Fic Talk > General Discussion
2 Writing 2 Thread
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: FrickingKaos 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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This is a really hard question! When I think about specific scenes in my stories, I tend to remember the big, pivotal moments - when characters die or almost die, get devastating news, or declare their love for each other - but when I've actually gone back and read my stories, it's often the small moments I forgot about that I enjoy reading the most. Cute scenes with the guys just joking around, good conversations, and so on. For example, when we were talking about writing sex scenes recently, I went back and looked up some of mine to see what language I used. I read Chapter 59 of Sick as My Secrets, which is when Nick and Howie finally hook up for the first time since the actual first time. I forgot that I didn't actually write a sex scene there; I showed them fooling around in the shower and Nick agreeing to go further, and then I basically faded to black and cut to the next morning in the next chapter. I also forgot how cute and funny the lead-up to the shower scene was, with Nick and Howie painting Howie's guest room. I really like that chapter for the bromantic part that comes before the romantic part.
As far as moments I'm most proud of go, they're the ones where I pulled something off that was outside my comfort zone or required a kind of creativity I didn't know I had. I love my dramas, but since those are my niche, I'm not as likely to go, "Wow, I can't believe I came up with this" with one of them. It's more the comedies and horror stories that make me feel that way. I've always thought some of my best writing has been in 00Carter because it brought out a whole different side of me as a writer. I'm really proud of the parodies I've written for 00Carter, my pandaskunk stories, and the Beauty and the Beast challenge. If I had to narrow it down to one favorite scene, Chapter 31 of Song for the Undead would be a strong contender. It's the first zombie chapter and one of the first true horror scenes I wrote, and I love how it turned out - descriptive, emotional, and truly horrifying. It's both a pivotal moment and a scene that makes me think, "Wow, I can't believe I wrote that."
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: FrickingKaos 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?
--- End quote ---
This is a tough question! It's not a scene, I think I'm cheating, but that ch. 43 "Wishes"/ch. 44 "Disciple" chunk of PBox was always my favorite (back when they were one chapter -- ch. 42 at the time). It had some nice Nick & Brian & Minako moments and then Nick got to be a badass. All great. And then I edited PBox and they're even better, especially "Disciple." That's kind of how I've been looking at PNecklace, trying to make me feel toward most of the chapters the way I feel about "Disciple." Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't; there's a few that feel close though.
Going back to PBox again (because I have nothing else to talk about), I did feel very proud of editing out the confusion in Brian's "supposed POV" chapter (ch. 38 "Seer"). I say "supposed" because the head hopping was abysmal in it. Or it was until I edited it. And even though I added more words in the edit than I cut, I felt really proud because it was the one where I got told it was confusing and I feel like I conveyed everything I wanted to convey before for the other characters, but now it is not confusing. Actually making it Brian's POV helped, but he is stupidly chatty.
In general, I'm proud of the saga that is PBox every day. It's taken a lot of brainpower over the years and I'm both excited and nervous to eventually call it complete.
The snail feels like it might be another proud one. I've never actually written a psychological thriller before, and never dreamed that my first one would be about something mundane like a snail. I'm enjoying the framing a lot as I'm writing.
Can't wait to hear yours too, Tracy!
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 10:27:30 AM ---This is a really hard question! When I think about specific scenes in my stories, I tend to remember the big, pivotal moments - when characters die or almost die, get devastating news, or declare their love for each other - but when I've actually gone back and read my stories, it's often the small moments I forgot about that I enjoy reading the most.
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I always feel the same way. It makes sense that it's those big moments that stick out to us because they were the ones we built to and planned for however long the story was going (and probably the ones that got the biggest reaction from the audience). It's nice to remind myself of the little moments because they're what make the characters feel real in their little world. It's usually the heartwarming ones that get me. (See, there's always fluffy in the dark.)
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 10:27:30 AM ---I also forgot how cute and funny the lead-up to the shower scene was, with Nick and Howie painting Howie's guest room. I really like that chapter for the bromantic part that comes before the romantic part.
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I'm cracking up that house painting led to sex. No wonder HGTV is so popular! ;)
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 10:27:30 AM ---As far as moments I'm most proud of go, they're the ones where I pulled something off that was outside my comfort zone or required a kind of creativity I didn't know I had.
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You should definitely feel proud of those! It's why it's good to get out of your niche and stretch your brain muscles! You have an infinite well of creativity within you! ;D
nicksgal:
I don't want to derail this fun topic, but I also came here ready to roar about pet peeves. I think I've decided on the one I hate the most after all these years while doing some rereading to get ready to write today.
So I'm cruising along, combing over my chapter so far and stumble on a "Brain." Clearly I meant "Brian," and I probably wrote "Brian," but google docs likes to change my "Brian"s to "Brain"s -- sometimes right before my eyes! Why? Why is a "Brain" inevitable even now as technology gets better? Do my fingers type too fast for the computer? Does my own brain work quicker than my fingers? Is my brain a narcissist that wants to be featured in the narrative? What is it?
We've probably discussed pet peeves in general ad nauseam, but have we ever discussed pet peeves in the context of our own work? I know that grammar is one of Julie's hot buttons, for instance, but I can't imagine it's one in her own work except every now and then with an accidental typo.
Also, I was very excited to see that this thread was awesome enough to get a sticky. Will its subsequent thread "The Writing Thread: Orlando Drift (or something slightly more music related)" also get a sticky? I hope so!
Edited to add: "Passaggio" was the word I was looking for to convey the idea I had in mind. I'm glad I took ten minutes out of my day to figure that out! Stay tuned in 15ish pages for the third installment: "The Writing Thread: Orlando Passaggio"!
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 12:28:18 PM ---This is a tough question! It's not a scene, I think I'm cheating, but that ch. 43 "Wishes"/ch. 44 "Disciple" chunk of PBox was always my favorite (back when they were one chapter -- ch. 42 at the time). It had some nice Nick & Brian & Minako moments and then Nick got to be a badass. All great. And then I edited PBox and they're even better, especially "Disciple." That's kind of how I've been looking at PNecklace, trying to make me feel toward most of the chapters the way I feel about "Disciple." Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't; there's a few that feel close though.
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That's a great goal to have, but probably not always attainable. Of course we want to feel good about every chapter we post, but not every chapter is going to have the same level of action or pack the same emotional punch. If they did, it would be even harder to pick a favorite. I'm glad you've written a few that feel close to the same way you feel about Disciple.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 12:28:18 PM ---Going back to PBox again (because I have nothing else to talk about), I did feel very proud of editing out the confusion in Brian's "supposed POV" chapter (ch. 38 "Seer"). I say "supposed" because the head hopping was abysmal in it. Or it was until I edited it. And even though I added more words in the edit than I cut, I felt really proud because it was the one where I got told it was confusing and I feel like I conveyed everything I wanted to convey before for the other characters, but now it is not confusing. Actually making it Brian's POV helped, but he is stupidly chatty.
--- End quote ---
I'm not a fan of head-hopping either, but I've noticed even JK Rowling did some of that in the first Harry Potter book. After the first chapter, which serves as more of a prologue, the rest of the book is written in third person limited from Harry's perspective, but all of a sudden during the first Quidditch game, it cuts to the perspective of Ron and Hermione in the stands noticing that "Snape" is cursing Harry's broomstick and taking care of that. I get why she did that because it was more fun to read that play out in real time than hear Hermione and Ron recount it for Harry later, but it does seem a bit out of place. Apparently her editor was okay with it though. Just goes to show even successful published authors do this sometimes and get away with it.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 12:28:18 PM ---The snail feels like it might be another proud one. I've never actually written a psychological thriller before, and never dreamed that my first one would be about something mundane like a snail. I'm enjoying the framing a lot as I'm writing.
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I never dreamed I would be excited to read a psychological thriller about a snail, but here we are LOL.
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