, anything can happen, and I went with what I wanted to write, focusing more on making it entertaining than making it believable.

I also like what she had to say about giving yourself permission to NOT write and how writing can include a lot of other things besides actually adding sentences to your story.  That makes me feel better about my day today.  I wanted to be productive on my last day of break before my bubble bursts, but I only wrote three sentences of my story.  I wasn't feeling it, so instead of trying to force it, I opened my outline for that Brian story I mentioned last night and added to that.  And I'm okay with that.  If and when I try to write that story, the hour or so I spent on planning it will pay off.

I also really appreciated that she said "The fact that [being willing not to write] scares the spit out of me tells me it's probably exactly the right step forward." I think not writing and coming back has given me an appreciation for it that I didn't used to have when it was just "something I always did."

I feel this way too.  I went through a rough patch in 2015-2016 when I was finishing my master's program and struggling to find the time and energy to write fanfic.  I had a novel in the works that I had started posting in 2014, and I constantly felt guilty about not updating it more often.  I did eventually finish it in 2017, but after that, I struggled to settle in to another writing project.  I posted next to nothing in 2018.  But toward the end of that year, I finally got going on another novel, which I worked on consistently in 2019 until it was done, and that brought back my love of writing fiction.  Not being able to write (first because of school, then because of a lack of focus/inspiration) definitely made me appreciate it more when I was finally able to do it again.  I've been writing pretty consistently ever since and have finished four stories in that time, which is really good for me.

The last thing that came to mind with what I've learned is to be more concise.  Those four stories I've finished in the last two years range in length from 10-50 chapters, nothing like the four 80-200 chapter epics I wrote prior to my little break.  Part of that is just the nature of the plots, taking place over a matter of days or weeks instead of months or years, but I'd like to think I've also learned to be less wordy and better at pacing my plots so that every scene moves the story forward and there's no pointless fluff or filler.  And I'm sure hanging on to chapters longer and editing more before I post them helps too.

That was a long post, ironically LOL, but I enjoyed the article and question.
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~Julie

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RokofAges75

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #242 on: January 05, 2021, 10:33:26 PM »

I love musicals. A year ago next month, I got to see Beetlejuice on Broadway literally right before Covid shut everything down. I was five rows from the stage, center orchestra. Amazing seats. That show is so good. I loved it.. Only other Broadway show I got to see was Anastasia during its previews on Broadway. I'm very fortunate that I can just jump on a train and go. I miss it. Unfortunately it's still shut down.

As for Julie's question about Spotify. I have a 900 song playlist that I just listen to nightly. It's got everything from punk music to Broadway show tunes on it.

I'm glad you got to go to Beetlejuice before it shut down!

Ah, I've got one of those playlists too of basically all my music that's not BSB (they get their own playlist) or my instrumental writing music.  I've been listening to that a lot lately as I chat on here and not write, but it doesn't usually work well for me for actual writing.
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~Julie

"Sometimes writers and sociopaths are hard to tell apart." -J.K. Rowling

nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #243 on: January 05, 2021, 10:36:02 PM »

While we're on the topic of musicals, they make a lot of musicals about artists and/or based around songs in an artist's catalog (I believe the official term is "jukebox musicals"). I mentioned Summer: the Donna Summer Musical and Escape to Margaritaville, but there's also Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages, etcetera.

Do you think the Boys would ever sign off on a biopic musical with their songs? If they did, would you see it? Or, do you think they would ever sign off on a musical with their songs as the plot? If they did, would you see it? Also what would be the plot of that musical?
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #244 on: January 05, 2021, 10:37:00 PM »

Thanks for the recommendation!  I looked up the article and enjoyed reading it.  Here's a link if anyone else wants to read it:  https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/7-writing-lessons-learned-in-2020/

I suck, I copied the link into my editing word count document to link it and forgot to include it. Thanks for going to that effort because I suck! I fixed it.
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

RokofAges75

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #245 on: January 05, 2021, 10:38:38 PM »

The last thing I did was go to Miami and it was unreal coming back and then, poof. Covid. What a weird world.  ;D (I'll keep making song puns as long as y'all don't notice, ha)

Covid is definitely going to make us appreciate things like live music and traveling and even eating inside a restaurant when this is all over.  I saw The Book of Mormon at the end of January at my local theater.  I had already seen it three times in Chicago, but I couldn't not see it again when it was so close.  I'm really glad I got those tickets because that turned out to be the last live show I saw before Covid hit.  I'm also glad I took a vacation to LA in June 2019 to see the Boys' exhibit at the Grammy Museum because I did not get to go anywhere this summer.

It's definitely a weird world... don't you know it? ;)
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~Julie

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RokofAges75

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #246 on: January 05, 2021, 10:42:36 PM »

While we're on the topic of musicals, they make a lot of musicals about artists and/or based around songs in an artist's catalog (I believe the official term is "jukebox musicals"). I mentioned Summer: the Donna Summer Musical and Escape to Margaritaville, but there's also Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages, etcetera.

Do you think the Boys would ever sign off on a biopic musical with their songs? If they did, would you see it? Or, do you think they would ever sign off on a musical with their songs as the plot? If they did, would you see it? Also what would be the plot of that musical?

I could definitely see the Boys agreeing to something like that down the road, and I would absolutely go see it!  I could see it being semi-autobiographical, something about five young guys who are brought together as a manufactured boyband and, over time, bond as brothers and become a real boy(band).  They could work in some of their real life drama - lawsuits, health problems, substance abuse, relationship drama, etc.  Maybe they should write it themselves.  Howie wrote a musical, Kevin's been in one on Broadway, and Nick's written a screenplay - they could totally write a musical together!
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~Julie

"Sometimes writers and sociopaths are hard to tell apart." -J.K. Rowling

nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #247 on: January 05, 2021, 10:51:50 PM »

Sometimes I get bogged down in what's realistic or not, and I shoot down my own ideas because "that's not believable" or "that would never happen in real life."  I didn't do that with this story.  I figured, in a story set in 2020, anything can happen, and I went with what I wanted to write, focusing more on making it entertaining than making it believable.

I figured anything could happen after murder hornets made it over from Japan. I was right. Unless they get abducted by aliens at the end? But also, maybe?

I feel this way too.  I went through a rough patch in 2015-2016 when I was finishing my master's program and struggling to find the time and energy to write fanfic.  I had a novel in the works that I had started posting in 2014, and I constantly felt guilty about not updating it more often.  I did eventually finish it in 2017, but after that, I struggled to settle in to another writing project.  I posted next to nothing in 2018.  But toward the end of that year, I finally got going on another novel, which I worked on consistently in 2019 until it was done, and that brought back my love of writing fiction.  Not being able to write (first because of school, then because of a lack of focus/inspiration) definitely made me appreciate it more when I was finally able to do it again.  I've been writing pretty consistently ever since and have finished four stories in that time, which is really good for me.

I think the guilt really compounds it when you're already feeling busy, listless, and stumped. I've worked very hard over the years to either stop letting myself feel guilt for things (e.g., taking a mental health day) or use that guilt as a catalyst for action (e.g, I'm in the wrong, so I should do something about it).

A kudos to you for finishing four stories in 2019-2020, that's like two a year!

Those four stories I've finished in the last two years range in length from 10-50 chapters, nothing like the four 80-200 chapter epics I wrote prior to my little break.

I was always impressed that you could write 200 chapters of one story and they weren't even really "this is 1,000 words and this is 3,000 words and here's a 500 word chapter." Going over 50 gives me hives. I'd rather write an entire new story unless it needed like ten more chapters to conclude satisfyingly.
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #248 on: January 05, 2021, 10:55:50 PM »

Covid is definitely going to make us appreciate things like live music and traveling and even eating inside a restaurant when this is all over.  I saw The Book of Mormon at the end of January at my local theater.  I had already seen it three times in Chicago, but I couldn't not see it again when it was so close.  I'm really glad I got those tickets because that turned out to be the last live show I saw before Covid hit.  I'm also glad I took a vacation to LA in June 2019 to see the Boys' exhibit at the Grammy Museum because I did not get to go anywhere this summer.

It's definitely a weird world... don't you know it? ;)

Haha. I see you, now I can't do it anymore.

I did not get to LA to see the grammy museum exhibit and I wish I did. I was very busy/poor the summer of 2019 though, what with planning a wedding, getting married, and going on a honeymoon. I saw a concert in February as well and forgot it happened this past year. I had a conversation with the husband that was like, "Oh concerts! I think BSB was the last one!" And he said, "We literally saw Randy Houser four months ago." Time is odd. What will the first restaurant I go to feel like? Will I be able to see the Boys in August? So many questions...
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #249 on: January 05, 2021, 10:59:26 PM »

I could definitely see the Boys agreeing to something like that down the road, and I would absolutely go see it!  I could see it being semi-autobiographical, something about five young guys who are brought together as a manufactured boyband and, over time, bond as brothers and become a real boy(band).  They could work in some of their real life drama - lawsuits, health problems, substance abuse, relationship drama, etc.  Maybe they should write it themselves.  Howie wrote a musical, Kevin's been in one on Broadway, and Nick's written a screenplay - they could totally write a musical together!

I would love it if they wrote and produced it themselves, even if the cast wasn't them. I hope it would do previews in Florida for the nostalgia (even though the big preview places are LA/Denver/Chicago, I think). I think autobiographic al would be interesting being an "insider," but I wonder how it would play to a wider audience. I feel like Jersey Boys is pretty universally loved.

and become a real boy(band)

I approve of this subtle joke.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2021, 11:00:58 PM by nicksgal »
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

RokofAges75

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #250 on: January 05, 2021, 11:03:27 PM »

I figured anything could happen after murder hornets made it over from Japan. I was right. Unless they get abducted by aliens at the end? But also, maybe?

LOL That was my thinking too.  Everything that happens in Bethlehem is technically possible.  It's just not probable that it would all happen to one group of people over the course of a couple of days.  But after seeing how much shit 2020 had thrown our way by May when I got the idea for this story, I just decided, "Screw it, it's 2020!" and went with it.


I think the guilt really compounds it when you're already feeling busy, listless, and stumped. I've worked very hard over the years to either stop letting myself feel guilt for things (e.g., taking a mental health day) or use that guilt as a catalyst for action (e.g, I'm in the wrong, so I should do something about it).

A kudos to you for finishing four stories in 2019-2020, that's like two a year!

I was always impressed that you could write 200 chapters of one story and they weren't even really "this is 1,000 words and this is 3,000 words and here's a 500 word chapter." Going over 50 gives me hives. I'd rather write an entire new story unless it needed like ten more chapters to conclude satisfyingly.

Yeah, for sure.  And the fact that I had been critical of other writers in the past for disappearing or taking months or years to update made me feel that much guiltier for basically doing the same thing.  It never got to the point where I felt like quitting fanfic, but I definitely took a little hiatus without intending to.

Looking back, I have no idea how I managed to be as productive as I was in high school and college.  I guess I had fewer other real life/adult responsibiliti es outside of school, so I found time for fanfic.  But working full time while taking master's classes was rough, especially the ones that required a lot of academic writing.  I had nothing left for fanfic during those semesters.

The thought of writing 200 chapters of anything is overwhelming to me now, but I've never been more into a story than I was with Broken and BMS, and I guess that's how I was able to get to that point.  I loved writing those stories.  And I had no idea when I started them that they would end up that long LOL.  Which goes back to what I said about learning to be more concise and lose the fluff, because there was a lot of filler and purple prose in that series.
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RokofAges75

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #251 on: January 05, 2021, 11:07:17 PM »

Haha. I see you, now I can't do it anymore.

I did not get to LA to see the grammy museum exhibit and I wish I did. I was very busy/poor the summer of 2019 though, what with planning a wedding, getting married, and going on a honeymoon. I saw a concert in February as well and forgot it happened this past year. I had a conversation with the husband that was like, "Oh concerts! I think BSB was the last one!" And he said, "We literally saw Randy Houser four months ago." Time is odd. What will the first restaurant I go to feel like? Will I be able to see the Boys in August? So many questions...

LOL I know, I almost forgot about Book of Mormon last year too.  January 2020 seems like way longer than one year ago.  Like another lifetime.

The Grammy Museum was great!  I had never been to California or even seen the Pacific Ocean before, so it was a bucket list moment for me to get to do that.

I so hope we get to see the Boys this summer.  Please, please, please...
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nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #252 on: January 05, 2021, 11:16:57 PM »

LOL That was my thinking too.  Everything that happens in Bethlehem is technically possible.  It's just not probable that it would all happen to one group of people over the course of a couple of days.  But after seeing how much shit 2020 had thrown our way by May when I got the idea for this story, I just decided, "Screw it, it's 2020!" and went with it.

Unless the setting is like a weirdness anomaly magnet (like Gravity Falls if anyone else appreciates a well written children's show, haha), then all bets are off just based on location.

Also I see you saying that, but if Nick can be rule #34 of the Backstreet Boys, then collectively the Boys can be "if it could happen, it will happen." Is that a rule on the internet?

Yeah, for sure.  And the fact that I had been critical of other writers in the past for disappearing or taking months or years to update made me feel that much guiltier for basically doing the same thing.  It never got to the point where I felt like quitting fanfic, but I definitely took a little hiatus without intending to.

Looking back, I have no idea how I managed to be as productive as I was in high school and college.  I guess I had fewer other real life/adult responsibiliti es outside of school, so I found time for fanfic.  But working full time while taking master's classes was rough, especially the ones that required a lot of academic writing.  I had nothing left for fanfic during those semesters.

The thought of writing 200 chapters of anything is overwhelming to me now, but I've never been more into a story than I was with Broken and BMS, and I guess that's how I was able to get to that point.  I loved writing those stories.  And I had no idea when I started them that they would end up that long LOL.  Which goes back to what I said about learning to be more concise and lose the fluff, because there was a lot of filler and purple prose in that series.

In one of my volunteer groups, our motto has been "Creativity and Flexibility" this year, and I think that's a perfect motto to stretch into the rest of my life, especially when you're looking at other people. Like everyone has lots of things going on that they might not even talk about, you know? If nothing else, I hope everyone comes out of all this a little kinder to each other.

I know that answer for me! Often at the expense of my grades, oops. I threw myself into my teaching program though and got a 4.0, so you just gotta prioritize what's really important. College age me was like "Friends? Yay!" and then writing in my free time. And academia is its own beast for sure.

Sometimes I find myself adding fluff, but only if it focuses on character development. Like I would write a million chapters of "they argue, but at the end of the day, they're a true family by choice" if it seemed like one of those scenes fit in there. I'm feeling a little bad about the beginning of PNecklace because they don't really physically go lots of places like they did in PBox, but the character(s) are growing and changing a lot! So, who knows?

There's another question for everyone. What's THE story for you that you've written? Are you defined by it and how have you felt about that?
« Last Edit: January 05, 2021, 11:22:15 PM by nicksgal »
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #253 on: January 05, 2021, 11:21:06 PM »

LOL I know, I almost forgot about Book of Mormon last year too.  January 2020 seems like way longer than one year ago.  Like another lifetime.

The Grammy Museum was great!  I had never been to California or even seen the Pacific Ocean before, so it was a bucket list moment for me to get to do that.

I so hope we get to see the Boys this summer.  Please, please, please...

I've been calling it the before times with my husband, especially since we went to Miami, came back for two days and I got the weirdest headache and high fever, got tested for COVID, had to wait for the results and that was when they were taking weeks. It came back negative, but then I walked back into the world as an essential worker at the end of March and it was... drastically different instead of gradually different.

Oh man, California is for sure my home away from home, so I'm glad you were able to experience it! I think next on my list would be Alaska, New Orleans, Nashville, Mexico, Japan, and France. Maybe Australia, though I'm a little afraid of getting killed by the flora and fauna.

If we all loudly hope and wish together, it will happen.
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #254 on: January 05, 2021, 11:24:53 PM »

In terms of music being inspiring, I absolutely have a playlist of songs that I have for every story I ever write. Basically I make soundtracks for my stories. Sometimes it's the melody, other times it's the lyrics. I noticed I have an Eminem tendency with my angst stories LOL.

THE story I've written? Probably Remember Me This Way. It was my most popular though I think Song For The Undead has gome to define me too but I'm okay with both. I've written and finished other stories but those showcase in many ways both sides of me and so it's not a bad thing.
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Double Rainbow Fiction - So Bright and So Vivid...


"Don't annoy the writer. They may put you in a book and kill you." —Anonymous

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