Fic Talk > General Discussion
2 Writing 2 Thread
nicksgal:
The random questions!
What line spacing do we use when writing?
I have no idea. I always start with the Google Doc standard and then at some point, it inevitably goes away and I end up with a self-inserted space between paragraphs.
How productive is everyone with a few cocktails?
Depends? I've had many less cocktails while writing on weekends in 2021 than I did in 2020. A White Claw or two wasn't too bad when the mood struck; more than two was dicey.
Long sleeves or sweatshirts?
I'll write in whatever I happen to be wearing, but on the weekends, it's usually yoga pants and a tee shirt. Then a sweatshirt if I get cold.
Hair up or down?
Down, but if it feels like time to do serious writing, I am team messy bun. I need a haircut.
Who gets the most sympathy in a story?
Unfairly Nick! I found this out the hard way!
--- Quote from: nicksgal on February 24, 2021, 06:13:05 PM ---As some of you know, I'm currently toying with the process of editing the fanfic out of PBox (and it is a process, even in an AU and fantasy story). I've recruited a couple of friends to help me through the process (fresh eyes, if you will) and one of them recently commented on Nick's mood whiplash between ch. 3 and ch. 4; I could tell they were not expecting "Yeah, he's a bit of a prickly porcupine in the beginning.
--- End quote ---
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 07:44:38 PM ---I feel like Howie usually ends up evil? Unless I'm projecting 00Carter on everything else I vaguely remember? Maybe "evil Howie" is the new trend. ;)
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Howie was my first thought too, but I'm basing that on only a few stories - 00Carter, a slash story where Howie raped Nick (not my own LOL), and an old parody of The Exorcist where Howie was possessed. But I can't think of more than three stories about any of the other boys being evil, so... yeah. Evil Howie should totally be a trend LOL.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 07:44:38 PM ---Morning and evening working? That is productive writing! That's great that you were able to utilize parts you'd already written and cut. And now you get to keep going. Getting unstuck after so many years is a wonderful feeling, no?
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Yes it is! I wish that would happen on Guilty Roads, but I'm excited about hopefully being able to post this one eventually. We'll see how the next few chapters go. I feel like I did more revising and copying/pasting today than actual writing, but I've still spent several hours working on it. I figure every change I make makes the story a little better than it was before, so that's still progress.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 07:44:38 PM ---I finished ch. 28, have a general idea of what needs to happen in ch. 29, then it looks like it might be time to work in my next chunk of "interesting bits." After that, I have a loose plan for the last 20ish chapters (depending on how much chapter space those pre-written interesting bits take), so it feels kind of like winding down. I even have the last line of the story planned. But also not winding down at all because then I already have pieces of the final book written.
Outside of PNecklace, over the past week and a half, I wrote the first two scenes of Death by Snail.
In general, I've had a productive day. Did some laundry, did some cleaning, exercised, wrote. I think I'm happy it's semi-consistently warm again, haha.
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Wow, it does sound like you've been productive lately! That is a good feeling to be on the final stretch of the story, especially when you already know the last line! I'll throw your question to me back at you: Can you tell us what the last line is? Or the last word?
I'm excited to hear you have two scenes done of Death by Snail!
And good for you for getting all that done today besides writing! All I did in between my morning and evening writing sessions was eat and watch TV LOL. I cleaned last weekend, so my house isn't in too bad of shape, but I do need to do laundry. I'll do that later tonight or tomorrow.
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:46:24 PM ---LOL You're the perfect person to answer these because they're designed to all be about one story, and of course you would pick PBox.
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I'm so predictable, haha. Would everyone else have a harder time choosing a favorite? I figured you would pick Broken.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:46:24 PM ---The first two snippets you shared were cute! The third one made me think of the scene from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when they're smelling the love potion in Potions class, and it smells different to each person depending on what they're most attracted to. I was waiting for a description of what each demon Backstreet Boy smells like LOL.
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Aw, thanks! Any excuse I get to make Nick laugh at something, I take it because his laughs when he crumples in on himself are my favorite -- they're just so genuine and I laugh or laugh harder every time because it's infectious.
And "priestess of cats" is just silly after the darker admission that "I know things here are crummy and especially hard for Howie, the King, so let's focus on something lighthearted instead." Team Dark needs those fluffy moments, as you know.
I'm pleased to hear it made you think of something similar in Harry Potter. :) I haven't even considered what they smell like, it was honestly something in the original version of PBox that was a late addition for a different reason and then it popped up again when I started writing PNecklace for that similar reason and one other. So when I did the edit, I thought I should probably lean into it a little more if smell seemed important. Adding it in that same scene could also give away two things I did not talk about in PBox, which are Nick and Howie's exact powers. There's probably a creative way to foreshadow those without being very specific, though. Hmmm... Something to ponder.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:46:24 PM ---LOL Even as an outline person, I think it's okay to suck at outlines or not need to use them at all. No one else sees that part, so no one else would even know. Whereas "I suck at summaries" makes it look like you're not only flying by the seat of your pants, but you also have no idea which direction you're going.
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I'll just add it to my user profile: "I suck at outlines, lol." Then everyone will know that I can somehow keep an intricate story straight in my head or in two sentence notes here and there when I feel like it, haha. I'll be honest, I have a hard time summarizing my stories as well, so I typically agonize about them for a long time before posting the story. Something about making it interesting, but vague enough is difficult.
There's a part of me that is grateful to those people who put "I suck at summaries, lol." Then I know that they're a pantser who may not always have a clear direction. Perhaps we can also convince people to start adding "I suck at typos, lol" or similar things to their stories. I may venture to add "I suck a brevity, lol" or "I suck at leaving stories I love alone once I finish writing them, lol" to mine. ;)
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:46:24 PM ---Yeah, I thought that was pretty presumptuous of the questions too, considering most fanfics - at least in our fandom - don't seem to undergo major revisions before being posted. Your overhaul of PBox is the exception rather than the rule. We're lucky if people even bother to proofread before posting LOL. I wonder if that's different in other fandoms?
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With PNecklace, I actually rework a lot before posting and even as I'm writing, I'll type in suggestion mode if I started a scene on a different day and come back to it later. I don't think I've ever cut an entire scene from my plans though. I'll cut paragraphs and save them for later if I don't end up reworking their intent into the chapter that eventually gets posted. But they're definitely not the type of edit that question seems to be talking about, where you hack and slash a rough draft for a cleaner overall product.
I think I've heard of a few people doing some hack and slash if it's been a long time since they've come back to a story. Kind of like what you did with these past couple of chapters. So I wouldn't say it's unheard of, but I think time definitely plays a big factor in it and you're right, it's always exceptions, not rules. Although, Mare seems like the type who would do some major editing to her work prior to posting.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:46:24 PM ---This makes me wonder if anyone actually comes up with a title first and then creates a story idea to go with it... or if anyone writes an entire story before finalizing the title.
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In fanfic? Doubtful. Maybe if there's anyone out there that finishes an entire story before posting it. I feel like "posting as you go" is an integral part of the medium. I'd say PBox and PNecklace are the earliest I've had titles for any story I've planned on, but there were still many other things that I planned before I figured out the titles.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:46:24 PM ---I just got a new desktop computer for Christmas and saved my old one too. It still has videos on it that wouldn't fit on my new hard drive because apparently the old one held a lot more. I bought a two-sided USB cord that will connect the two to transfer files, but I haven't tried it yet. That may be an option for rescuing your fanfics if the old computer still works.
--- End quote ---
Ooh, new desktop. My laptop is technically my work laptop, so I think I need to just break down and buy a new personal laptop.
I wish. When I say ancient, the tower connected to the monitor with those cables with the huge teeth things that had the screws to keep them secure. I wonder if they even make one of those that has a usb on the other side, haha. It had a floppy slot and everything. I guess if it could connect to a modem, I could email them to myself... If I could get anything to show up on a monitor.
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 08:51:43 PM ---I'm so predictable, haha. Would everyone else have a harder time choosing a favorite? I figured you would pick Broken.
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I will actually probably pick Curtain Call. But that brings up another question: How do you pick your favorite of your own stories? Is it the one you consider to be your best work? Or the one you have the deepest connection to or strongest feelings about? Broken was my best work at the time I wrote it, but it's not anymore. It will always have a special place in my heart though.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 08:51:43 PM ---Aw, thanks! Any excuse I get to make Nick laugh at something, I take it because his laughs when he crumples in on himself are my favorite -- they're just so genuine and I laugh or laugh harder every time because it's infectious.
--- End quote ---
He has a very cute laugh! Did you see the video he shared of him reacting to old videos of himself? https://youtu.be/6QawjXmEeRU So cute!!!
--- Quote from: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 08:51:43 PM ---I'm pleased to hear it made you think of something similar in Harry Potter. :) I haven't even considered what they smell like, it was honestly something in the original version of PBox that was a late addition for a different reason and then it popped up again when I started writing PNecklace for that similar reason and one other. So when I did the edit, I thought I should probably lean into it a little more if smell seemed important. Adding it in that same scene could also give away two things I did not talk about in PBox, which are Nick and Howie's exact powers. There's probably a creative way to foreshadow those without being very specific, though. Hmmm... Something to ponder.
--- End quote ---
It was a nice touch to remind us that they are demons and not human, thus their sense of smell is magnified.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 08:51:43 PM ---I'll be honest, I have a hard time summarizing my stories as well, so I typically agonize about them for a long time before posting the story. Something about making it interesting, but vague enough is difficult.
There's a part of me that is grateful to those people who put "I suck at summaries, lol." Then I know that they're a pantser who may not always have a clear direction. Perhaps we can also convince people to start adding "I suck at typos, lol" or similar things to their stories. I may venture to add "I suck a brevity, lol" or "I suck at leaving stories I love alone once I finish writing them, lol" to mine.
--- End quote ---
In fairness, summaries are hard! I also try to keep mine intentionally vague, but interesting enough to click on. The difference between us and the "Sorry, I suck at summaries!" writers is that we put forth the effort to agonize over them and come up with something instead of writing that cop out. But yeah, at least they're self-aware LOL. Mine would also be "I suck at brevity" LOL.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 08:51:43 PM ---With PNecklace, I actually rework a lot before posting and even as I'm writing, I'll type in suggestion mode if I started a scene on a different day and come back to it later. I don't think I've ever cut an entire scene from my plans though. I'll cut paragraphs and save them for later if I don't end up reworking their intent into the chapter that eventually gets posted. But they're definitely not the type of edit that question seems to be talking about, where you hack and slash a rough draft for a cleaner overall product.
I think I've heard of a few people doing some hack and slash if it's been a long time since they've come back to a story. Kind of like what you did with these past couple of chapters. So I wouldn't say it's unheard of, but I think time definitely plays a big factor in it and you're right, it's always exceptions, not rules. Although, Mare seems like the type who would do some major editing to her work prior to posting.
--- End quote ---
There are definitely some of us who do more revising before posting, but that doesn't seem to be the norm. Then again, I could just be underestimatin g most of the writers who aren't on here talking about writing all the time with us because I don't know what their process is like. I didn't used to do much revising beyond basic proofreading before posting. It's only in the last few years since I started hoarding chapters that I started revising more.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 08:51:43 PM ---I wish. When I say ancient, the tower connected to the monitor with those cables with the huge teeth things that had the screws to keep them secure. I wonder if they even make one of those that has a usb on the other side, haha. It had a floppy slot and everything. I guess if it could connect to a modem, I could email them to myself... If I could get anything to show up on a monitor.
--- End quote ---
Mine had the same type of monitor, but it still had USB ports. No floppy drive though. It's about ten years old. That is why I prefer desktops to laptops for file storage, though, because they last a lot longer. I've never had a laptop make it more than a few years without having some kind of catastrophic hard drive failure, which is why I'm team Chromebook and Google Drive now. But it's nice to also have a real computer that I can install programs and store files on.
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:56:53 PM ---Howie was my first thought too, but I'm basing that on only a few stories - 00Carter, a slash story where Howie raped Nick (not my own LOL), and an old parody of The Exorcist where Howie was possessed. But I can't think of more than three stories about any of the other boys being evil, so... yeah. Evil Howie should totally be a trend LOL.
--- End quote ---
I guess that's one way to keep Howie interesting and in the story without falling back on winking. Maybe in my Nick is Brian's guardian angel story, Howie can be the villain, haha.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:56:53 PM ---Yes it is! I wish that would happen on Guilty Roads, but I'm excited about hopefully being able to post this one eventually. We'll see how the next few chapters go. I feel like I did more revising and copying/pasting today than actual writing, but I've still spent several hours working on it. I figure every change I make makes the story a little better than it was before, so that's still progress.
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I think it can still happen! Especially now that it's happened once! Revising and copying/pasting still counts as writing! You're right, every change definitely makes it a little better as you go! I'm always pro-tweaking as you go, especially if you're not looking at it for a few days and you're mid-chapter.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:56:53 PM ---Wow, it does sound like you've been productive lately! That is a good feeling to be on the final stretch of the story, especially when you already know the last line! I'll throw your question to me back at you: Can you tell us what the last line is? Or the last word?
--- End quote ---
It's a weird feeling, being twenty chapters out but knowing that it's coming to a close. I'm sure twenty chapters sounds like a lot, but anyone reading will see what I mean when it gets to the point I'm at now, it's kind of a turning point in the direction of the rest of the novel. :)
Fun story, I actually settled on the last line for PNecklace after starting the process of changing PBox to OF and switching around the order of the story a bit (starting with Nick's introductory chapter instead). I've actually also had the last scene of the entire larger story planned since I was writing PBox originally, so knowing what it was going to be, I was able to rearrange the wording in a way that the first line of PBox worked together with the last line of the last story (don't bother checking the version on AC, it wasn't edited to do the same thing... yet... but I may change it so that it does, somehow). In following the mantra of "write what's interesting," I may or may not have the last couple lines of the entire series written down. ;)
Anyway, knowing that, I thought, "Boy wouldn't it be fun if the last line of PNecklace was similar to that idea, where it worked together with the first line of the story, especially because of some of the deeper themes we've been exploring and PNecklace being that for the whole series." So I decided to lean into it hard. That thought may only make sense to Julie since she gets all my best vague spoilers in favor of list assistance since she's not actually reading along, haha. All that being said, the last word of PNecklace is "Nick."
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:56:53 PM ---I'm excited to hear you have two scenes done of Death by Snail!
And good for you for getting all that done today besides writing! All I did in between my morning and evening writing sessions was eat and watch TV LOL. I cleaned last weekend, so my house isn't in too bad of shape, but I do need to do laundry. I'll do that later tonight or tomorrow.
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I keep wanting to post little snippets of it, but I figure that you all would enjoy it more once it's just ready to be posted in its entirety.
I woke up this morning thinking that I felt motivated to exercise, so I figured I had better actually do it! But now my legs feel like noodles... which is the perfect time to sit and not move as I write. ;)
I have also taken several breaks to eat, especially because we've been watching the Food Network or the Cooking Channel pretty much non-stop all day. :D
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