Fic Talk > General Discussion
Writing & Thread (aka The Writing Thread 4)
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: nicksgal on July 21, 2021, 09:49:26 PM ---Here's another six word story:
"What are mask mandates?" Brian asked.
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LOL! Oh Brian...
This is probably better suited to the Backstreet discussion thread, but I listened to his episode of AJ's Pretty Messed Up Podcast, and it was delightful! That's the kind of Brian content I need more of. Now I should go back and listen to the Nick and Kevin episodes I missed.
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: nicksgal on July 21, 2021, 09:55:52 PM ---That is a long game! How many more are available now?
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I have no idea. The player in my club on there who's furthest along is on Level 1600 something, which is still Chamber of Secrets. So it's going to be a super long game if they have levels for all seven books, which I assume they will.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on July 21, 2021, 09:55:52 PM ---I keep suggesting we get the whole month of July off, but it hasn't happened yet. It's not too bad to plan vacations during the school year, but it always stresses me out. I feel like I could be doing more, and then there's all the catch up when I get back. It's really not worth it. Skipping these drop in days will be totally work it though, lol. I volunteered for Wednesdays. I could definitely work two days, have Wednesday off, then work two more days.
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Totally agree. I hate writing sub plans and not knowing what kind of mess I might be coming back to. Sometimes it's fine, and sometimes I come back to find none of my plans were followed and parents are pissed off about something inappropriate the sub supposedly said, and then I have to deal with the fallout of that. So I don't miss a lot of days.
Yep, that's why having Wednesdays off would be great - you only have to work two days at a time.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on July 21, 2021, 09:55:52 PM ---What movies were the celebrities auditioning for?
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I watched the ones for Jurassic Park, The Force Awakens, The Lion King, and Fifty Shades of Gray. If you search for SNL celebrity auditions on YouTube, you too can go down that rabbit hole LOL.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on July 21, 2021, 09:55:52 PM ---Ours is always busy, but the parking lot is so little. I finally went on Monday afternoon. My life has been a lot better since I've had yogurt and bananas back in my life, lol.
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Good! I also feel my life is better when I have breakfast foods available. I've been making breakfast a lot lately.
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 12, 2021, 12:31:38 AM ---I agree. Although it seems like the high school in the community where I teach offers a lot more electives than my high school did, so maybe it's different now, or maybe it just depends on the size of the school. My high school was smaller than the one I'm comparing it too, so not as many options. But it seems like there are more electives available for students on the vocational track who don't care about going to college. For the college-bound kids, the focus is definitely more on AP classes and getting so many credits for each subject area.
The only writing-related elective I took in high school was a print journalism class, which was a total joke - a lot of messing around and very little actual writing or learning. The best thing I got out of it was an appreciation for Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which we watched in class during a unit on satire.
A creative writing class would have been interesting, but I would not want to be forced to write fiction for an assignment either - or share and discuss my work with random classmates. So I definitely think it's better to do it for fun.
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I think there is slowly becoming more of a focus on well-rounded students, so I think more electives are an option. I'm surprised they let you watch Monty Python in class, but it is an excellent movie!
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 12, 2021, 12:31:38 AM ---I know people who have read both, but I don't remember ever asking them which one they thought was better. Too awkward of a question, at least at that time. If anyone here who has read both sees this and wants to weigh in, feel free. You won't offend me if you say you liked Swollen Issues better; I obviously love it, too, and am far enough removed from Broken to see its flaws.
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Maybe that's the real loaded question, lol.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 12, 2021, 12:31:38 AM ---I have definitely waxed poetic on some of their physical features, like Brian's "cerulean orbs" LOL. I think it works best when describing them from another character's perspective (especially when said character is a girl who finds them attractive), rather than doing it BSC style where you devote a paragraph to what each one looks like and what outfit they're wearing on that particular day. Though I did enjoy reading the descriptions of Stacey and Claudia's crazy outfits LOL.
In my defense, the Scholastic book order did not make it clear that the book was a sequel! They're not numbered or anything, but there are definitely some books featuring the same characters that come before it chronologicall y. So then when I read those later, I already knew which characters were going to die because it was spoiled for me. Curse you, Scholastic!
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You can't not wax poetic on Brian's cerulean orbs. ;) I loved Stacy's outfits (Claudia's were too cool and I didn't think I could pull them off.) I think I wanted to be Stacy... except the diabetes.
They didn't make it clear? How could they do that?! Don't they care about spoilers?! Curse you, Scholastic!
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 12, 2021, 12:31:38 AM ---I don't remember when I did either. I don't think I ever wrote one of those "they all live in a beach house in Orlando" stories, but I'm sure my old stories have some geographical errors. Although I remember one time a reader from Kentucky told me there was no airport in Lexington, and I was like, "Whoops, I guess I should have looked that up instead of assuming," and then I did look it up once, and there totally is an airport in Lexington! A small airport, sure, but still a real airport with major commercial airlines. But that was probably one of my first lessons in fact-checking locations I'm not familiar with. I often look up flights from one city to another to get an idea of travel time and availability of flights. Expedia always thinks I'm planning some cool vacation when I'm really not. :(
I think Undead is when I discovered the true potential of Google Maps - although, actually, I discovered that Bing Maps was better at that time for 3D satellite view. You can't Street View through an air force base, but you can get a good bird's eye view.
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There is an airport in Lexington! I've been there because our flight to Ohio got canceled while we were at the airport, so we ended up closer to where we were going for not a bajillion dollars. For some reason, flights to Kentucky airports are suuuper expensive at the beginning of May. ;) lol (Yes, we were going for the derby and to see hubs' sister.) Anyway, it's not a new airport (built in 1940), so you were correct. But it's a good reason to learn to fact check. I never wrote a beach house story either, but I wish I did, lol.
Ugh, don't get me started on the internet thinking I'm planning a great vacation!
I love Street View too, but you're right, I don't think google has security clearance... to post maps on the internet anyway, lol.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 12, 2021, 12:31:38 AM ---LOL Yeah, Nick would totally prefer the Keys to get away from his family. I bet the beaches/water are also nicer down there. Never been to either place though.
I wondered that, too. Why Brian and not Kevin or Howie? They were both real adults who also had religious values, and Howie even had a college degree and had known Nick longer. Was it just because Nick was closest to Brian? Just one of many questionable parenting decisions Nick's parents made.
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Miami is super fun, but I bet the Keys are warmer in the winter.
Oh you're right, Howie would have been the best choice. Sorry I forgot you just like Jane did, Howie! Maybe Howie said no because Nick tried to date his cousin, lol.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 13, 2021, 12:10:08 AM ---I got the first coat of paint on last night! It's gonna need another coat tonight, but I like the color. I did not appreciate just what a pain in the ass it is to paint a bathroom though, getting behind the toilet and all that - ugh! Will be glad to have that job done.
BSB planning got in the way of my writing today, but I have the story open now so I can get something written before midnight.
I bet it was hard to concentrate on your PD after all that excitement! LOL
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Ugh, painting behind the toilet would be hard! Did you finish your bathroom in the past week? I forgot to ask.
BSB planning has got in the way of my writing life lately, lol. But the streak lives! The next PD isn't until Monday, so hopefully the Boys announce nothing else crazy then, lol.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 13, 2021, 12:10:08 AM ---Absolutely. I'm usually proud of their length, but whenever I have to do something that involves clicking through each chapter, I'm always like, "Ugh, why?!" Broken and BMS will be terrible if I ever make it to those stories LOL.
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I feel you on the length. But it will be worth it when you make it to the end! (I also got exhausted editing PBox near the end and it was worth it.) I'll send you good Broken/BMS vibes so you do get there!
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 13, 2021, 12:10:08 AM ---Oh yeah, the squiggles and stars make it even better!! And it would have had plenty of animated gifs and midis of BSB songs playing in the background. (I actually did have midis of BSB songs playing in the background. And purple Comic Sans font LOL.)
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Yes! a 90's dream website! Clearly the Millennium ads are the gifs you should have used, lol!
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 13, 2021, 12:10:08 AM ---Yes! Let's go with that. I'm like an architecture archeologist.
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LOL!
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 13, 2021, 12:10:08 AM ---Yes! You never know who's reading who lives in a certain city and went to that show, so you want to write it accurately if you can.
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I commend you for that.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 13, 2021, 12:10:08 AM ---Aww, I know! I actually still have all my old BSB tapes and a working VCR. I can't remember the last time I tried watching any of them, so I'm not sure they still work, but I couldn't bear to throw them away. I still have my Titanic and Disney VHS tapes for the same reason. #hoarder
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All my BSB stuff was VHS, I wish I had a VCR so I could watch the green tape. What a long time ago that was. I feel like they would still work? Why wouldn't they?
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 13, 2021, 12:10:08 AM ---They totally are! Btw, Kevin's gonna be 50 by the time we see them in December... ahh!
That is so true about "I Would Do Anything for Love... but I won't do that." Won't do what??
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OMG! No! 50! Kevin, you'll always be 27 to me.
I keep telling hubs that it's "anal" and he gets mad at me every time, lol.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 13, 2021, 12:10:08 AM ---I know, I'm already anxious about tomorrow too! I think the fact that it's only 12 shows after all this time with no concerts has me worried everyone's gonna be wanting tickets. But at least it's just a fan club presale. We should be fine, but if we don't get what we want, there's always the general sale on Saturday or whenever.
Our parents were saints! Both my mom and dad took me to shows back in the day. I'm so grateful, but also glad to be an adult with my own income and transportation and friends who are real fans and genuinely want to go with me LOL.
Aww... and your tickets will still have the original date to remind you of how many times they got rescheduled due to COVID LOL.
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I was still anxious after we already had tickets, lol. It was easy and it was still nervewracking.
Yes! It's so much more fun with friends/fans/my own money than my mother, but I love her. :)
Yes, yes they will, lol.
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: FrickingKaos on July 13, 2021, 12:22:26 AM ---My writing actually went great, I put on some beach ambient music which helped with the next chapter of Take Me Home. It’s a flashback where Nick and Brian are just getting to the island they live on while they’re in hiding. I just posted chapter 36 today, so I will probably have this new chapter done very soon. So then I started watching Titanic and it inspired this little one shot thing, at least I think it’s a one shot? I don’t know what it is yet. I did write a couple paragraphs of it though. So all in all its been very productive for me.
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Glad it's all going well! How's your next chapter going? Good other than Nick potentially hating you? lol
Ooh, a Titanic one shot?
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on July 20, 2021, 10:23:09 PM ---A couple questions I thought of to discuss:
Do you think your writing continues to gets better with each story, or have you already hit your peak as a writer? If it's the latter, when (or with what story) did you peak, and why do you think that is?
For those who have taken extended breaks from writing, do you think it affected the quality of your writing when you came back? Did you feel rusty when you started again or notice a decline?
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I think there's always ways to improve if you continue to write. It might not be in "writer voice" (I think that's about the same as the end of PBox), but it could be in tight prose or something else. I can't think of any examples right now, but I think there's always growth and improvement in one way or another, even if it's a small thing. :) Maybe it's just writing speed.
But I also think that every story is a little different, so maybe there's something different to improve on between each work. I'm working on comedic timing right now, for instance, and that's not something that's part of PBox as much.
I didn't feel rusty when I started because I was just happy to be writing anything, but now I feel like I was rusty. (Like chapter four is so awful, I'm so sorry everyone.) And I definitely feel like some chapters are better than others even as I continue to write them. It wasn't too bad to get back into the groove again once I could get started, but I think it takes the right headspace.
I felt even rustier starting new story, because it's pretty different from PBox. But I think I've gotten away from my plan for it from the beginning, which was "What's the craziest thing I can think of? Write that." I blame trying to be medically accurate in the beginning, lol. So now I'm trying to get back to the crazier things. Escape goats are helping, lol.
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