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[RokofAges75]

Four chapters and 3.5 pages left. I'm hoping to finish those 3.5 pages today and maybe get a chunk of the next chapter done. It dawned on me during this editing that if I had originally decided to focus on two characters doing the fighting, then everyone else did ... nothing. Which is uncharacterist ic for them. So I've slowly had to add in either *something* or a cop out like "They were enclosed in one of Brian's barriers." Thank goodness for Brian having the power to seal everyone off so I can just focus on AJ or Howie like I did originally without it seeming out of character!

Except Nick, of course, is like, "To hell with that, I hate every minute of this not doing something!" So he gets to do fun things like:

Nick glanced at him, then started trying to walk toward him, but AJ pulled him back. Nick clenched his fist and gnashed his teeth, then whirled on AJ and forcefully poked him in the chest before he started gesturing toward God largely and wildly with his hands. He continued opening his mouth as though he spoke, but no sound came out.

and

As Kevin and Brian are clearly having a calm conversation about the emerald demons' powers: Meanwhile, Nick pounded on the barrier with his fists and appeared to be shouting.

Yay for you!  You're so close!

That is one of the hardest parts of writing group stories - trying to keep things balanced between the five guys and make sure they all have something to do in a scene.  I'm sure it's even more challenging in an action scene because you want to give them all action, but don't want to slow down the scene too much describing what they're all doing in too much detail.

[nicksgal]

Yay for you!  You're so close!

That is one of the hardest parts of writing group stories - trying to keep things balanced between the five guys and make sure they all have something to do in a scene.  I'm sure it's even more challenging in an action scene because you want to give them all action, but don't want to slow down the scene too much describing what they're all doing in too much detail.

Thanks for the yay. So close, but so far! Those four chapters are 51 pages worth of stuff, so it will take some time. I'm a little worried about what editing the next chapter will look like because that was the one that spurred the original PBox six month update hiatus. I'm hoping it's not as bad because it's just already all there.

I'm prone to splitting them up just so I have less characters to worry about, to be honest. Which is fun with PBox because it definitely falls into the "loads and loads of characters" syndrome and only gets worse as time goes on.

Like I said, thank goodness for Brian -- best unintentional cop-out ever! I figure it's like a movie with a fight scene, you're either jumping between focuses or really zoomed in on one piece of it and the rest is just blurry background noise.

[nicksgal]

I realized that I kept writing "same" to so much of this, so just know that I nodded along exuberantly and have only kept parts I wanted to specifically comment on.

What's the weirdest place you've ever worked on one of your stories?
I guess the airport?  I know that's not that weird, but I'm not comfortable writing in public, so that was a stretch for me.  That was during one of my daily writing streaks for A Heart That Isn't Mine in 2019, and I was at like 50-something days of writing in a row and determined not to break it when I went to LA with Rose, so I wrote a little bit on my phone at the airport to keep the streak alive.

I think it's fine as long as you're not acting things out in the airport. The amount of times my husband has walked in on me clenching a fist to various degrees of clenched is high. At least he always asks if I'm okay and then says "Oh, you're writing again." He's stopped asking questions, haha.

50-something is a lot in row! Did you write on the trip too or did that break the streak?

I know I've told this story here before, but my favorite was when I drove my car out onto a rural road in the middle of the night, parked it next to a cornfield, and climbed out of my moonroof just to make sure that a plausible means of escape for a scene from Song for the Undead.  I wanted to try it myself, but I didn't want other people in my apartment complex to see me doing that in the parking lot LOL.

I have not heard that story and I laughed so hard! I hope you were kind to yourself and left the door unlocked so that you didn't have to climb back in through the moonroof.

Also knowing this, maybe you did have to restrain yourself from acting things out at the airport, haha.

[RokofAges75]

LMAO Don't worry, I'm not that weird!

I did write on the trip, but only a sentence or so on my phone at night just so I could say I wrote something LOL.

LOL Your husband's gotten used to it, huh?  It's probably better than he not ask questions.

[nicksgal]

Should have answered first so I didn't keep writing "what Julie said" below.

What's the weirdest place you've ever worked on one of your stories?

So I asked this question because today was a late arrival day for my students, so I had an hour to myself to kill and nothing work-related to catch up on (what a weird world!), so I went back into my editing with a watchful eye on the door because can't have the kids suddenly appear behind me and ask "Who stabbed what with a sword?"

Tell us something semi-ridiculous you do while writing that if someone walked in on would be very confusing for them.

I am also a pacer. I've spent many years with Nick in my head and I know that if I stare too long at something, but feel focused, it means he has something to say in particular. I used to type a million different versions until I settled on the right one, but as time's gone on, I usually opt to mill it around in my brain instead. So I pace while he thinks and I've been able to cut it down to maybe three rewrites tops, but usually just a long pause and one pass through initially. Sometimes he'll want it changed for an edit, but I figure that's all part of the editing process. And even saying this out loud to someone that didn't write would doubly add to the semi-ridiculousness of this. Writers get it, people who only read or watch things do not.

I also act things out, but have no good stories like Julie's moonroof. I do have a lot of things bookmarked for stories that are also pretty weird. Pages of "parts of weapons" diagrams and also youtube videos about albatrosses. Admittedly, the physics in PBox is still a little wibbly.

When you're writing, how are you picturing the story? Is it just words on a page? A movie? How do you think this helps or hinders your writing?

Definitely like a movie, but I always think in terms of dialogue first. I always feel like the best way to showcase characters is when they speak and how they interact. But if I get stuck on whatever their bodies are doing, I'll doodle. It happened in my "Wishes" edit where I just went, wait how did they sit next to each other? Something so mundane, but I had to doodle it out to get it straight in my head.

What are your favorite kinds of scenes to write?

Definitely the banter and bonding. Dialogue snippets. I've enjoyed getting into everyone's individual head lately. That was a fun experience.

[nicksgal]

LMAO Don't worry, I'm not that weird!

I did write on the trip, but only a sentence or so on my phone at night just so I could say I wrote something LOL.

LOL Your husband's gotten used to it, huh?  It's probably better than he not ask questions.

I'm glad you at least wrote something to keep the streak alive! Five words is still five words and Rose would obviously be sympathetic to the streak.

I always feel kind of weird writing at airports too, but it's less the writing aspect and more that people at airports (or any kind of prolonged travel situation) tend to be nosy about strangers. I hate people looking over my shoulder as I write or read, especially if they were like "Huh... demons with magic powers... okay?" I think I would die a little if someone said that to me out loud while I was physically typing.

Unless, in 00Carter, Nick has to get from terminal A to terminal E in Atlanta's airport in 15 minutes or less. That might be the only thing I would act out in an airport because people would just think "Oh, they're really late for their connecting flight." I used Atlanta specifically because it's practically impossible (I've attempted it), but I know O'Hare is similar in that respect as well.

You know, he's had kind of a whirlwind life since Nick and AJ were both on celebrity competition shows at the same time. He adapts pretty quickly, haha. He keeps begging me to write him into my story in his dream cameo scenario: He's sitting at the bar drinking a beer and singing along to "We Built This City" on the touchtunes jukebox and the characters just come in and do whatever. And I tried to explain to him that of all those things, "beer" and "a bar-like establishment" are the only things that might exist in universe. So then he moved on to "Fine just at a random gas station," which again don't exist per se. So after I shot down those two things, he pretty much gave up asking about it. He's not one for fantasy, though he did like GOT, but probably more for the sex and history aspects than the dragons and more fantasy races.

[RokofAges75]

What's the weirdest place you've ever worked on one of your stories?

So I asked this question because today was a late arrival day for my students, so I had an hour to myself to kill and nothing work-related to catch up on (what a weird world!), so I went back into my editing with a watchful eye on the door because can't have the kids suddenly appear behind me and ask "Who stabbed what with a sword?"

I'm impressed!  I don't think I would ever be able to focus enough to work on a fanfic at work.

I do have a lot of things bookmarked for stories that are also pretty weird. Pages of "parts of weapons" diagrams and also youtube videos about albatrosses.

Haha, same with the weird stuff bookmarked.  Although not albatrosses... now I wanna look up videos of albatrosses.  Aww, here's a video of an albatross mating dance!  https://youtu.be/SFwgCh1hh4U  Albatrosses are adorable!

[RokofAges75]

I'm glad you at least wrote something to keep the streak alive! Five words is still five words and Rose would obviously be sympathetic to the streak.

I always feel kind of weird writing at airports too, but it's less the writing aspect and more that people at airports (or any kind of prolonged travel situation) tend to be nosy about strangers. I hate people looking over my shoulder as I write or read, especially if they were like "Huh... demons with magic powers... okay?" I think I would die a little if someone said that to me out loud while I was physically typing.

Unless, in 00Carter, Nick has to get from terminal A to terminal E in Atlanta's airport in 15 minutes or less. That might be the only thing I would act out in an airport because people would just think "Oh, they're really late for their connecting flight." I used Atlanta specifically because it's practically impossible (I've attempted it), but I know O'Hare is similar in that respect as well.

LOL This is why I got it out of the way at the airport and not on the plane.  Impossible to get away from prying eyes on a plane!

Oh yeah, I would act that out in an airport too LOL.  Atlanta and O'Hare are both crazy big and busy.  I have definitely done the "run through the airport to get on your connecting flight before they close the door" at O'Hare.

I'm glad you at least wrote something to keep the streak alive! Five words is still five words and Rose would obviously be sympathetic to the streak.

I always feel kind of weird writing at airports too, but it's less the writing aspect and more that people at airports (or any kind of prolonged travel situation) tend to be nosy about strangers. I hate people looking over my shoulder as I write or read, especially if they were like "Huh... demons with magic powers... okay?" I think I would die a little if someone said that to me out loud while I was physically typing.

Unless, in 00Carter, Nick has to get from terminal A to terminal E in Atlanta's airport in 15 minutes or less. That might be the only thing I would act out in an airport because people would just think "Oh, they're really late for their connecting flight." I used Atlanta specifically because it's practically impossible (I've attempted it), but I know O'Hare is similar in that respect as well.

You know, he's had kind of a whirlwind life since Nick and AJ were both on celebrity competition shows at the same time. He adapts pretty quickly, haha. He keeps begging me to write him into my story in his dream cameo scenario: He's sitting at the bar drinking a beer and singing along to "We Built This City" on the touchtunes jukebox and the characters just come in and do whatever. And I tried to explain to him that of all those things, "beer" and "a bar-like establishment" are the only things that might exist in universe. So then he moved on to "Fine just at a random gas station," which again don't exist per se. So after I shot down those two things, he pretty much gave up asking about it. He's not one for fantasy, though he did like GOT, but probably more for the sex and history aspects than the dragons and more fantasy races.

Aww LOL.  Someday you'll have to include that scene in a story in which it is possible.

[nicksgal]

I'm impressed!  I don't think I would ever be able to focus enough to work on a fanfic at work.

Haha, same with the weird stuff bookmarked.  Although not albatrosses... now I wanna look up videos of albatrosses.  Aww, here's a video of an albatross mating dance!  https://youtu.be/SFwgCh1hh4U  Albatrosses are adorable!

I'm in kind of a weird hole where I don't really interact with people outside my classroom much, and especially more now with COVID, so it was pretty much dead silence for an hour.

It's mostly because albatrosses are large, like people with wings would be, so more similar physics-wise than a bat even though they have bat-like wings. Honestly I can probably explain it all away with *MAGIC* but the physics of a running start is nice, when I remember to use it. The amount of times they all just basketball player jump would never actually work.  You're welcome for sending you on an albatross time suck!

LOL This is why I got it out of the way at the airport and not on the plane.  Impossible to get away from prying eyes on a plane!

Oh yeah, I would act that out in an airport too LOL.  Atlanta and O'Hare are both crazy big and busy.  I have definitely done the "run through the airport to get on your connecting flight before they close the door" at O'Hare.

Aww LOL.  Someday you'll have to include that scene in a story in which it is possible.

I've also written on a plane, but it's typically work-related. Can't think of the last time I tried working on a novel on an airplane, but I know people on the bus would constantly bother me.

Well, now we all just have to race through the airport as fast as we can and see who wins!

Someday. Next time I do more urban fantasy, I suppose. Maybe there's a place for his cameo in the "Nick is Brian's guardian angel" one.

[nicksgal]

I need a support group for ellipses abuse.

[FrickingKaos]

More questions!

What's the weirdest place you've ever worked on one of your stories?

I do still write on my phone from time to time, so I can pretty much write anywhere, and I have lol. I wrote while on my cruise in 2019 up on the Lido deck at like 3 in the morning because I couldn’t sleep that night. this wasn’t a BSB cruise but I got some pizza from the pizza bar and then went to write. I’ve written on the train to NYC a couple times. On buses.

Tell us something semi-ridiculous you do while writing that if someone walked in on would be very confusing for them.

Sometimes I read out loud after I’ve written a paragraph to see how it sounds, because sometimes I make grammar errors and that is how I catch them.

When you're writing, how are you picturing the story? Is it just words on a page? A movie? How do you think this helps or hinders your writing?

Sometimes I’ll picture it like a movie depending on what it is that I’m writing. I think it can help because it helps get the emotions across when I am describing something.

What are your favorite kinds of scenes to write?

I love banter too. Comedy scenes and angst are my favorite.

[FrickingKaos]

I’ve also worked on writing while I’m at work, usually while I’m on break or something.

[nicksgal]

What's the weirdest place you've ever worked on one of your stories?

I do still write on my phone from time to time, so I can pretty much write anywhere, and I have lol.

I will write on my phone if a snippit comes to me and I'm not near my computer, but I won't sit down to write a whole chapter or scene unless I can type on a keyboard. Swipe is not my friend and I can type properly faster than I can swipe anyway. Do you just write snippits or entire chapters on your phone?

Tell us something semi-ridiculous you do while writing that if someone walked in on would be very confusing for them.

Sometimes I read out loud after I’ve written a paragraph to see how it sounds, because sometimes I make grammar errors and that is how I catch them.

I read aloud to myself all the time. Sometimes it just hits better it you hear it. If it's focused a lot on one of the internal monologues of the Boys, I like to use that text to speech reader I mentioned earlier because they have male voices.

Speaking of, when you're reading fanfics, do you just read them in your inner voice or do you hear an approximation of the Boys' voices in your head if they're speaking?

[nicksgal]

OMG, I just told my husband that I was writing a really emotional death scene and had to get back to work. The look on his face was sheer pricelessness. He will definitely never ask me about my writing ever again.

[FrickingKaos]

 I've written entire chapters on my phone.

Figured You Out and Finding Carter, were novels I wrote entirely on my blackberry phone. Plus most of my Nick and Amanda series was written completely mobile too.

I will write on my phone if a snippit comes to me and I'm not near my computer, but I won't sit down to write a whole chapter or scene unless I can type on a keyboard. Swipe is not my friend and I can types properly faster than I can swipe anyway. Do you just write snippits or entire chapters on your phone?

I read aloud to myself all the time. Sometimes it just hits better it you hear it. If it's focused a lot on one of the internal monologues of the Boys, I like to use that text to speech reader I mentioned earlier because they have male voices.

Speaking of, when you're reading fanfics, do you just read them in your inner voice or do you hear an approximation of the Boys' voices in your head if they're speaking?