Fic Talk > General Discussion
The Writing Thread
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on January 08, 2021, 09:22:22 PM ---Usually I spend a few days/weeks/months jumping around between different stories in my effort to figure out what I want to write, which is frustrating, but probably a necessary part of the process for me. That's why the 00Carter revival might be perfect timing for me, because I'm a couple chapters away from finishing Bethlehem and not currently tied down to anything else.
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How do you like jumping around stories? Is it doing multiple things at once that's frustrating or not having the clear idea for the next project? I know you're pretty focused on tackling one thing at a time.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on January 08, 2021, 09:22:22 PM ---I don't usually edit at the level you are, as in rewriting a lot of it; it's usually more just changing a few words here and there, which I do right in editing mode. I did completely dissect a chapter of Bethlehem and edit it back together to pace it differently, and for that I just created a separate document and pasted it back into the original story when I was happy with it.
I love Google Docs. I started using it for my master's classes and finally made the switch for fanfic in the middle of writing Sick as My Secrets, probably around 2015-2016. The fact that it automatically saves, and I can access my stories from any device without using a flash drive sold me.
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It's been a project for sure! I don't know that I'll ever edit quite to this level again! (I say that and a PNecklace chapter update is still around 600 different words when everything's said and done).
I've done that too if it's almost a complete rewrite of a section, it's easier to pop it out for a second than it is to change in the document. I wish there was the option to edit multiple times at once and track it with different colors, but going to the effort of sharing a document with myself just to overwrite an edit seems a little extra.
My tablet has office, but it's tiny and has a tiny attached keyboard, so I don't write on it as often since getting a regular laptop again. Bigger is better than only staring at tiny screens. Though I sometimes make fun of my husband for switching from the little internet on his phone to the same thing but bigger on his computer when he's reading ESPN articles/tracking scores of games, haha. My work switched over to google suite only and that's kind of sold me on it. I don't think I'll ever go back to office.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on January 08, 2021, 09:22:22 PM ---Nah, Heroic Measures was always just more of a side project that I opened when I was between novels. I finally found myself without a novel in progress during quarantine in the spring and decided it was the perfect time to try to finish it. Thanks, Rona!
Yes!! I totally get your fireside author chats because it's fun to reveal the behind-the-scenes stuff that readers don't get to see.
LOL Basically! Though it's more like the peel just fades away as you zoom in to the inside of the banana.
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Did you find it nice or frustrating to have a "between projects" story? Covid also turned into a productive writing thing for me, nothing finished yet, but we'll see! Anyone else have a writing-related silver lining from Covid?
I've really enjoyed writing them. I think my only concern is "what's the statue of limits on spoilers? Because it's been bopping around my head for what, fifteen years now? So to me, it's all old news. I don't know if anyone's enjoying my ramblings or not, haha. It's weird having a post where you basically talk to yourself.
Fades away is fine. That would not be squicky at all, haha.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on January 08, 2021, 09:22:22 PM ---I guess it's a reflection of how much I love the Boys as people.
My story takes place in 1999, but they're still too old to be Hogwarts students. I could see Nick as a Hufflepuff too. None of them struck me as Slytherins either, and I almost said the same thing about Justin Timberlake! LMAO. Slytherins are known for being ambitious and power-hungry (which is why all the villains come from Slytherin), which fits Timberlake ditching NSYNC to go solo. The Boys are loyal to each other.
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Yes, I loved the music, but then the more interviews I saw, I just started caring about them personally. Like I was really concerned for Nick for a couple days when I saw him retweet Lauren saying he did great on Masked Singer and his response was "Everything I do is for my little family." And I was like, are they okay? Why wouldn't you say "our little family" when retweeting your wife? Then I snapped myself out of it, because I was like, "Why are you worrying about this?!" But then I read his GQ "how I stay healthy" interview yesterday and he said something like "she's very motivating for me" and I was like, "phew, don't have to worry about that anymore."
Haha, yeah, ambitious and power hungry is Justin to a tee. That's for sure how I wrote him in PBox. Are no Slytherins loyal to each other? That seems so crummy to be excited to get in a house and find out that no one is your friend for you, just your use to them. But then if they're all in Slytherin, do they care? A philosophical discussion on house sorting.
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: nicksgal on January 08, 2021, 08:44:56 PM ---Good! Is it up in your inspiration room?
Just put a sticky note in the front cover of what you'd like done with it. Morbidly enough, I've thought of what to do with things like all my BSB stuff after I'm gone, and I think the logical thing would be to say "All this BSB stuff brought me so much joy over the years, so if you think having it will bring you joy, keep it. If you don't think it will, get rid of it." Solve the problem, you know?
What's the most random note you ever wrote about and/or for a story?
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Yep! LOL You just inspired me to go upstairs and get it to look through it, and now I am simultaneously cracking up and cringing.
Here are some of my favorite finds:
- the page where I jotted an idea for an April Fool's prank for my site, and then underneath it, I randomly wrote and underlined the word "infection." I guess that was me trying to get back on topic with Broken notes LOL.
- "Nick & Claire adopt kid w/ cancer; watch it die. (girl)"
Sadistic! That must have been an idea for future Nick & Claire. I did eventually have them watch a kid with cancer die, and they also adopted a kid, but it wasn't the same kid - and neither were girls.
- "Cannibalism? Plane crash, Donner party deal?"
LOL That was not for Broken, but was apparently a story idea I had once and never pursued.
- "Call Grandma about tutoring!"
Apparently this was also my memo pad in 2003 LOL.
Then it goes into BMS planning, and I have a page with this idea:
"J[amie] & C[laire] go running together or play soccer or something? Nick gets jealous, determined to learn to run again. He does teach himself, but he overdoes it & gets an ulcer, which takes him out of commission for weeks - possible bad infection, faces risk of losing more of leg?"
And then I crossed out the last part and wrote "BAD!" and below that, "Cellulitis." That actually did end up in the story.
- "Testing out my cool new pen... it's the sparkly turquoise one... #1 at Target!"
My favorite page:
- "12/21/04 3:42 a.m. Best idea ever!!! (from a dream too!) Paris killed in freak amusement park accident. Intoxicated? Didn't keep her safety belt on? Tried to flash ride operator? Scrambler at small town carnival - filming Simple Life 4 (or 5?)"
I totally included that in BMS too LMAO.
My first reference to the ill-fated third story I mentioned the other day:
- "Lung transplant... mwahaha"
And then I crossed that out and wrote "BAD!" again LOL.
Then there's a page that I first looked at with horror because it looks like I was trying to draw swastikas, but I realized it was actually my early attempts at designing a FANS logo for 00Carter, which was based on a swastika.
So there's some insight into my mind circa 2003-2006.
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: nicksgal on January 08, 2021, 08:49:14 PM ---I would always repurposed old notebooks from school. I have probably 20 notebooks that have various amounts of things in them. Some are probably old stories or doodles! I'll have to look?
Challenge for everyone: Go find some old physical writing thing you saved that's worth sharing!
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I posted pictures of a few pages from my notebooks back in October when I was cleaning and found them. https://twitter.com/RokofAges75/status/1317632126418882561
Also, I realized I dabble in doodling and world-building too. Here is a very elaborate blueprint I made of the nursing home where Cary, my female lead in Curtain Call, works. LMAO
http://dreamers-sanctuary.com/courtyard.jpg
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on January 08, 2021, 10:17:41 PM ---Yep! LOL You just inspired me to go upstairs and get it to look through it, and now I am simultaneously cracking up and cringing.
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The nostalgia continues! I love when I find old things like this because they always make me happy. Like I was going through my old French stuff from high school and found this caterpillar saying hello. I also found a labeled magazine collage from when we were learning body parts that had Leo's head!
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on January 08, 2021, 10:17:41 PM ---Here are some of my favorite finds:
So there's some insight into my mind circa 2003-2006.
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I loved all of them. Those are amazing! I especially like you crossing things out and writing BAD instead, the written evil laugh to lung cancer, the random note about calling your grandma, that a Paris dying scene was labeled "Best idea ever!!!" (that's it, you'll never have another good idea again), and the random note about your turquoise pen from Target (it's a curse, I'll go in there for one thing and spend $100... what have I done?)
I need to quote/comment on these though:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on January 08, 2021, 10:17:41 PM ---Here are some of my favorite finds:
- the page where I jotted an idea for an April Fool's prank for my site, and then underneath it, I randomly wrote and underlined the word "infection." I guess that was me trying to get back on topic with Broken notes LOL.
- "Cannibalism? Plane crash, Donner party deal?"
LOL That was not for Broken, but was apparently a story idea I had once and never pursued.
Then there's a page that I first looked at with horror because it looks like I was trying to draw swastikas, but I realized it was actually my early attempts at designing a FANS logo for 00Carter, which was based on a swastika.
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An infection on April Fools? Oh noes!
I get it, the Backstreet Party. Who would get eaten first? Who would be the first to consider eating people? You know what they say, "have a friend for lunch"! (the actual motto of a restaurant from my college, the Alfred Packer Grill)
I'm cringing that it was based on a swastika. Poor Dr. Rough.
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on January 08, 2021, 10:25:56 PM ---I posted pictures of a few pages from my notebooks back in October when I was cleaning and found them. https://twitter.com/RokofAges75/status/1317632126418882561
Also, I realized I dabble in doodling and world-building too. Here is a very elaborate blueprint I made of the nursing home where Cary, my female lead in Curtain Call, works. LMAO
http://dreamers-sanctuary.com/courtyard.jpg
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Yay! Stuff like this is so fun! I'd post more PBox doodles, but I'm trying to save them for a future chat in my thread. I found one where Nick looks pretty creepy from before I settled on them being more "cute monster" types.
But where's the west wing? Too political for you? ;D It's very elaborate. Turn that into a 3D model, stat!
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