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Author Topic: The Writing Thread  (Read 380219 times)

RokofAges75

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #735 on: January 24, 2021, 09:57:10 PM »

Absolutely!  Knock 'em down so you can build 'em back up.  I love doing that.
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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 #736 on: January 24, 2021, 10:01:50 PM »

Very true!  I feel the same way about this school year.  I'm the same way - not a morning person and will snooze till the last possible minute and leave my house at the last possible minute.  But there were days, especially when I was in the midst of my end-of-story streak for A Heart That Isn't Mine, when I would wake up early just so I could write for half an hour, or I would put my chromebook on the bathroom counter and write a little as I dried my hair and got ready in the morning.

I'm impressed that you can write while getting ready. It literally takes everything I have in the morning to get ready to be a functioning person and it's definitely worse in the winter. I'm pretty positive I must have SAD, but just keep plucking along. Everything's fine once I get coffee in me, if only I could keep it by the bed without pulling a Michael Scott, haha!

I went from off screen to on.  I had my reasons for doing it that went beyond "I'm gonna show, not tell," which involved the narrator being around to witness the death when originally he wasn't going to be, but actually seeing it play out on the page was almost too sad for me, and I've written a ton of sad stuff.  I don't think it was necessary to show it.

If it was a story in 1st POV, I can see why it would be better to have the narrator around. Those are tough, but when things are sad for you, you know they're sad for the reader? If you want them to be sad... If you don't, then you're all just sad together. Is that something you would go back and change if you could?

You could try writing both before posting anything and see how it goes.  I have a hard time balancing more than one story at a time anymore, but I usually go through a period of WADD (Writer's Attention Deficit Disorder) after finishing a story where I flit from project to project without being able to focus on any one of them.  But in the end, writing bits and pieces of different stories helps me figure out which one I want to keep working on.

I think that's what I would do. I've enjoyed having this backlog to work from and know that if I stop to focus on something else, like PBox, that I have plenty to keep posting without lurching back into "six month hiatus" territory. I'm pretty pleased that I've been able to go on this editing adventure and not worry too much about people reading having to wait on me. Plus I like writing the interesting bits and pieces. Keeps me motivated.

I agree that the period of WADD was also my problem back when I started so many stories. I had great ideas and just wanted to get them all out, but then I never really got invested in them and they just sit unfinished. I wonder if I would have finished Beta Sigma Beta if I'd come back earlier or if it really needed to be PBox Nick pulling me back. I honestly can't even remember what my plan was with that one and I actually did hold on to the updates for a while before I started posting them.

Absolutely!  Knock 'em down so you can build 'em back up.  I love doing that.

Same! All the warmest, fuzziest feelings.
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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 #737 on: January 24, 2021, 10:38:52 PM »

I'm impressed that you can write while getting ready. It literally takes everything I have in the morning to get ready to be a functioning person and it's definitely worse in the winter. I'm pretty positive I must have SAD, but just keep plucking along. Everything's fine once I get coffee in me, if only I could keep it by the bed without pulling a Michael Scott, haha!

Me too, because usually I'm more like you LOL.  That was a rare streak of inspiration.  But it did make me almost late every day I did it, so I would not recommend LOL.


If it was a story in 1st POV, I can see why it would be better to have the narrator around. Those are tough, but when things are sad for you, you know they're sad for the reader? If you want them to be sad... If you don't, then you're all just sad together. Is that something you would go back and change if you could?

I wouldn't go back and change it now that it's online for the world to read, but if I could go back to when I was originally writing it, yeah, I would change it.  It would have been perfect if it had played out like Jack's death in This Is Us, where you get to see the reaction but not the actual death in any detail.  But I will say that writing it the way I did ended up inspiring the idea for the next novel I wrote, and I wouldn't change that, so things happen for a reason.


I think that's what I would do. I've enjoyed having this backlog to work from and know that if I stop to focus on something else, like PBox, that I have plenty to keep posting without lurching back into "six month hiatus" territory. I'm pretty pleased that I've been able to go on this editing adventure and not worry too much about people reading having to wait on me. Plus I like writing the interesting bits and pieces. Keeps me motivated.

I agree that the period of WADD was also my problem back when I started so many stories. I had great ideas and just wanted to get them all out, but then I never really got invested in them and they just sit unfinished. I wonder if I would have finished Beta Sigma Beta if I'd come back earlier or if it really needed to be PBox Nick pulling me back. I honestly can't even remember what my plan was with that one and I actually did hold on to the updates for a while before I started posting them.

I think it's fine to work on a lot of different things and not post them.  You never know which one(s) will take off.  It's when you (general "you," not you specifically) start posting a bunch of unfinished stories after only writing a chapter or two and then never update them again that it becomes a problem.  I've done that too, where I post a story too soon because it's been going really well, and then as soon as I post it, I hit a wall with it or something happens to derail me.  That's why hoarding chapters until you have a backlog to work with is the best way to do it.
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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 #738 on: January 24, 2021, 11:08:05 PM »

Me too, because usually I'm more like you LOL.  That was a rare streak of inspiration.  But it did make me almost late every day I did it, so I would not recommend LOL.

I get late enough with the traffic! I do not need something else to make me run in at the last minute, haha.


I wouldn't go back and change it now that it's online for the world to read, but if I could go back to when I was originally writing it, yeah, I would change it.  It would have been perfect if it had played out like Jack's death in This Is Us, where you get to see the reaction but not the actual death in any detail.  But I will say that writing it the way I did ended up inspiring the idea for the next novel I wrote, and I wouldn't change that, so things happen for a reason.

Silver linings! Glad it ended up inspiring you! I feel like if I had something like that where I was on the fence, I would just write both. Especially because, like you said, you wouldn't go back and change it afterward. I think it's good to have two things to compare when you're not sure. I cried so much at the reaction to Jack's death. I thought it was so well done.


I think it's fine to work on a lot of different things and not post them.  You never know which one(s) will take off.  It's when you (general "you," not you specifically) start posting a bunch of unfinished stories after only writing a chapter or two and then never update them again that it becomes a problem.  I've done that too, where I post a story too soon because it's been going really well, and then as soon as I post it, I hit a wall with it or something happens to derail me.  That's why hoarding chapters until you have a backlog to work with is the best way to do it.

It's okay, call me out, I know what I used to be like. ;) :D I love hoarding chapters. It might be my new favorite thing. And then I can edit them as much as I want while they're waiting to be posted, haha. I guess I like actual hoarding too. I should have known that hoarding writing would also make me happy.
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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 #739 on: January 25, 2021, 03:59:33 PM »

I enjoy hoarding too!

I probably should have written two versions of that chapter, but in the moment, I wasn't even on the fence; I just flat out changed my mind.  It was only later, when I realized I didn't even want to go back and reread that chapter because of how horribly sad it was, that I got to thinking I should have stuck with my original plan.
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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 #740 on: January 25, 2021, 06:34:23 PM »

I enjoy hoarding too!

I probably should have written two versions of that chapter, but in the moment, I wasn't even on the fence; I just flat out changed my mind.  It was only later, when I realized I didn't even want to go back and reread that chapter because of how horribly sad it was, that I got to thinking I should have stuck with my original plan.

I feel that. There's definitely things I've looked back on and thought "Oh, I really should have changed that." I just finished my edits for PBox and after rereading over the last chapter, I think if I could go back, I would write something totally different that's more interesting (for the last chapter, not the whole story). Maybe I'll add a tiny bit of it in instead.

Do you have any other stories that stick out where you thought that you'd rather have gone through with your original idea for a chapter? Or any stories of yours where there's chapters you skip when you reread for whatever reason?
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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 #741 on: January 25, 2021, 08:23:51 PM »

Do you have any other stories that stick out where you thought that you'd rather have gone through with your original idea for a chapter? Or any stories of yours where there's chapters you skip when you reread for whatever reason?

Not that I can think of.  How about you, or anyone else who wants to answer?
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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 #742 on: January 25, 2021, 08:53:38 PM »

When I reread PBox, I always skim the NSYNC focused chapters. Story-wise, they need to be in there to develop the villains as multi-dimensional, but I've cared less about those chapters over the years. Shh! Don't tell anyone, haha.
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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 #743 on: January 26, 2021, 09:07:18 PM »

Anyone else have any writing-related mementos they hang on to?

So this is only vaguely writing related, but I planned on sharing some old doodles for my author talk this week and went on a hunt to find them. I found a few, but mostly I ended up finding some crazy things I had saved! The amount of Nick doodles I lovingly crafted and saved is crazy. I also found a binder with the script for an entire BSB fanfic movie (titled "Set Adrift on memory Bliss," so you know it was going to be great) that had casting sheets in the back and said a friend co-wrote it with me, so somehow I roped my friends into creating and planning to film this movie with me. No idea how! I skimmed it, but saw that there was a character named "Miami," so I noped out of that really quickly before getting in too deep. I'm sure it was terrible!

I present to you some weirdness from yours truly! And I would call these vague highlights? Among other things, I also found a doodle of Nick in that awful damask shirt? Anyone remember what I'm talking about?

Nick speaks French in green, obviously, and wears a Bucs jersey

This comic is for sure called "Naked Nick Pics," I'm so sorry I created this, but knew someone would laugh!

The Phonebooth

One of the first pictures of Nick I drew in Middle School

The same picture, but I found it in a college sketchbook
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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 #744 on: January 26, 2021, 09:32:07 PM »

And here's some writing questions for today!

While writing, if you had to give up snacks and drinks or music, which would be harder to give up and why?

Which is your favorite season to write in and why?

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a full year while writing a book, but your book had to take place there, where would you choose?

What is your favorite word and why?

What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer?

Do you believe in the concept of a muse? What is yours like?

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

We have five posts left before 2 Writing 2 Thread, so let's do this thing!
« Last Edit: January 26, 2021, 09:34:16 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

FrickingKaos

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #745 on: January 27, 2021, 12:13:42 AM »

And here's some writing questions for today!

While writing, if you had to give up snacks and drinks or music, which would be harder to give up and why?. Well considering I don’t do any of that when i write anyway, and it’s very rare that I’m listening to music WHILE I write, that is an easy answer for me lol

Which is your favorite season to write in and why?

I like to write in Christmas and New Years. Christmas because there’s always something different you can do with it. It can be a romance, comedy...anyth ing you want. Just something about that time of year that makes it magical.

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a full year while writing a book, but your book had to take place there, where would you choose? Anywhere tropical. Like some kind of island. Hawaii.

What is your favorite word and why? defective. It’s fun to say. I don’t write it nearly enough though.

What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer? hm, I wouldn’t say that any books influenced how I write. But as a kid my favorites were the Boxcar Children and Goosebumps.

Do you believe in the concept of a muse? What is yours like? well yes, and Nick obviously.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? a slice of pizza.

We have five posts left before 2 Writing 2 Thread, so let's do this thing!
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nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #746 on: January 29, 2021, 06:12:33 PM »

Tracy, I replied to you in the second writing thread. :) Didn't want you to think I forgot about you!
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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 #747 on: January 29, 2021, 07:01:49 PM »

The last recap:


The questions:

1. What's something mundane the Boys do in fanfics that makes you go "aww"?

2. What's a weird character trait any of the Boys' have ended up with in a story your wrote?

3. What do you do when you finish a story? Any fun rituals? How long do you give yourself before you start your next project to reset from one story to the next?

4. What story felt most satisfying to finish and why?

5. Which of your unfinished projects (if you have more than one) would you most like to finish?

6. What's something you would absolutely go back and tell your younger self about writing (fanfics or otherwise) if you could?

7. And, what's something you would be hesitant to tell your younger self?

8. Alternatively, is there anything you wish your younger self could tell you from way back when?

For #6-8, Julie and Dee wrote some nice letters to our younger selves and they responded.

9. Anyone else a jerk to their characters just for fun?

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

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

12. 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?

13. What are your favorite kinds of scenes to write?

14. 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?

15. How many words can you write in a minute?

16. What's the weirdest thing you've ever researched?

17. If you could ask one of the Boys one question to help with your writing, who would you ask and what would that question be?

18. Would you rather only write self-insert fanfics or have to write about only one of the Boys and his wife for every story? Why?

19. If you spent an hour "writing" how much of it would be dedicated solely to putting words on the page?

20. What's your go-to writing snack?

21. Imagine a world where pet peeves are no longer allowed: Which fanfic pet peeve would be the hardest for you to give up?

22. Of all the old fanfic cliches, which one is your guilty pleasure?

23. Share with us the last word you wrote down. If it's not a spoiler, tell us the last sentence.

24. Has anyone else ever planned to kill a Boy and then given them a stay of execution at the last minute?  Or done the opposite and killed one off when you were originally planning to let him live?


Questions asked in the context of a conversation that can be answered by all:

1. So does that mean that Nick intentionally or accidentally Backstreeted in [Who Needs The World]?

2. Do you think you'll go back to Gobosei when you're all done with PNecklace, or would you rather start something new? The unspecific version of this would be: If you left a story unfinished to go to a different project (but it's been unfinished for a while), would you go back to it or would you start something new?

3. [With all the Brian stuff,] maybe people want to escape into fanfic Brian?

4. To Tracy: Do you just write snippits or entire chapters on your phone?

5. To Tracy (who said whole novels have been written via phone): How is that? Does your phone have a little keyboard attachment? Do your eyes hurt from staring at the tiny screen for so long?

6. Would you say you use the phone or laptop for different types of writing or just a "mood" thing? Alternatively, what devices do you use to write and when?

7. I always wondered how married women managed to keep writing fanfic?

8. But how would you ration your last box [of Oreo-os]? Would you still like them if they got really stale?

9. [Are certain songs popping up on shuffle] the universe telling [you] to write?

10. Although, is there a lot Nick torture around these days? Have people started being nicer to him? Are we the only sadists left?

11. To Dee, Re: killing Backstreet Boys in stories: What made you change your mind [to not kill them all]?

12. To Julie: Did you always plan to kill them from the beginning or were there any where you changed your mind?

13. To Julie, Re: killing characters: When about in the story do you decide if you're on the fence? Is it closer to the beginning or closer to the end?

14: To Julie: Do you have any other stories that stick out where you thought that you'd rather have gone through with your original idea for a chapter? Or any stories of yours where there's chapters you skip when you reread for whatever reason?


Off Topic Questions:

1. I've also been meaning to ask, how long does this thread go before it gets a second one called "2 Writing 2 Thread"? 50 pages, then we go to 2 Writing 2 Thread.

2. Who doesn't love samurai in space with cool aliens?

3. What would you binge watch? Something new or an old favorite?

4. Although, now I'm wondering, could you catch flesh-eating bacteria from someone else?
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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

FrickingKaos

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #748 on: February 27, 2021, 08:49:36 AM »

So I've been reposting one of my old stories from 2011 on wattpad and while I was rereading it a question occurred to me to ask.

What has been your most favorite scene that you've written in a story so far, or a moment that you've written where you've sat and just were proud of yourself for coming up with?
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