Fic Talk > General Discussion
2 Writing 2 Thread
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 08:01:59 PM ---I always hate those rabbit holes where you need to go back later to research, because I inevitably get derailed for days when I was in the groove. But, I know that any time I feel like I'm needing more research, I also know that it's not quite as good as it could be. So, it's a catch 22, I guess.
As someone who recently went back and scrapped a lot of already written things, rewriting for the benefit of the story is always better for it in the long run. At least you're at a point where you can decide between two possibly very different things without having to keep a similar vibe and over plot in the chapters. But it does suck when something like that keeps you from writing a story. I feel you.
--- End quote ---
Yep! At least it's interesting research. I don't mind doing it, which is why I tend to get sucked down rabbit holes.
I think you're right about the rewriting. It has almost always been worth it the times I've done it before, especially when it's just one or two chapters. It's early enough in the story that I haven't established too much yet, so better to change it now than get further in and regret leaving it the way it is later.
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 07:12:49 PM ---2. Do you find that you utilize common tropes from that genre a lot in your writing? Any particular favorites? (If you're feeling brave, give us a list to reference from tvtropes.org!)
I'm looking at the list of medical drama tropes: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MedicalDrama I have definitely used some of these multiple times. My favorites...
"Dream-Crushing Handicap" - I've used this one several times (a couple times recently), but my boys usually either overcome said handicap or at least figure out how to keep performing anyway, which is probably a trope in itself.
--- End quote ---
Love all your favorite tropes; they're definitely you! In regard to this last one, I believe you're looking for "Handicapped Bad***" since "Inspirationally Disadvantaged" is a little more exploitative/objectifying than I feel like you do.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 07:12:49 PM ---3. What other genres do you tend to include in your writing (as sub-plots, for character development, etcetera)? Would any of these seem surprising to other people?
I don't think I've done horror into romance, but maybe someday! LOL
--- End quote ---
I hear someone keeps suggesting Backstreet Boys/movie monsters stories. Perhaps it's time.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 07:12:49 PM ---4. Outside of your "wheelhouse" genre, which others do you write most often?
I also enjoy writing comedy on occasion.
--- End quote ---
Have you ever written a straight comedy or is it always "comedy and..."?
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 07:12:49 PM ---5. What is easy about your "wheelhouse" genre? What is difficult or challenging?
The easiest thing is staying inspired because it's always been my favorite genre. The hardest thing is coming up with new ideas and finding ways to keep it fresh. I had fun with The Road to Bethlehem because it was kind of a medical drama set outside a hospital, which was nice because I get sick of writing hospital scenes. It became less fun once they finally made it to the hospital LOL.
--- End quote ---
Do you find that you have a harder time keeping it fresh for yourself or keeping it fresh for the readers?
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 07:12:49 PM ---7. Are there genres that you thought you wouldn't like that ended up surprising you?
AU is another one I never used to like but have since enjoyed writing. 00Carter and Song for the Undead were both really fun to write. I enjoyed writing a solo AU with Secrets of the Heart as well.
--- End quote ---
AUs are awesome. It's fun to put known characters into new situations.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 07:12:49 PM ---8. Do you feel like there are genres BSB lend themselves better to than others?
Not really. I think they work well in any genre with the right idea. Romance is harder now than it used to be if you like to stick to canon/reality just because they're all married, but there are plenty of ways around that.
9. Are there genres that used to be more prevalent than they are now or vice versa?
Judging by AO3, slash seems to be more mainstream than it used to be, whereas het romance has gotten less popular. There used to be a lot more supernatural vampire/ghost/angel stories back in the day than there are now. I also don't see as many accident/illness stories, although I'm doing my best to keep the medical drama alive!
--- End quote ---
Plenty of ways and not all totally gruesome! But maybe everyone here just enjoys the gruesome. Keep that medical drama genre alive, Julie! I'll keep supernatural alive too!
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 07:12:49 PM ---10. Have you ever tried to write a main plot in a genre because that genre was trendy?
My desire to write a relationship-based sequel to Broken was probably based in part on how popular Nick romance was at the time.
I don't know if this counts, but the idea for My Brother's Keeper actually came from a mini trend that popped up in the summer of 2013 (I think) here on AC and then promptly went away. I won't say what it was, but there were two stories with a specific premise posted here by different authors that summer, and I was like, "Huh... I've never written one of those before. Maybe I should." Eight years later, I still haven't, but it's in progress and no longer "trendy" LOL.
--- End quote ---
The early 00's, we just all wanted better for Nick, I think, as we've said many times.
That's interesting! Now I'm curious as to what that trend was.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 07:12:49 PM ---12. Give a compliment to your "wheelhouse" genre and to your least written or never written genre.
Fantasy is creative and can put the boys in cool, unique places and situations.
--- End quote ---
Taking this compliment and storing it in my personal compliments folder. ;)
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 08:43:47 PM ---I totally get this. I was feeling this way toward the end of Bethlehem because the climactic chapters and their aftermath took me much longer to write than they probably should have, and instead of being ten chapters ahead of myself, I only had a few hoarded and was starting to feel a bit of pressure to be productive enough to make sure I could stick to my posting schedule. It obviously didn't turn out to be a problem, but I understand that worry. It sounds like you're still in good shape, though, and I have faith in you that you'll finish this chapter and start amassing your hoard again!
For me, it depends on the day and how long I've spent in front of the computer. If it's a weekday and I write ANYTHING, that's a success! If it's a weekend, and I've been on the computer with my story open for most of the day and still haven't hit 1000 words, that's a fail. Obviously any number of words is better than nothing, but I waste a lot of time not-writing.
--- End quote ---
The danger of the hoard, haha. Now it's not a worry of "will I feel inspired enough to post the next chapter soon?", it's "now that I've been saving chapters, will I be inspired enough to never have to worry about having a chapter ready to post soon?" I'm not sure which one is worse! Maybe it's the difference between a looming deadline and a hard deadline. Here's to hoping I get the hoard back. I'm sending you good vibes to have a massive hoard before you start posting again closer to summer or at least by the end of summer.
I've written just over 1,000 words by this time, so I'm going with your definition of 1,000 words being successful. Thanks for all your reassurance that I'm a success, haha. You're a success too, even if it doesn't feel like it during the end of Bethlehem chunk or in prewriting.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 08:43:47 PM ---That is very true. Those are all important parts of the writing process. That being said, at some point, you have to stop researching, rereading, etc. and actually write. No one wants to read a summarized version of a story in an outline; they want to read the actual scenes with action, dialogue, description, and all that jazz. Researching, rereading, and revising help me stay engaged with a story, but I don't feel truly productive unless I've actually put new words down on the page that move the story forward. The rest just feels more like "getting ready to write" to me than actually writing. Still better options than wasting time on social media, which I do a lot of too. This forum can go both ways; it can be distracting, but it also makes me feel more connected and invested in fanfic, which is important. Talking about fanfic on here is definitely motivating.
--- End quote ---
That's also a good point! If all you're doing is "preparing to write," then you'll never have words on paper. Maybe it's the percentage of time spent on each. If overall, more of your time is spent putting words to paper, then all those "preparing to write" things can be considered writing because it's actively pursuing the goal of putting words on paper very soon.
Thank goodness no one wants to read a summarized version of our stories because they would be so boring! I'm thinking specifically about "Kevin's power to heal is awesome as an attack and there's plants" again (as that's something I wrote down verbatim), but I'm sure there are many other chapters I wrote that would be really boring as a summary. Oh, "Howie explains the Pandora legend" or "Justin and Nick get in a fight." Those are really boring summaries for fairly interesting chapters too.
I think that connection piece is key; it makes a solitary hobby feel less solitary, especially in a community without a simple feedback option. There are definitely times where I enjoy it more than writing and it's kept me going despite my trouble with this chapter. :) :-*
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 08:48:08 PM ---Yep! At least it's interesting research. I don't mind doing it, which is why I tend to get sucked down rabbit holes.
I think you're right about the rewriting. It has almost always been worth it the times I've done it before, especially when it's just one or two chapters. It's early enough in the story that I haven't established too much yet, so better to change it now than get further in and regret leaving it the way it is later.
--- End quote ---
Is any research uninteresting? I'd say maybe there's less interesting research, but I'm a research nerd. I can't think of anything I've ever researched where I thought "This is the worst use of my time. Why am I researching this?" Have you?
Exactly! Do it now when it's a smaller bit to change! And who knows, maybe you'll write it out and decide that what you have is better, but then you'll for sure have justification for it in your mind.
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 08:54:14 PM ---Love all your favorite tropes; they're definitely you! In regard to this last one, I believe you're looking for "Handicapped Bad***" since "Inspirationally Disadvantaged" is a little more exploitative/objectifying than I feel like you do.
--- End quote ---
Ooh yes... I saw Handicapped Badass and thought of Rose McGowan's character in "Planet Terror," where she loses her leg after a zombie bite and then gets a machine gun prosthesis LOL. But after reading the actual description, I guess that fits Broken Nick, even though his leg was not also a gun. And I agree; Inspirationall y Disadvantaged feels cheesier than I like to go.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 08:54:14 PM ---I hear someone keeps suggesting Backstreet Boys/movie monsters stories. Perhaps it's time.
--- End quote ---
Do it! Start a trend!
--- Quote from: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 08:54:14 PM ---Have you ever written a straight comedy or is it always "comedy and..."?
--- End quote ---
Hm... 1000 Ways to Kill Nick Carter is the only story listed as straight comedy on my site, and that's a story about someone dying... repeatedly... so it's definitely a black comedy. Rose listed it as a comedy/horror here on AC. I have several stories I consider comedies first and foremost, like my pandaskunk saga and the Beauty and the Beast parody I wrote for one of the challenges here, but those technically include other genres too. So I'm not sure... it depends what you consider a straight comedy.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 08:54:14 PM ---But maybe everyone here just enjoys the gruesome. Keep that medical drama genre alive, Julie! I'll keep supernatural alive too!
--- End quote ---
Haha, I do! And yes... we need variety in this fandom!
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 08:54:14 PM ---Do you find that you have a harder time keeping it fresh for yourself or keeping it fresh for the readers?
--- End quote ---
I typed a reply to this in my last post and must have accidentally deleted it because it wasn't in there anymore when it posted. Whoops.
I think it's more for me than for readers. Obviously I want people to like my stories or I wouldn't post them, but at the end of the day, I write for myself first and foremost. I'm always going to write what I want to write, and if there's someone else out there who wants to read it, awesome! But now I'm curious... For people who have read multiple stories of mine, do you get tired of reading hospital scenes, etc.? You can be honest if you do; I won't be offended. Like I said, I get tired of writing them sometimes! But I always end up going back to medical drama anyway and inevitably get stuck writing another damn hospital scene.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version