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[nicksgal]

I thought this might be a good companion to "The Writing Thread." The first part is for slightly selfish reasons, mainly give me something to read.

First, I'm looking for things to read once I finish my editing binge (2/3 of the way done, woo!). There's a couple things I've already noticed that are being updated and wanted to read along with while they're getting posted to provide some encouragement along the way, but I'll read just about anything and figured who better to ask for suggestions than the authors. So, if you're working on something you want someone to read, holler at your girl! Especially suggest it if: it's nostalgic, it has lots of "band of brothers/family of choice" moments, there's good cliffhangers/interesting foreshadowing, or you're just really proud of it! I love some AU and fantasy, but those are definitely not necessary to me while reading (writing-wise, that's me though if anyone wants their own reading suggestions). I have zero problems with graphic content or any other warnings, walls of text are fine, any POV is fine, completion is unnecessary (I get long writer's blocks), old or new is fine, long or short is fine, and it can also be original fiction if there's not a BSB fic you want read (I might be slightly more picky though, unless your characters are prone to those "band of brothers/family of choice" moments, they'll get me every time). Post a summary and a link below, please!

Second component to the reading thread that I thought might inspire some writing: what's something you want to read, but don't necessarily want to write? Anyone currently sheltering/fostering some "Rose plot bunnies" in need of a good home?

[RokofAges75]

I sadly don't read as much fanfic as I used to, but one I'm enjoying currently and will recommend is "If I Knew Then" by Tracy (FrickingKaos).  https://archiveofourown.org/works/17574686/chapters/41421044  It's a Frick/Frack slash set back in early 1998, so there's definitely nostalgia and both bromance and romance.  I don't read a lot of slash, but this one is about Nick and Brian figuring out who they are and coming to terms with it, and I really like aspect of it.

I also recommend reading anything by KeepThisSecret on AC: http://absolutechaos.net/viewuser.php?uid=2386  She was active a few years ago, so you may have missed her run on AC when you were taking a break.  Every story I read by her was well-written and entertaining.  She writes a lot of group-centered suspense stories that have an old-school feel, even though they're set in the modern era.  "Dodging the Daylight" is my favorite by her, but I also loved "Soldier Down" and "Ladies' Choice."

Along the same lines, I'm going back a few years, but if you missed "Hope is the Last Thing Ever Lost" by Mare, it's a must read!  Amazing bromantic suspense story - what Mare does best!  http://absolutechaos.net/viewstory.php?sid=11140

And finally, here's a couple more older (but within the last decade) stories you may have missed:

"Save a Prayer" by Steph (Carter-Orange): http://absolutechaos.net/viewstory.php?sid=10625  This one's a fun survival story!

"Remember Me This Way" by Rose: http://absolutechaos.net/viewstory.php?sid=10108
This one is a Nick-centered drama that features the whole group.  It's heartbreaking!

[RokofAges75]

If my last post wasn't obvious enough, I love a good, old-fashioned group suspense story.  I enjoy reading them more than I enjoy writing them, so if anyone wants to write one, please do!  Survival stories are always fun too!

I would also love to read more medical dramas.  I had an idea over the summer that involved Brian being diagnosed with a brain tumor, but I've pretty much decided I won't be writing that one.  It seemed too depressing, even for me, and I told myself no more cancer stories.  Then that guy from The Wanted got diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor, and that was the nail in the coffin for that idea for me.  But if anyone else wants to write it, you know I would read it!

[nicksgal]

I was expecting personal plugs, but ooh, lots of suggestions! Thanks Julie. I will peruse! If I knew Then was on my list already, but it's extra on my list via recommendation .

I would also love to read more medical dramas.  I had an idea over the summer that involved Brian being diagnosed with a brain tumor, but I've pretty much decided I won't be writing that one.  It seemed too depressing, even for me, and I told myself no more cancer stories.

That would be hard to write if it depresses you. As cancer becomes more and more prevalent, I think it hits home more and is harder to write about. Semi related, a long, long time ago (like pre-PBox long ago), I started writing a mental health medical drama where Nick made up the Backstreet Boys but believed it was all real. It was really depressing, and clearly not anything I was capable of dealing with at the time, so I always shied away from medical dramas after that. Also poor Nick, always the victim of so much drama. But if anyone wants to adopt that one for a medical drama, emphasis on the drama, take it.

[RokofAges75]

OMG, that's so sad, but what a great idea!  I would read that, even if it would depress me.  You know I love depressing stuff.  And yes, Nick is the fandom's favorite victim.  Poor guy LOL.

[nicksgal]

I think it's easier to read depressing things than write depressing things! I am definitely fine with some depressing subject matter when reading, but if I'm writing it, I need to take frequent breaks. I don't know why that reminded me of that one, I think I attempted writing it when I was 15 or 16? It's a really old idea.

I feel for him because he had a lot going on anyway. I always wondered why AJ did not also get the same treatment? Not that I can sit over here saying "Leave Nick alone!" to everyone else or anything.

[RokofAges75]

I think for me, I would actually say writing depressing things is easier than reading depressing things.  I like doing both, but when I'm the one writing it, I'm in control of what happens.  I know what's coming, and I also know I can change the outcome if I really want to (although I usually don't).  Whereas when I'm reading someone else's depressing story, I don't know for sure what's going to happen, and that makes it more emotional when I get blindsided by something sad, like a character death.  I love a good tearjerker because it's cathartic to cry over sad fiction, and it often makes me feel better about my own real life problems (as in, things could always be worse).  But I definitely cry more reading other people's stories than I cry or feel genuinely sad while writing or rereading my own.

I don't know why Nick gets tortured so much more than AJ or any of the other guys.  I guess it's because he's the fandom's favorite, but he's not my favorite Backstreet Boy, and yet he is my favorite fanfic victim, if you go by the numbers LOL.  I have definitely done more to him than the others over the years.  Maybe the fact that he has had a lot to deal with in his life makes him a good victim.  He tends to attract drama, in real life as well as in fanfic.  AJ has his demons too, but it's mostly just his substance abuse issues, whereas Nick has had those on top of family problems and relationship problems and everything else.  There's also a lot of different sides to Nick, which makes him fit well into the main character role for a lot of different storylines.

[nicksgal]

I think it depends on if I know it's possible in whatever I'm reading or watching. I love This Is Us, but I definitely DVR it and then pick the appropriate time to watch it (e.g., "Can I handle crying for two hours right now or not?") If it's out of left field for me, then it takes longer to process. Like this morning, I read an article written by the owner of that dog Tuna about how Tuna changed his life and accidentally became an internet sensation and bawled hysterically for about ten minutes. Although, I say that and then I took a course in college to fulfill the "Multicultural Literature" requirement and I chose "Literacy of the Holocaust" and the professor was awesome, the class was great, and all the books were great, but even knowing that it was going to be a processing course, I definitely sat and stared at the wall for hours some days after finishing our reading contemplating existence and humanity...

I think you hit the nail on the head. There's a good basis for how he might react realistically to something, no matter how outlandish it might seem. I don't want to say it makes it easier, but "more fun" might be right? It takes less willing suspension of disbelief on the part of your readers? And even something crazy and fantastical seems fine. Like I remember writing Gobosei (The Backstreet Project on steroids, really) and was like Nick's going to get magic powers and be stoked. Not even quietly accepting, stoked as hell. And the others will be like, "What is going on?" and Nick will just be so excited about the whole thing. I loved drawing that page when it was a comic because of their reactions. It was my favorite.

[RokofAges75]

Aww, I love This is Us too.  I think I cried at every episode the first season.  It hasn't made me cry as much since we got through the fire episode in Season 2, but it's still good.  I cry at all of those animal videos and articles too.  And anything involving the Holocaust for sure.  That would be a hard class to take.

You have a good point about Nick.  He is so much more public than most of the other guys, between his social media posts, the reality shows he's done over the years, and so on.  It's made him easier to write because we see all those different sides of his personality, not just his stage persona.  We've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly.  He has given us a lot of material to work with.

[nicksgal]

I cried a few times at this season's premier and haven't made myself get reinvested in it yet. I've been distracted writing, I guess, haha.

I think that's probably because celebrity felt more normal to him than his home life back in the day, somewhere where he could be mostly him and not navigate family politics. I know he said so many times in his Masked Singer clue packages that he felt like he could be the real him behind the mask, but I feel like he's always given 100% him (maybe just to BSB fans). He gives off too many "main character" vibes, haha. We're all characters in a book or tv show somewhere and he's still a main character.

I had the stupidest dream the other day that I decided to publish PBox and he tweeted about it (I don't really even use twitter that much so dreaming about someone else's twitter is just weird...) and said he really vibed with the main character (who was named something else at that point, obviously) and I was like, "Do I tell him? No, probably don't..." And I was embarrassed for myself that he read it.

[RokofAges75]

What a great dream!  I bet he would like your fantasy stuff, especially if he didn't realize it was about him LOL.  He definitely has main character vibes.  I love that way of thinking about it!

[nicksgal]

It's up his alley for sure.

Is there anything he hasn't done in a fanfic at this point? Quick! Think of the weirdest thing you can!

[RokofAges75]

LOL Probably not.  Nick in fanfics is like Rule #34 of the internet.  If you can think of it, it exists.

[nicksgal]

If there's BSB fanfic rules, I feel like that's Rule #1, haha.

Shape of Water, but all the characters are Nick. That's mine.

[mare]

I stopped reading fanfic long before I stopped writing it, so it’s been awhile. I can recommend some books to read though. I’m almost done with Where the Crawdads Sing and it’s been terribly sad but awesome. The Institute was a great SK suspense and if you enjoy lawyer drama The Guardians by John Grisham was awesome.

I agree with the both of you why Nick seems to be the favorite to torture. I also think it has to do with him being the youngest. From loving the old school brotherly bond stories, the inclination is to have all the big brothers look out for the younger one. I know that was always a motivator for me.

I regret never finishing the last story I was working on. I can’t even remember it’s name but I had vowed never to leave people hanging the way I felt like other authors left me hanging, but alas... lol

And as far as writing versus reading. I’m not sure where I stand on that. I think I preferred to write the disturbing stuff over reading it because I had total control over what was going to happen. Too many times I found myself rewriting other people’s stories in my head to fit with what I wanted to happen. Probably something every writer secretly does.