Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[RokofAges75]

I just finished through your last compilation of them in this thread (thanks for doing that, btw, saved me time!), and we're up to 740!

[nicksgal]

Wow, so many questions!

What will you do now that you compiled them all? haha.

[nicksgal]

Beginnings are almost always hard for me, and I have probably used just about all of the ways they say NOT to start a novel at one point or another.  What are your thoughts on this list?  Bad Ways to Start a Novel: http://www.wattpad.com/4667955-bad-ways-to-start-a-novel

That made me laugh. if I ever decide to un-fanficify this whole thing, then they're probably right that I should actually start with chapter two of PBox.

[RokofAges75]

I liked this question a lot:

24. If you could pick two stories you have written as a before and after to show us how much you have grown as a writer, which two would you pick?

But I almost want to change it to a before and after editing question... How does the same story change after you edit? Give us a scene that isn't a spoiler!

I don't typically save old versions of chapters/stories after editing, and my edits don't usually drastically change a scene anyway.  I edit more for mistakes, word choice, and sometimes adding in more description, body language, and that type of thing.

But I guess on kind of a related note, I came across this post I made in June 2017 in one of the question threads: http://absolutechaos.net/fictalk/index.php/topic,3335.msg117928.html#msg117928

"Is anyone else super indecisive when it comes to writing?  I'm usually not, but I just started a new story, and I have been having so much trouble making up my mind about basic things, like a title and events.  I feel like I have a solid premise and some good character development going for me (and I do have set names for the original ones, which is usually something I get hung up on), but everything else I keep changing my mind about.  I wrote two whole chapters of the story, then completely scrapped them and started the whole thing over, and I've made at least five different banners with different titles.  I haven't even attempted to write a summary yet, but I feel like that may be a challenge for me too.  Is this a bad sign that my story may be doomed from the start? LOL"

This was the story that would become A Heart That Isn't Mine, although I didn't have that title yet because the song (Don't Go Breaking My Heart) would not come out for another year.  I have never struggled so much getting started with a story that I would ultimately go on to finish.  I wrote three completely different versions of the first couple chapters.  The first version started at a convention in Atlanta.  The second version started at a concert in New Jersey.  And the third and final version started at a bar in Key West LOL.  Howie was also going to be the second main BSB after Nick in the original version, but I switched it to Brian in the second two versions.  I also did make multiple banners with multiple titles, none of which I loved.  What finally got me into a groove on it was literally Don't Go Breaking My Heart and the lyric "If you're gonna be someone that hurts somebody just for fun, then do it to a heart that isn't mine."  Once I changed the title, I was good.  It sounds so stupid, but I really can't write a story until I've decided on a title LOL.  I am proud of myself for persevering and coming back to this idea because it turned out to be one I really liked.

Anyone else have a story they've struggled with and ultimately finished?  Or maybe one that's still a struggle?  What is it that tends to gives you the most trouble?

[RokofAges75]

Wow, so many questions!

What will you do now that you compiled them all? haha.

Um, I need to go eat dinner (you know, at 11:30 p.m. LOL) and stop staring at this screen for a while.  But I'm sure I'll be back at some point.

[nicksgal]

Um, I need to go eat dinner (you know, at 11:30 p.m. LOL) and stop staring at this screen for a while.  But I'm sure I'll be back at some point.

It's almost midnight! Go eat before you become a gremlin!

I'm going to think on your last post for a minute.

[nicksgal]

What finally got me into a groove on it was literally Don't Go Breaking My Heart and the lyric "If you're gonna be someone that hurts somebody just for fun, then do it to a heart that isn't mine."  Once I changed the title, I was good.  It sounds so stupid, but I really can't write a story until I've decided on a title LOL.  I am proud of myself for persevering and coming back to this idea because it turned out to be one I really liked.

Anyone else have a story they've struggled with and ultimately finished?  Or maybe one that's still a struggle?  What is it that tends to gives you the most trouble?

The Boys really came through for you at the right time with that one. I never think the title is that important, but I do know that when I don't have a title for something, it usually doesn't get finished. So maybe a title is more important to me than I thought? Although, I often save my stories as weird words in their own folder in my google drive. Like PNecklace is definitely called "blap" and then split into parts every ten chapters or else the document slows down excruciatingly . I think this is my way of making it silly and less serious seeming.

I remember in PBox, the part that got me the most was ch. 47. I struggled with that one for months! And at the time, I thought it was that I had no ideas on how to write it, but looking back, I think it's because I wasn't ready for Brian to die. Like Brian was so cool about it and I was sitting there like, what have I done? Killing off the Boys... I'm not really sure what snapped me out of that six month writer's block, honestly. I've been poking around old posts here and I don't think I've ever given any indication as to what finally happened other than that  I was "writing today."

In an original novel I'm writing, I've been having a hard time going in and filling in the gaps as I rewrite it. The old version of it had so much filler that I tried to pare down and I've had a hard time deciding what to write instead or which of the "filler type" things are worth expanding into something better. So while the original had... hundreds of chapters? I can't really remember. The rewritten version has snippets of six, maybe.

Okay there, I've had two good ideas ever. I don't know that Gobosei counts, because it's basically "The Backstreet Project" on steroids if it was more fantasy geared rather than sci-fi.

[nicksgal]

I was thinking about a possible question this morning and I can't remember if it was in the questions thread when I was skimming through.

What's something you do in BSB fanfic that would never fly in an original novel? This can be something as big as a whole plot or something as small as "I often find myself not describing the Boys' appearances."

I am definitely guilty of the appearance one, those short hand things will always trip me up. I think the only reason I even bothered to describe the Boys in PBox is because in the beginning when less of them were introduced, I was trying to make who was who a surprise until it became necessary to know, so the descriptors were clues. Howie was my favorite, because several people told me that they were sure Brian would be the next one introduced. I was excited to fool people. And then when Brian was actually introduced they were like, oh yeah, that's definitely Brian. Not sure why I thought the other one would be him.

Describing clothing is sometimes also a trap for me. Not their fantasy-land clothing, because I do describe that since it's new and different. But if they're the Boys, unless the clothes do something, I just leave them out? I figure you all can imagine them in something?

Like here's Nick: "He picked up a crumpled pair of jeans from the floor between the bed and the window, then pulled them over each leg as he walked toward a chair between the door and a large closet. He grabbed a gray sweatshirt slung over the arm and pulled it over his head quickly before opening the door."

Here's Kevin: "his black button down shirt contrasting against the dark wood."

Brian: "pulled his phone out of his jeans" (I actually went back and just added in somewhere that he was wearing a shirt in passing because I mentioned his pants?)

And then I just skipped AJ and Howie. Oh, AJ got "pulled down his sunglasses." Does anyone else do this or am I a lazy bum? Yell at me if I am, basically.

[nicksgal]

Back on the "what do you listen to" question, I was clearly listening to The Labyrinth's soundtrack while originally writing the chapter I'm editing right now. I wonder if anyone else noticed that during their read.

Does anyone feel like whatever you're listening to seeps into your writing? Do you ever pick specific things to listen to for that reason because you want it to seep into the feel of your writing?

[FrickingKaos]

I definitely get inspired by certain songs when I write. Sometimes it comes across in my chapters, or in a story theme or title. Depends on what I'm writing. Like last night I was listening to NSYNC and got a fantastic idea for something. So yes I'm heavily influenced by music.

[nicksgal]

Is it a fantastic idea for a new story or something in If I Knew Then? We were NSYNC twins yesterday, apparently, haha.

[RokofAges75]

The Boys really came through for you at the right time with that one. I never think the title is that important, but I do know that when I don't have a title for something, it usually doesn't get finished. So maybe a title is more important to me than I thought? Although, I often save my stories as weird words in their own folder in my google drive. Like PNecklace is definitely called "blap" and then split into parts every ten chapters or else the document slows down excruciatingly . I think this is my way of making it silly and less serious seeming.

You people and your Google titling systems!  I was just giving Tracy a hard time (jokingly) on Twitter the other day because she posted a picture of her writing, and I noticed that the document was "Untitled" on Google Docs.  I was like, "Ahh, how can you not give it a title?!"  That would drive me nuts.  But I am definitely a little OCD about stuff like that.  I am all about proper titles and folders and file organization.

I have done the thing where I have to divide a story into multiple smaller files while I'm working on it because I've noticed Google Docs can't handle long stories the way Word can.  Broken, BMS, and Undead were literally too long to even upload to Docs in one document.  I had to break them into parts.  The other long ones I was able to put back into one document once I finished writing them.  Maybe this is subconsciously why I have stopped writing really long stories since switching to Google Docs LOL.

[FrickingKaos]

It's for If I Knew Then, actually the current chapter I'm writing right now.

Is it a fantastic idea for a new story or something in If I Knew Then? We were NSYNC twins yesterday, apparently, haha.

[nicksgal]

It's for If I Knew Then, actually the current chapter I'm writing right now.

Thanks NSYNC! Never thought I would say that...

[nicksgal]

You people and your Google titling systems!  I was just giving Tracy a hard time (jokingly) on Twitter the other day because she posted a picture of her writing, and I noticed that the document was "Untitled" on Google Docs.  I was like, "Ahh, how can you not give it a title?!"  That would drive me nuts.  But I am definitely a little OCD about stuff like that.  I am all about proper titles and folders and file organization.

I have done the thing where I have to divide a story into multiple smaller files while I'm working on it because I've noticed Google Docs can't handle long stories the way Word can.  Broken, BMS, and Undead were literally too long to even upload to Docs in one document.  I had to break them into parts.  The other long ones I was able to put back into one document once I finished writing them.  Maybe this is subconsciously why I have stopped writing really long stories since switching to Google Docs LOL.

Oh I mean, inside the document I have the side outline with all the chapters as headings so I can get to any part easily, then as I'm editing I comment on the chapter title with the original word count. And I also edit by day so I can keep track of what I changed. But yeah, my document to keep track of edits is called "untitled," PBox is "blorp," PNecklace is "blap" if it's been completed, whatever I'm currently working on is "blep," the interesting pieces and tidbits are "blep2." I have another project started called "blup" and I believe I titled my holiday story "blirp." I don't really know why, I just did it when I started and the random words still make me smile. And then each project is in its own folder and parts are numbered in order 1-5.

I don't know why it can't because it's all online, but yeah, each ten chapter chunk is about 100 pages and it is just... ridiculously slow at the end. Very difficult when you like to write epics.