Absolute Chaos Discussion Boards

Fic Talk => General Discussion => Topic started by: nicksgal on January 26, 2021, 09:36:02 PM

Title: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 26, 2021, 09:36:02 PM
Preemptively starting this so we can stop the other one at fifty pages! I'll edit in all the questions from the first one here if anyone wants to come back and add answers to any they missed.  :-*

Please find the last set of writing questions below. I'll summarize the end of the Writing Thread there so that Julie can add it to the question archive.

While writing, if you had to give up snacks and drinks or music, which would be harder to give up and why?

Which is your favorite season to write in and why?

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a full year while writing a book, but your book had to take place there, where would you choose?

What is your favorite word and why?

What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer?

Do you believe in the concept of a muse? What is yours like?

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on January 27, 2021, 11:50:00 AM


While writing, if you had to give up snacks and drinks or music, which would be harder to give up and why?

When I write, I need complete concentration, so I do not use any of the above.

Which is your favorite season to write in and why?

It used to be summer since I had them free, but now that I have all seasons free, none of them I guess lol

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a full year while writing a book, but your book had to take place there, where would you choose?

Cape Cod. I love it up there. I know I should've picked somewhere more exotic, but honestly, I wouldn't feel comfortable writing about somewhere overseas.

What is your favorite word and why?

Kerfuffle because it's awesome

What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer?

Definitely Little Women. I always wanted to be just like Jo.

Do you believe in the concept of a muse? What is yours like?

Not really

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

An otter
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 27, 2021, 06:35:54 PM
While writing, if you had to give up snacks and drinks or music, which would be harder to give up and why?
I don't usually eat while I write - only if I'm starving but too inspired to stop writing.  I do usually have some sort of drink (preferably with caffeine), but I think I would have a harder time giving up music.  I almost always listen to music when I write.

Which is your favorite season to write in and why?
From a practical standpoint, summer is my favorite because that's when I have the most time to write.  But if I wasn't a teacher, I would say winter.  There's something so cozy about staying in and writing on a cold, snowy day.

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a full year while writing a book, but your book had to take place there, where would you choose?
I would live in a quaint little cottage on the coast of Scotland or Ireland.  I studied abroad in Scotland when I was in college, and it was the most beautiful place I've ever been.  I got to visit Ireland for a few days while I was over there, and it was also beautiful.  I would happily live there and set a book there too.  I actually started a fanfic that took place in Scotland years ago, but I never got far enough on it to post it.

What is your favorite word and why?
"Orbs" because it's a great, poetic synonym for eyeballs.  :D

What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer?
Pretty much any book by Lurlene McDaniel, but especially "Don't Die, My Love."  She was my favorite author in middle school, and my early fanfics were basically the BSB version of her books about teenagers dealing with cancer, organ transplants, and other tragic illnesses.

Do you believe in the concept of a muse? What is yours like?
Not really, but Rose and I used to joke that our muses were conjoined so only one of us could write at a time.  We called them the Siamuse, and here is a picture of them:
(http://dreamers-sanctuary.com/siamuse.png)
Mine was Billy, the ferret on the left, and hers was Bob, the penguin on the right.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
Probably a turtle.  My writing tends to be slow and steady, but I can speed up when inspiration strikes.  I love to retreat into my shell, so to say, and avoid social interaction outside of the internet when I'm inspired.  I am a creature of habit, always returning to my comfort zone as a writer, and at the rate I'm going, I will probably still be writing fanfic when I'm incredibly ancient LOL.  Also... magic turtle! (https://youtu.be/gAZ0pAIczA0)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 28, 2021, 12:15:14 AM
I'll respond to the rest of this tomorrow or so, because I'm tired post-updating, but I gotta ask... Why are you all so anti-snacks? haha

While writing, if you had to give up snacks and drinks or music, which would be harder to give up and why?
Well considering I don’t do any of that when i write anyway, and it’s very rare that I’m listening to music WHILE I write, that is an easy answer for me lol

 While writing, if you had to give up snacks and drinks or music, which would be harder to give up and why?
When I write, I need complete concentration, so I do not use any of the above.

While writing, if you had to give up snacks and drinks or music, which would be harder to give up and why?
I don't usually eat while I write - only if I'm starving but too inspired to stop writing.  I do usually have some sort of drink (preferably with caffeine), but I think I would have a harder time giving up music.  I almost always listen to music when I write.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 28, 2021, 07:01:41 PM
I'll respond to the rest of this tomorrow or so, because I'm tired post-updating, but I gotta ask... Why are you all so anti-snacks? haha

LOL I love snacks, but I'm fat enough already!  If I'm gonna sit on my ass all day writing, I definitely don't need to be eating while I do it.  All my pacing and fasting while writing was probably the only thing that kept me from gaining the quarantine fifteen because I know I did not exercise as much as I should have LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 28, 2021, 07:34:12 PM
LOL I love snacks, but I'm fat enough already!  If I'm gonna sit on my ass all day writing, I definitely don't need to be eating while I do it.  All my pacing and fasting while writing was probably the only thing that kept me from gaining the quarantine fifteen because I know I did not exercise as much as I should have LOL.

I would eat snacks all day over eating meals for sure. Snacks on snacks on snacks! I hear you saying that your exercise routine was similar to mine. Perhaps we should cheer each other on in this new year. Now I gotta finish a recertificatio n in the next three hours, ahh! Wish me luck!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 28, 2021, 07:35:34 PM
Dee, I am trying your trick of having text-to-speech read my Bethlehem chapter aloud for one last proofread before I post it.  I'm hoping it will help me catch any typos my eyes always skipped across, but it's cracking me up.  I'm using a British male voice because it sounded the most natural, and I can't stop reading along in a British accent and making myself laugh LOL.  I already got distracted and came here to write this post while it's still playing, and the British guy just read "Asterisk asterisk asterisk" for one of my *** scene breaks.  Dying!!!

Edit: He also pronounces "Bri" like "Bree."  And he emphasizes the wrong letter in "AJ"... "Ay-JAY."  Hehehe, I can't stop laughing at him.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 28, 2021, 07:56:41 PM
I would eat snacks all day over eating meals for sure. Snacks on snacks on snacks! I hear you saying that your exercise routine was similar to mine. Perhaps we should cheer each other on in this new year. Now I gotta finish a recertificatio n in the next three hours, ahh! Wish me luck!

Same with the snacks.  I love appetizers as a meal LOL.

Yikes, good luck!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 28, 2021, 08:06:48 PM
Do you guys tend to read or watch things that are similar to what you're writing (in terms of genre or subject matter) to inspire you, or do you stay away from things that seem similar to avoid inadvertently copying ideas?

What has been your strangest or most unexpected source of inspiration?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 29, 2021, 12:10:30 AM
Same with the snacks.  I love appetizers as a meal LOL.

Yikes, good luck!

Appetizers make the best meals!

I passed with an hour to spare in the testing window. Woo! Now I can catch up on the goings on of the forum, haha. It's my fault for making Nick's birthday so stressful on myself.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 29, 2021, 05:07:32 PM
Dee, I am trying your trick of having text-to-speech read my Bethlehem chapter aloud for one last proofread before I post it.  I'm hoping it will help me catch any typos my eyes always skipped across, but it's cracking me up.  I'm using a British male voice because it sounded the most natural, and I can't stop reading along in a British accent and making myself laugh LOL.  I already got distracted and came here to write this post while it's still playing, and the British guy just read "Asterisk asterisk asterisk" for one of my *** scene breaks.  Dying!!!

Edit: He also pronounces "Bri" like "Bree."  And he emphasizes the wrong letter in "AJ"... "Ay-JAY."  Hehehe, I can't stop laughing at him.

I should have warned you about specifics, haha. But I'm glad you're at least enjoying it for the humor aspect of text to speech. I was a "Will" or "Rod" kinda gal when the Boys were doing the majority of the speaking because the British sounded too off to me for American dudes. I use "~*~" for my scene breaks and it just calls them "dot," so I feel you on that one.  :D

I never used "Bri" or anything like that, but I definitely had to mess with the phonetics of so many of my names to get them to sound correct. Minako definitely became Meenahkoh for instance. And AJ definitely has to be "Ayjay" to be pronounced correctly, no other version works. My saving grace is that I'm an expert in phonics and know what to put where to get the right sounds if it flubs it up.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 29, 2021, 05:39:19 PM
While writing, if you had to give up snacks and drinks or music, which would be harder to give up and why?

Team snacks forever. There are times where I am perfectly fine writing in silence (and often do if I need to really focus, for instance), but snacks are just a general part of my day. I can honestly get through my day with lots of snacks and one bigger meal unless I eat a big breakfast, then I usually have to have dinner.

Which is your favorite season to write in and why?

:shrug: One where I write? I feel like my more productive writing times have been winter? As a human in general, I'm pretty useless in the fall.

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a full year while writing a book, but your book had to take place there, where would you choose?

Can I test a few places first? And how long can I live there before starting the write the book? Offhand, I liked Greece a lot, I could see myself living there for a year.

What is your favorite word and why?

Any word that has many varied and nuanced definitions, especially if they're contradictory. I still enjoyed getting to use "cleave," so I'm going to go with that one. Also portmanteaus in general.

What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer?

I have threeish! Tuesday by David Wiesner because it's a wordless picture book, so in order to tell the story, you had to come up with the words to describe the pictures. In essence, that's what I do every time I have a story in my head (and all of us, really). The other one would be The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster because it takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary, plus you have to love the subtle jokes based entirely on word choice. And any book in The Babysitters Club by Ann M. Martin, because the characters were awesome. I also really liked Animorhps as a child. So there you go, that's basically me as a writer in a nutshell, it all makes so much sense now, haha.

Do you believe in the concept of a muse? What is yours like?

Kind of? Not necessarily an overarching muse, but I would say that for each story, one of the characters usually becomes my muse as I write that story. So for PBox et al., it's the picky, loud, stubborn, particular, and persistent Nick. Other stories, it's other characters. Unfortunately for all of the others, PBox Nick is the pickiest, loudest, most stubborn, most particular, and most persistent character of them all. So he gets his story written to finality eventually... every time.

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

I knew what I had in mind for spirit animal theme, but I wasn't sure what animal fit that, so I googled. A bat! They hibernate the longest if you leave them to their own devices. Also the PBox demons have bat wings, so it all makes sense.  :D
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 29, 2021, 06:11:53 PM
I wanted to comment on more of these specifically, but as Team Snacks, you know where my head was right away, haha.

Which is your favorite season to write in and why?
It used to be summer since I had them free, but now that I have all seasons free, none of them I guess lol
Which is your favorite season to write in and why?
From a practical standpoint, summer is my favorite because that's when I have the most time to write.  But if I wasn't a teacher, I would say winter.  There's something so cozy about staying in and writing on a cold, snowy day.
Which is your favorite season to write in and why?
I like to write in Christmas and New Years. Christmas because there’s always something different you can do with it. It can be a romance, comedy...anyth ing you want. Just something about that time of year that makes it magical.

Yo, teachers, they get the job done!  ;) I enjoyed that we all went with physically writing and Tracy went with setting. Hadn't even thought of the question that way.

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a full year while writing a book, but your book had to take place there, where would you choose?
Cape Cod. I love it up there. I know I should've picked somewhere more exotic, but honestly, I wouldn't feel comfortable writing about somewhere overseas.
If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a full year while writing a book, but your book had to take place there, where would you choose?
I would live in a quaint little cottage on the coast of Scotland or Ireland.  I studied abroad in Scotland when I was in college, and it was the most beautiful place I've ever been.  I got to visit Ireland for a few days while I was over there, and it was also beautiful.  I would happily live there and set a book there too.  I actually started a fanfic that took place in Scotland years ago, but I never got far enough on it to post it.
If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a full year while writing a book, but your book had to take place there, where would you choose?
Anywhere tropical. Like some kind of island. Hawaii.

I love all your answers. I'd read any of those books. Destination fanfic writing would be fun, but I'd have to live there or else I would just want to sight see.

What is your favorite word and why?
Kerfuffle because it's awesome
What is your favorite word and why?
"Orbs" because it's a great, poetic synonym for eyeballs.  :D
What is your favorite word and why?
defective. It’s fun to say. I don’t write it nearly enough though.

I love all of these. Kerfuffle and defective are great words. And you're right Julie, orbs is a perfect synonym for eyeballs because eyeballs deserve so much poetic dedication to their description.  :D (Is Mare not calling you out because she knows you're kidding? I laid that on pretty thick, haha.)

What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer?
Definitely Little Women. I always wanted to be just like Jo.
What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer?
Pretty much any book by Lurlene McDaniel, but especially "Don't Die, My Love."  She was my favorite author in middle school, and my early fanfics were basically the BSB version of her books about teenagers dealing with cancer, organ transplants, and other tragic illnesses.
What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer?
hm, I wouldn’t say that any books influenced how I write. But as a kid my favorites were the Boxcar Children and Goosebumps.

I could have guessed both of yours, Mare and Julie; I think they're very fitting answers is more what I mean to say. I admittedly haven't read much of your stuff, Tracy, but I'm looking forward to seeing if any of that pops up. :)

Do you believe in the concept of a muse? What is yours like?
Not really, but Rose and I used to joke that our muses were conjoined so only one of us could write at a time.  We called them the Siamuse. Mine was Billy, the ferret on the left, and hers was Bob, the penguin on the right.
Do you believe in the concept of a muse? What is yours like?
well yes, and Nick obviously.

I love that it's a ferret and a penguin, very 00Carter of you both. Have you been taking good care of Billy and Bob as you've been finish Bethlehem or have they retired?

And Nick's a perfect muse!

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
An otter
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
a slice of pizza.

I'm going to need some more information on both of these. Tell me why... basically.  ;D (I snuck in a Hamilton and a Backstreet, I'm on a roll!)

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
Probably a turtle.  My writing tends to be slow and steady, but I can speed up when inspiration strikes.  I love to retreat into my shell, so to say, and avoid social interaction outside of the internet when I'm inspired.  I am a creature of habit, always returning to my comfort zone as a writer, and at the rate I'm going, I will probably still be writing fanfic when I'm incredibly ancient LOL.  Also... magic turtle! (https://youtu.be/gAZ0pAIczA0)

I loved all these reasons, but especially the one I bolded. Haha, magic turtle.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 29, 2021, 07:38:43 PM
Do you guys tend to read or watch things that are similar to what you're writing (in terms of genre or subject matter) to inspire you, or do you stay away from things that seem similar to avoid inadvertently copying ideas?

I wouldn't say I actively try to seek out or avoid either, just because what I write is also what I enjoy reading and watching. I do notice when they start to creep into my writing, so I usually take a step back to think "Why did this seep into my writing? What was it I liked enough about it to write down?" Then once I get to the heart of it all, I'll put my own spin on it. Music definitely creeps into my work unexpectedly (but also often intentionally), as I've mentioned.

What has been your strangest or most unexpected source of inspiration?

I always say that I don't really know about this and usually end up going "Dreams? lol :shrug:" But, I've thought about it and I'm actually constantly inspired by mythology, because I love it. I have an original fiction I've been working on forever that's Ancient Egyptian, PBox started taking shape after a rabbit hole at the library (aww libraries) about Chinese mythology (the four gods specifically) and a couple of other things I can't say yet (spoilers, you know), and Gobosei is Greek elementals (with an Asian flavor because there's five Backstreet Boys).

Therefore, I have to find the right mythology for guardian angels and I haven't stumbled on it yet, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 29, 2021, 11:10:16 PM
Team snacks forever. There are times where I am perfectly fine writing in silence (and often do if I need to really focus, for instance), but snacks are just a general part of my day. I can honestly get through my day with lots of snacks and one bigger meal unless I eat a big breakfast, then I usually have to have dinner.

Although I don't usually eat while I write, I agree with you about snacks.  On weekends and in the summer, I definitely do more snacking than eating actual meals.


And any book in The Babysitters Club by Ann M. Martin, because the characters were awesome.

The Babysitters Club was one of my favorite series too!  Which girl did you most identify with?  Stacey was my favorite; I wanted to be her, but really I was more of a Mary Anne or Mallory.  Did you watch the new Netflix series that came out last summer?  It was SO good!!  I binge-watched the whole thing in one sitting LOL.


I knew what I had in mind for spirit animal theme, but I wasn't sure what animal fit that, so I googled. A bat! They hibernate the longest if you leave them to their own devices. Also the PBox demons have bat wings, so it all makes sense.  :D

Aww, I love bats!  They're so cute.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 29, 2021, 11:22:49 PM
Yo, teachers, they get the job done!  ;) I enjoyed that we all went with physically writing and Tracy went with setting. Hadn't even thought of the question that way.

High five for the Hamilton reference!  Also, yes we do!

I am thinking about how Tracy interpreted the question and if I have a favorite season to set my stories in.  Judging by the last five stories I've finished, I would say fall because three out of five of them were set then.  Fall is my personal favorite season, so that makes sense.  But really, I usually base the timing of my stories around what works best with the Boys' schedules, since most of my stories are based more or less in reality.


I love that it's a ferret and a penguin, very 00Carter of you both. Have you been taking good care of Billy and Bob as you've been finish Bethlehem or have they retired?

They've been enjoying a well-deserved break.  I'm hoping Billy will come out of hibernation this weekend to get me going on a new story, but we'll see.  Maybe Bob will give Rose some inspiration while Billy's resting.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 29, 2021, 11:28:04 PM
What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer? hm, I wouldn’t say that any books influenced how I write. But as a kid my favorites were the Boxcar Children and Goosebumps.

Tracy, I enjoyed both of these series as a kid too.  Along with Babysitters Club, Goosebumps was my favorite!  Do you remember your favorite book from each series?

I feel like my favorite Boxcar Children was The Yellow House Mystery, although I can't really remember why or even what it was about at the moment LOL.  That's just the title that popped into my head.  Gonna have to look that up.  I also always enjoyed the very first book in the series.  

My favorite Goosebumps was a tie between One Day at Horrorland and The Cuckoo Clock of Doom.  I have an old short story called Seduction of Evil about AJ being turned into a vampire that I feel is Goosebumps-esque LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 29, 2021, 11:40:24 PM
The Babysitters Club was one of my favorite series too!  Which girl did you most identify with?  Stacey was my favorite; I wanted to be her, but really I was more of a Mary Anne or Mallory.  Did you watch the new Netflix series that came out last summer?  It was SO good!!  I binge-watched the whole thing in one sitting LOL.

Stacey, Dawn, and Claudia were my favorites, but back then I also thought I was more of a Mary Anne or a Mallory. I think I've become a bit more Stacy over the years, though.

I didn't! I've been meaning to watch it though. I'll binge it soon and we can discuss.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 29, 2021, 11:44:52 PM
High five for the Hamilton reference!  Also, yes we do!

I am thinking about how Tracy interpreted the question and if I have a favorite season to set my stories in.  Judging by the last five stories I've finished, I would say fall because three out of five of them were set then.  Fall is my personal favorite season, so that makes sense.  But really, I usually base the timing of my stories around what works best with the Boys' schedules, since most of my stories are based more or less in reality.


They've been enjoying a well-deserved break.  I'm hoping Billy will come out of hibernation this weekend to get me going on a new story, but we'll see.  Maybe Bob will give Rose some inspiration while Billy's resting.

I'm money on my references lately.

I don't think I ever explicitly state the time of year. PBox is definitely Springish. I can't remember if Gobosei mentions location at all, but if it was good old CO, then when it was Never Gone time frame, it would have been late summer and when I switched it to Millennium, it would have been Halloween.  Beta Sigma Beta was definitely Halloween. So... Halloween is the season I set most of my stories around, apparently, haha.

Sending good vibes to both of you!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on January 30, 2021, 01:56:27 AM

My favorite Goosebumps book is One Day At HorrorLand as well, especially the Doom Slide. I also loved the one that was a choose your own adventure. Escape From the Carnival of Horrors.

My favorite Boxcar Children book is a toss up between Mystery Cruise and Surprise Island.

I never read The Babysitter’s Club but I read the spin off of that where it was the little sisters of the Baby Sitters Club. I also read Fear Street, one of my favorites of that series being this story where the main character’s family is sold to a town that is run by dogs.





Tracy, I enjoyed both of these series as a kid too.  Along with Babysitters Club, Goosebumps was my favorite!  Do you remember your favorite book from each series?

I feel like my favorite Boxcar Children was The Yellow House Mystery, although I can't really remember why or even what it was about at the moment LOL.  That's just the title that popped into my head.  Gonna have to look that up.  I also always enjoyed the very first book in the series.  

My favorite Goosebumps was a tie between One Day at Horrorland and The Cuckoo Clock of Doom.  I have an old short story called Seduction of Evil about AJ being turned into a vampire that I feel is Goosebumps-esque LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on January 30, 2021, 02:02:46 AM
I don’t unless it’s a parody of a movie that is what I am writing at the time. Such as the Wizard of Oz parody or the 13 Going on 30 ones I did years ago. However, the last week or so I was watching Titanic every night so I think that may have been inspiring a lot of things in If I Knew Then but it’s not obvious because my readers have not picked up on any references.

When I was writing Finding Carter I watched a lot of Disney films so there are numerous references to Disney movies as its a theme throughout the story (Plus Finding Carter is literally a play off Finding Nemo), not to mention each chapter has a Disney quote that fits the theme of each chapter.

For the most part I try to not watch things that are similar to my writing because I’m afraid that it will come out in my writing but I put TV shows or movies on as background noise while I write. For the last month I was watching Big Bang Theory and it had no influence on If I Knew Then, so that was a success.


Weird strokes of inspiration, i get the most random ideas from songs. Usually I come up with story titles and then a story idea forms from that, most of the time from lyrics that I can’t get out of my head. A lot of my one shots have happened this way.





Do you guys tend to read or watch things that are similar to what you're writing (in terms of genre or subject matter) to inspire you, or do you stay away from things that seem similar to avoid inadvertently copying ideas?

What has been your strangest or most unexpected source of inspiration?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 02:48:25 PM
I don’t unless it’s a parody of a movie that is what I am writing at the time. Such as the Wizard of Oz parody or the 13 Going on 30 ones I did years ago. However, the last week or so I was watching Titanic every night so I think that may have been inspiring a lot of things in If I Knew Then but it’s not obvious because my readers have not picked up on any references.

When I was writing Finding Carter I watched a lot of Disney films so there are numerous references to Disney movies as its a theme throughout the story (Plus Finding Carter is literally a play off Finding Nemo), not to mention each chapter has a Disney quote that fits the theme of each chapter.

What is it you enjoy about writing parodies?

Aw, Disney, cute! I love that you included quotes that went with it. I like when there's an opportunity to do things like that. Snippets of song lyrics was one I always liked doing when it fit.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 03:10:07 PM
Today's questions are all about characters!

How do you come up with character names for your stories? (Other than the obvious, "Well, Nick is "Nick.")

What are the essential characteristic s of a hero you can root for? Are there certain aspects of the Boys you play up if they're in the hero role?

What do you do to get inside your characters' heads?

If you could be a character from one of your stories, who would it be and why?

What's the trickiest thing about writing characters of the opposite gender?

Does one of your characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

Now describe that character in three words.

Which of your characters do you relate to the most?

Do you often put aspects of yourself into your characters?

And just for fun:

Go back to that character you said holds a special place in your heart and think about the other characters in their story. They can only use each character once, so which character from their story would they pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?

c. have for a boss? Why?

d. pull off a heist with? Why?

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?

And because these are fun anyway, just answer for yourself with the Boys. You can only use each one once. :D

Which Boy would you pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?

c. have for a boss? Why?

d. pull off a heist with? Why?

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 03:19:22 PM
 My favorite Goosebumps book is One Day At HorrorLand as well, especially the Doom Slide. I also loved the one that was a choose your own adventure. Escape From the Carnival of Horrors.

My favorite Boxcar Children book is a toss up between Mystery Cruise and Surprise Island.

I never read The Babysitter’s Club but I read the spin off of that where it was the little sisters of the Baby Sitters Club. I also read Fear Street, one of my favorites of that series being this story where the main character’s family is sold to a town that is run by dogs.

I loved the BSC Little Sister (Karen) books too!  And Fear Street!  I don't think I ever read that Fear Street book though.  My favorite was The Fear Street Saga, the trilogy about the history of the Fear (Fier) family and how Fear Street came to be cursed.  Apparently they made a trilogy of Fear Street movies for Netflix that come out this year!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 03:33:44 PM
I don’t unless it’s a parody of a movie that is what I am writing at the time. Such as the Wizard of Oz parody or the 13 Going on 30 ones I did years ago. However, the last week or so I was watching Titanic every night so I think that may have been inspiring a lot of things in If I Knew Then but it’s not obvious because my readers have not picked up on any references.

When I was writing Finding Carter I watched a lot of Disney films so there are numerous references to Disney movies as its a theme throughout the story (Plus Finding Carter is literally a play off Finding Nemo), not to mention each chapter has a Disney quote that fits the theme of each chapter.

Parodies are so much fun to write!  I do the same thing with watching whatever I'm parodying over and over again.  Last year it was the beginning of Return of the Jedi and the pilot of The Mandalorian as I was writing my third pandaskunk story.  The worst was when I was spoofing Independence Day in the second pandaskunk story - my copy of Independence Day is still on VHS, so I had to plug in my old VCR and freaking rewind that tape over and over again to catch the exact lines of dialogue and whatnot.  I finally found a copy of the screenplay online, and that made it easier LOL.

Do you find that having parodied something makes you see the original a little differently?

It's fun to make references to another fandom or source in stories.  I wrote a lot of Beatles references into Secrets of the Heart because the character Jori was based on my sister, who loves the Beatles.  I named all the minor characters after names in Beatles songs, and I even had chapter titles planned that were all Beatles lyrics, but I ended up not using those.  I don't even really like the Beatles, but I know more about them than I ever cared to know thanks to my sister LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 03:51:00 PM
Do you guys tend to read or watch things that are similar to what you're writing (in terms of genre or subject matter) to inspire you, or do you stay away from things that seem similar to avoid inadvertently copying ideas?

What has been your strangest or most unexpected source of inspiration?

I definitely do this.  It's a way to try to keep myself inspired and thinking about my story even when I'm not actively writing.  Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.  In the 8 years it took me to write Heroic Measures, I would start watching ER for inspiration and inevitably get sucked into an ER marathon and watch more episodes (sometimes more seasons) than I wrote chapters LOL.  But usually it's not that bad.  For The Road to Bethlehem, I watched a few wilderness survival movies and episodes of "I Shouldn't Be Alive" and re-read the novel "The Ruins," which was what inspired me to want to write a survival story in the first place, although the plot details are a lot different.

As for strangest source of inspiration... it would have to be the medical fetish porn videos on YouTube inspiring AHTIM LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 04:04:19 PM
Happy Saturday!  How's everyone's day going?

I officially started Fallen Angel this morning!  I was kinda waiting until I could come up with a decent first line, and I thought of one when I woke up this morning, so I wrote the first paragraph... and then went back to bed LOL.  Imagine how much more I could have written if I had gotten up and made coffee instead!  Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

Anyway, when I went back to sleep, I had a fanfic-related dream, which almost never happens (thank god).  I dreamed that I remembered I had another chapter planned for The Road to Bethlehem that I forgot to write and was like, "Damn, I've been claiming to be done for almost two weeks, and I'm not really done at all!"  But the chapter had nothing to do with Bethlehem; it was actually for another story I (in my dream) had written earlier and never posted.  It was an AU or original fiction about a class of kids coming back together for their first day of school after a school shooting.  I guess that would be influence of hearing about that horrible QAnon congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene harassing the Parkland shooting survivors.

Anyway, I woke up wondering if I really had written a story that I forgot about, then quickly realized that was just a dream.  But it got me thinking, if I were to write an AU about the Boys working in a school, what would their roles be?  I am not currently planning to write a BSB teacher story, but I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 04:16:53 PM
I don't even really like the Beatles, but I know more about them than I ever cared to know thanks to my sister LOL.

This is how my mother feels about the Backstreet Boys to a T.

For The Road to Bethlehem, I watched a few wilderness survival movies and episodes of "I Shouldn't Be Alive" and re-read the novel "The Ruins," which was what inspired me to want to write a survival story in the first place, although the plot details are a lot different.

I Shouldn't Be Alive is wild! It's one of those shows where I'm like "this can't be true!" and yet somehow it always is.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 04:36:18 PM
Happy Saturday!  How's everyone's day going?

Started off my day by doing anything except writing since there's no "looming" writing deadlines in my life as far as PNecklace goes. Though I did wake up and go, "This next chapter should actually start this way and come before the last chapter I wrote." So I had a few ideas to start out, but wanted to sit on them for a minute. So I hung out with the husband and watched the Reese's Senior Bowl while we decided what to eat this week. He went to the grocery store and I started writing, but kept getting stuck on an encompassing noun to describe AJ's AJness, so I am here refreshing the forum again. I put a comment on it that was akin to "this is what I want to say, but I need a noun" and might just keep writing without the perfect word. I hate that so much... But there's other things in the chapter that have nothing to do with it, so it might be time to just move on?

So there's the good news, I suppose. Editing PBox did not derail PNecklace from being written, even after about two months off. I also have two friends that would be willing to beta read an OF version of PBox, so now I need to decide if I want to focus on that or keep writing PNecklace. I think at the moment I'm going to go with writing PNecklace since I have some pretty solid plans on the next ten chapters or so.

I officially started Fallen Angel this morning!  I was kinda waiting until I could come up with a decent first line, and I thought of one when I woke up this morning, so I wrote the first paragraph... and then went back to bed LOL.  Imagine how much more I could have written if I had gotten up and made coffee instead!  Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

How does it feel officially starting a new thing? I feel like a first line is always daunting. I always get stuck on what would be the perfect opening. I slept late too and it's totally sunny out. Maybe the full moon a couple days ago was just exhausting for all of us.

Anyway, when I went back to sleep, I had a fanfic-related dream, which almost never happens (thank god).

Anyway, I woke up wondering if I really had written a story that I forgot about, then quickly realized that was just a dream.  But it got me thinking, if I were to write an AU about the Boys working in a school, what would their roles be?  I am not currently planning to write a BSB teacher story, but I'm curious to hear your thoughts.

I like fanfic related dreams, they happen to me a lot while writing and then I hope I can remember the scenes in the morning! What don't you like about fanfic related dreams? Is it that yours are less "interesting plot elements" and more "I forgot table 34's ranch!!"? Because I hate those "I forgot table 34's ranch" moments. They will still wake me up in the dead of night and I haven't worked at a restaurant in five years at this point.

If all the Boys worked at a school... Hmm... Is this a high school, an elementary school, or a middle school? I think that would change my answers. Please note, I'm actively avoiding "music education" for their roles, because obviously they could do that. But offhand I could see Kevin as the principal, Nick strikes me as wacky science teacher material complete with DNA tie and lab coat for fun (today we get to blow stuff up, muahaha), Brian would be a math teacher (I went Econ originally, but couldn't think of what other History classes he would teach), AJ some sort of creative arts teacher (I can't decide between visual arts or theatrical arts), and Howie would make a great English, History, or Foreign Language teacher (pick your poison).
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 05:06:38 PM
I started writing, but kept getting stuck on an encompassing noun to describe AJ's AJness, so I am here refreshing the forum again. I put a comment on it that was akin to "this is what I want to say, but I need a noun" and might just keep writing without the perfect word. I hate that so much... But there's other things in the chapter that have nothing to do with it, so it might be time to just move on?

My brain was determined to not move on until I found the correct word instead of the general vibe. Sometimes writing is exhausting. I found it, so carry on, y'all.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 05:20:37 PM
I'm impressed with your ability to come up with all these questions, Dee!  You are on your way to becoming the next Oprah of Fanfiction! LOL


How do you come up with character names for your stories? (Other than the obvious, "Well, Nick is "Nick.")
I hate coming up with character names because I usually spend way longer than necessary thinking about them.  To avoid this problem, I name most of my minor characters (typically nurses, doctors, police officers, etc.) after readers who have given me feedback on that story or people who have helped inspire the idea, like authors of other stuff I read for inspiration.  I put more thought into naming important characters.  I try to pick a name that says something about the character.  For example, with Claire in Broken, I wanted a "plain Jane" kind of name - simple and classic without being overly feminine or Mary Sue-ish because Claire was meant to be a down-to-earth, no-frills kind of gal.  The name Claire means "bright and clear," so I thought it worked for her being a bright spot in Nick's life.  I actually didn't like the name Claire at all back then; I thought it was an old lady name.  After using it so much, it's grown on me since then.  


What are the essential characteristic s of a hero you can root for? Are there certain aspects of the Boys you play up if they're in the hero role?
Heroes need to be both likeable and relatable.  They have to have some vulnerability, not be completely superhuman.  I typically write Nick or Brian in the hero role, so I'll answer this for them.  With Nick, I play up his loyalty and love for the other boys, as well as his temper and tendency to get emotional and wear his heart on his sleeve.  With Brian, I play up his faith by having him turn to God and the power of prayer in tough situations (or, in the case of Song for the Undead, have him turn away from God and lose his faith).  I use his strength and athleticism as well.  He's small, but mighty.


What do you do to get inside your characters' heads?
I think, "What would I do in this situation?" and then consider if my character(s) would react the same way or differently and why.  I try to picture scenes like a movie and imagine the Boys acting them out to see if they seem realistic.  If I can't picture them acting a certain way or saying a certain line, I usually change it.


If you could be a character from one of your stories, who would it be and why?
Obviously my 00Carter alter ego Red Jewel because she gets to take care of sexy secret agents who look like the Backstreet Boys.  Dream job!

Otherwise, I would be Cary in Curtain Call because she has a lot of characteristic s I admire - a nurturing personality, a job as a nurse practitioner, a cute vintage sense of style, and musical talent.  I just wouldn't want to go through the heartbreak I put her through.


What's the trickiest thing about writing characters of the opposite gender?
Not making them seem too feminine LOL.


Does one of your characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
I will always have a soft spot for Broken Nick.  He lived in my head for five years of fanfic bliss, and I loved writing him and all his drama.  He was endearing at a time when real life Nick was rather disappointing, going through his ghetto fab phase and dating Paris Hilton.


Now describe that character in three words.
Emo, romantic, resilient


Which of your characters do you relate to the most?
Gretchen in Song for the Undead is probably the character I've put the most of myself into, so she's most relatable to me.


Do you often put aspects of yourself into your characters?
As writers, I think we all put little bits of ourselves into our characters, whether we realize it or not.  I have intentionally put aspects of myself into characters, like being a teacher, living in Illinois, or liking the same things I like.


And just for fun:

Go back to that character you said holds a special place in your heart and think about the other characters in their story. They can only use each character once, so which character from their story would they pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?
 Kevin because he's outdoorsy and probably has the most survival skills

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?  Claire because they would just end up laughing and making fun of the whole experience

c. have for a boss? Why?  AJ because he would be a fun boss

d. pull off a heist with? Why?  Howie because he's smart, and no one would ever suspect him

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?  Brian because they would have fun together. Frick and Frack for life!

And because these are fun anyway, just answer for yourself with the Boys. You can only use each one once. Cheesy

Which Boy would you pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?
 Brian so we could snuggle together for warmth (or so he could be shirtless on the beach in a tropical wilderness situation).

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?  Nick because I think he would be fun to go ghost-hunting with.  He would get into it and have good reactions to seeing or hearing anything remotely scary.

c. have for a boss? Why?  Howie because he's business-savvy and would be a nice, fair boss

d. pull off a heist with? Why?  Kevin because I think he would be good at coming up with a plan and carrying it out stealthily

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?  AJ because he and I would just have fun with it and enjoy the experience without getting too competitive
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 05:24:20 PM
This is how my mother feels about the Backstreet Boys to a T.

LOL Same with my family!


So there's the good news, I suppose. Editing PBox did not derail PNecklace from being written, even after about two months off. I also have two friends that would be willing to beta read an OF version of PBox, so now I need to decide if I want to focus on that or keep writing PNecklace. I think at the moment I'm going to go with writing PNecklace since I have some pretty solid plans on the next ten chapters or so.

I'm glad your editing project did not derail PNecklace!  Hopefully you can get back into the writing groove.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 05:26:37 PM
My brain was determined to not move on until I found the correct word instead of the general vibe. Sometimes writing is exhausting. I found it, so carry on, y'all.

I hate that feeling!  What word did you go with?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 05:42:03 PM
How does it feel officially starting a new thing? I feel like a first line is always daunting. I always get stuck on what would be the perfect opening. I slept late too and it's totally sunny out. Maybe the full moon a couple days ago was just exhausting for all of us.

It feels good to get that first line out of the way!  I agree; it is daunting.  I've been imagining the opening scene of this story for a long time, but I hadn't figured out how to actually start it, so now I feel better about things.

It's been a gloomy day here - freezing rain with snow on the way later tonight.  It's a gross, slushy mess outside.  Perfect day to stay in and write (or sleep and catch up on TV LOL).


I like fanfic related dreams, they happen to me a lot while writing and then I hope I can remember the scenes in the morning! What don't you like about fanfic related dreams? Is it that yours are less "interesting plot elements" and more "I forgot table 34's ranch!!"? Because I hate those "I forgot table 34's ranch" moments. They will still wake me up in the dead of night and I haven't worked at a restaurant in five years at this point.

I guess it's because my stories are mostly all sad and/or horrifying, so I don't want to have nightmares about them that feel real.  Luckily I rarely remember my dreams anymore, so this has never really been a problem for me.

I have never worked in a restaurant, but I have back-to-school nightmares every August that are probably similar to the "I forgot table 34's ranch" dream.  I'm guessing you probably do too - every teacher I know does.  Mine are usually some version of "It's the first day of school, and I forgot to prepare, and also no one has a sharpened pencil" or "The class is out of control, and I can't get them back."


If all the Boys worked at a school... Hmm... Is this a high school, an elementary school, or a middle school? I think that would change my answers. Please note, I'm actively avoiding "music education" for their roles, because obviously they could do that. But offhand I could see Kevin as the principal, Nick strikes me as wacky science teacher material complete with DNA tie and lab coat for fun (today we get to blow stuff up, muahaha), Brian would be a math teacher (I went Econ originally, but couldn't think of what other History classes he would teach), AJ some sort of creative arts teacher (I can't decide between visual arts or theatrical arts), and Howie would make a great English, History, or Foreign Language teacher (pick your poison).

I guess junior high or high school because I was thinking in terms of them teaching different subjects, too, as opposed to grade levels.  I totally agree with Nick as the fun science teacher.  I was thinking Kevin or Howie would make a good principal too, but I could also see Howie being a math teacher because of his financial smarts.  I would make Brian the P.E. teacher/coach because he's always said he would probably be a P.E. (or music) teacher if he wasn't a Backstreet Boy.  I had the hardest time with AJ, but I agree that he would probably be some kind of arts teacher - I was thinking theater.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 05:57:43 PM
I'm impressed with your ability to come up with all these questions, Dee!  You are on your way to becoming the next Oprah of Fanfiction! LOL

I would accept that role proudly, I learned from the best! (Mare, of course.) Topics tend to pop in my head and then I come up with questions or google question ideas based on it (so I can't take all the credit for all of these questions).

As usual, I'm not quoting the ones where I have nothing to say except "yup" because then my answers would be very short and boring, haha.

How do you come up with character names for your stories? (Other than the obvious, "Well, Nick is "Nick.")
I hate coming up with character names because I usually spend way longer than necessary thinking about them.

For example, with Claire in Broken, I wanted a "plain Jane" kind of name - simple and classic without being overly feminine or Mary Sue-ish because Claire was meant to be a down-to-earth, no-frills kind of gal.

Same. I am forever blighted by the curse of "meaningful names" for major characters. I like all those reasons for "Claire". It's a good fit for the character (and now I remember why I misquoted you re:romance, my fanfic memory is a bit hazy after all these years away and I think I was conflating my memories of the Nick/Claire romantic aspects with the rest of your body of work at the time).

What are the essential characteristic s of a hero you can root for? Are there certain aspects of the Boys you play up if they're in the hero role?
Heroes need to be both likeable and relatable.  They have to have some vulnerability, not be completely superhuman.  I typically write Nick or Brian in the hero role, so I'll answer this for them.  With Nick, I play up his loyalty and love for the other boys, as well as his temper and tendency to get emotional and wear his heart on his sleeve.  With Brian, I play up his faith by having him turn to God and the power of prayer in tough situations (or, in the case of Song for the Undead, have him turn away from God and lose his faith).  I use his strength and athleticism as well.  He's small, but mighty.

I love all of this and might just quote it as my answer, haha. You're right, Brian is small, but mighty. That's a perfect way to describe how I write him as well.

If you could be a character from one of your stories, who would it be and why?
Obviously my 00Carter alter ego Red Jewel because she gets to take care of sexy secret agents who look like the Backstreet Boys.  Dream job!

Otherwise, I would be Cary in Curtain Call because she has a lot of characteristic s I admire - a nurturing personality, a job as a nurse practitioner, a cute vintage sense of style, and musical talent.  I just wouldn't want to go through the heartbreak I put her through.

Obviously Carter Girls, haha. Do you often find you project your stronger characteristic s onto your characters or do you tend to give them characteristic s you wish you had?

Does one of your characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
I will always have a soft spot for Broken Nick.  He lived in my head for five years of fanfic bliss, and I loved writing him and all his drama.  He was endearing at a time when real life Nick was rather disappointing, going through his ghetto fab phase and dating Paris Hilton.


Now describe that character in three words.
Emo, romantic, resilient

It is like they take up residence in our brains next to a nice, cozy synapse, isn't it? Broken Nick is way more endearing than ghetto fab Nick. Hands down. Even when he's emo. :D

And just for fun:

Go back to that character you said holds a special place in your heart and think about the other characters in their story. They can only use each character once, so which character from their story would they pick to:

I loved all of these, but there were a couple of times I thought, am I Nick? Because some of those are my answers for the same reasons.

And because these are fun anyway, just answer for yourself with the Boys. You can only use each one once. Cheesy

Which Boy would you pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?
 Brian so we could snuggle together for warmth (or so he could be shirtless on the beach in a tropical wilderness situation).

I know they're cheesy, but fun. If you had a good time thinking and laughing about it, then I accomplished my goal!

I loved all the answers, but especially that the wilderness one was Brian so he can be shirtless on the beach or huddled for warmth, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 06:01:32 PM
LOL Same with my family!


I'm glad your editing project did not derail PNecklace!  Hopefully you can get back into the writing groove.

I think that's all of our families if we can admit that we were ever teenyboppers.

I think it's going to be okay! I've been busy pondering my answers to my own questions instead of writing, but I did that to myself.

I hate that feeling!  What word did you go with?

"Benevolence," but I still kind of hate it because it changed my planned sentence structure from "______ were (adjective 1) and (adjective 2) (noun)s." Because while it fits, it doesn't fit that sentence structure. Maybe I'll like it better when I come back to it.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 06:12:14 PM
It feels good to get that first line out of the way!  I agree; it is daunting.  I've been imagining the opening scene of this story for a long time, but I hadn't figured out how to actually start it, so now I feel better about things.

It's been a gloomy day here - freezing rain with snow on the way later tonight.  It's a gross, slushy mess outside.  Perfect day to stay in and write (or sleep and catch up on TV LOL).

I hate when you have an opening scene, but nothing you type feels like the right way to start it out. I'm glad you found it, because that is a relief!

Gloomy days are the perfect day to write or do nothing. I'm much less likely to clean my house on a gloomy day, for instance.

I guess it's because my stories are mostly all sad and/or horrifying, so I don't want to have nightmares about them that feel real.  Luckily I rarely remember my dreams anymore, so this has never really been a problem for me.

I have never worked in a restaurant, but I have back-to-school nightmares every August that are probably similar to the "I forgot table 34's ranch" dream.  I'm guessing you probably do too - every teacher I know does.  Mine are usually some version of "It's the first day of school, and I forgot to prepare, and also no one has a sharpened pencil" or "The class is out of control, and I can't get them back."

That's true too! The nightmare portions are particularly horrible because then the image just gets stuck in your head. Or at least mine. Sometimes I remember my dreams, but it's never been whole dreams, it's always just been tiny bits.

Oh yes, I hate those "I am unprepared and no one has materials" dreams. One that reoccurs with some regularity is "All the kids ate cake for breakfast and they will crash before rest time (but not sleep during rest time). Meanwhile, it's snowing, so we can't go outside! Oh look, now they're chucking blocks at each other! Someone help!" It's exhausting.

I guess junior high or high school because I was thinking in terms of them teaching different subjects, too, as opposed to grade levels.  I totally agree with Nick as the fun science teacher.  I was thinking Kevin or Howie would make a good principal too, but I could also see Howie being a math teacher because of his financial smarts.  I would make Brian the P.E. teacher/coach because he's always said he would probably be a P.E. (or music) teacher if he wasn't a Backstreet Boy.  I had the hardest time with AJ, but I agree that he would probably be some kind of arts teacher - I was thinking theater.

I thought Howie for math too, but I'd already given it to Brian. I think with his nurturing talents and varied interests/skills, Howie would make a great teacher in whatever subject he wanted.

I totally forgot PE teacher when I was typing and I don't know why. Brian would be great at that. If he was in the coach roll, he could also be a teacher in a different subject. At my high school, not all of the sports coaches were PE teachers. Our football coach was a history teacher and then an assistant principle while I was there. The cheer/dance coach was always the assistant principal while I was there too, but I'm sure she did something else before becoming an assistant principal.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 07:32:36 PM
How do you come up with character names for your stories? (Other than the obvious, "Well, Nick is "Nick.")

As I mentioned, I spend so much of my early story planning in the time suck of "meaningful character names" especially because I like to flesh my characters out first. Take for instance the excessive amount of time I spent coming up with the perfect name for my character "Uriel" (original fiction) who has light-based powers and originally came back from a car accident coma, haha.

For fanfic, since I know I fall into this trap, I try to be less picky and more general. So I usually have two requirements, followed by a third if it doesn't take too long: 1. Do I like the name? 2. Will I get sick of seeing it however many times it appears on the page? Option 3. Can I stumble on a name I like that also fits into the character or something that happens to them? That's how you get things like "Renee."

I'm sure you're now wondering, if like me, you had a bit of a weeb phase in addition to your BSB love. Yes, I started writing PBox in the height of my weeby Japanophile phase and "Minako" was picked because of my love for the Sailor Moon character, but the meaning also fit nicely: "Holy child" for the seeker and hopeful wielder of a "Holy Box."

On the topic of the Boys, well, Nick just seems like such a "Nick" right?

What are the essential characteristic s of a hero you can root for? Are there certain aspects of the Boys you play up if they're in the hero role?

I said I would quote Julie's answer because I liked it so much, so I will.

Heroes need to be both likeable and relatable.  They have to have some vulnerability, not be completely superhuman.  I typically write Nick or Brian in the hero role, so I'll answer this for them.  With Nick, I play up his loyalty and love for the other boys, as well as his temper and tendency to get emotional and wear his heart on his sleeve.  With Brian, I play up his faith by having him turn to God and the power of prayer in tough situations (or, in the case of Song for the Undead, have him turn away from God and lose his faith).  I use his strength and athleticism as well.  He's small, but mighty.

I think I would add that even though you want your hero to seem heroic, in addition to that relatability and vulnerability, they really need some great flaws that they can learn to overcome, manage, or that can really knock them down.

To me, any Nick is always defined by his loyalty and his "get back up"ness. I also tend to make my Nicks pretty hot-headed and reactive instead of proactive. I think a young Nick is almost too trusting and an older Nick is bit "world weary." Put them all together and... well, there's a reason he's the hero of so many BSB fanfics.

What do you do to get inside your characters' heads?

Like Julie, I also think about how they would react to a situation. If it starts feeling too much like me and not them, I start rewriting.

If you could be a character from one of your stories, who would it be and why?

None of them? While they all have parts of me, I don't think I'd want to be in any of their situations. I need to stop being a sadist. The love interest in Beta Sigma Beta may have been a good choice, but I never got it to the point of knowing how it would end.

What's the trickiest thing about writing characters of the opposite gender?

Just like Julie said, making sure whatever they do or say doesn't seem too girly! I've usually thought specifically to ex-boyfriends and my husband if I'm not sure about something in particular. Though I wish I had a "boy consultant" back in my teeny fanfic days when I was so prone to those "Isn't Gypsydoodle great?" conversation moments.

Does one of your characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

Y'all know the answer, I could just skip this one. PBox Nick, even though you're annoyingly loud and persistent, you're my buddy forever. Who knew you were an epic waiting to happen when I had a dream about demons with boxes and spent hours in the library researching the Four Gods for fun? I've just always loved how he grows from the small thing he is at the beginning of PBox to this big thing capable of great change for all things at the end of the whole story without compromising what becomes really important to him along the way, even when compromising those things is the easiest for surviving. I also love that he's constantly looking for ways to do something about anything.

Now describe that character in three words.

PBox Nick is a "plucky, gentle knight." Take all the layered connotations you'd like from those three words, they're all meant to be there.

Which of your characters do you relate to the most?

Probably the protagonist of my OF deriving from Ancient Egyptian mythology. She has the most me in her of all my characters and that's probably the reason I have worked and reworked that story for the past almost 20 years.

Do you often put aspects of yourself into your characters?

I agree with Julie, I think all writers do this, it just has to seem right for the characters. PBox Nick, for instance, gets a lot of my "loyalty over sense" added to him.



See? These are fun.

Go back to that character you said holds a special place in your heart and think about the other characters in their story. They can only use each character once, so which character from their story would they pick to:


a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?

Kevin would know the most about which things we can eat and which things could kill us. If I eat something poisonous, he could heal me. But you do know that we could just fly away from wherever? Unless you mean physically trapped by chains... If we're physically trapped by chains, can I change my answer?

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?

A what? Oh, like the demon shells stuck in the castle? Brian could purify them and then they wouldn't be there anymore and it would just be a regular house. And then we'd have fun together.

c. have for a boss? Why?

A what? Oh, like a lord... Howie seems like he could find something for me to do when we finish finding everyone else and are done with the box. I think Howie likes me enough that whatever it is would be fun.

d. pull off a heist with? Why?

A what? I wouldn't steal anything, but I guess AJ can turn into lots of different things that could make it easier to be sneaky.

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?

The what? It's a game where you go different places? Minako and I already play lots of games while we all travel. Are we doing this "Amazing Race" thing? She never told me that we were playing this...

I realized after writing these that poor PBox Nick would understand the wilderness question as is and nothing else since he is from what is essentially a warring states feudal era. Poor Nick.



Some of these next ones, I had an answer right away and some of them, I had to weigh my options.

Which Boy would you pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?

Kevin with all his backwoods, farming Kentuckyness would know how to survive. I believe Kevin can keep me alive.

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?

I had a hard time deciding with this one, so this is kind of my "you're the one left" answer. Ghosts freak me out, so I think Brian would make it light-hearted and fun even when it was scary.

c. have for a boss? Why?

Howie would make a great boss. He cares about other people and I think while he's being a Backstreet Boy, he would trust his employees to get the job done within parameters, but according to their own ideas.

d. pull off a heist with? Why?

AJ would be so down to get into any role he needed to play for the heist to be successful and even multiple character roles. He's not my go-to guy for diffusing a bomb, for instance, but he is my go-to guy if I needed distracting characters.

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?

Nick would take it seriously and I want to win. Plus I think he would come up with the most creative, and effective, solutions to challenges. And if it was in the name of winning, I don't think it would be hard to convince him to part with some funding, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 07:58:18 PM
This is only slightly related to writing, but I know you all would appreciate it. So one of my friends has been updating his tinder profile and put "what's the best fruit?" in his bio because of a fruit discourse we've been having for months. The girl answer durians and he decided he needed a new question, because who thinks durians are a better fruit than something like bananas? :crazy: (Back on topic.) He queried all of us for new questions and one of my other friends wrote the following:

You're offered $10million today. Catch is you now have a killer snail out to get you -- if it touches you, you die. It always knows your location, cannot die, and its sole mission in life is to find you and kill you. Do you take the money?

Most of my friends picked the money, but I (as a writer who understands the psychological stress of things wanting to find and murder you) said I would not take the money.

Yesterday, he asked us: Are snails smart? He decided that if snails are dumb, he would take the money. But he recognized that a smart snail could possibly "drag out the murder for years, so you're never quite sure if it's nearby or not." I asked "So you want to know if it's a 28 Days snail or a 28 Days Later snail, basically? I'll bite. I love researching interesting things on the internet." (As you all know.) So I looked up articles on scientific research about the intelligence of snails. (There's mixed results, if you were wondering.) And then he asked me, "You always said you wouldn't take the money. What do you think the snail would be like? If you were the snail, what would you do?" And, oh boy, were my friends not prepared for the answer! Weird research rabbit hole writing me is not the one they are used to!

Before I tell you all what I said, would you take the money or not? And why?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 08:48:48 PM
I would not take the money.  I don't need the added stress of having to watch out for Terminator snails.  I love that you went down a rabbit hole researching the intelligence of snails though LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 09:02:09 PM
now I remember why I misquoted you re:romance, my fanfic memory is a bit hazy after all these years away and I think I was conflating my memories of the Nick/Claire romantic aspects with the rest of your body of work at the time).

That makes sense.  Nick/Claire was probably all I talked about here in terms of my own fanfic for the first couple years this forum was around because Broken/BMS was basically all I wrote between 2003 and 2008.  Het romance was a lot more popular then, so there were a lot of us on here writing Nick romances at that time.  I've never thought of myself as a romance writer, per se, because that's never been my main genre, but I've written a lot of "medical drama with a hint of romance."


Do you often find you project your stronger characteristic s onto your characters or do you tend to give them characteristic s you wish you had?

Probably a bit of both, but for the characters who are meant to be love interests, I definitely give them more characteristic s I wish I had to make them more appealing to whichever boy I want to be interested in them.  They're prettier, wittier, etc.  (But hopefully not to the extent of being Mary Sues.)


I know they're cheesy, but fun. If you had a good time thinking and laughing about it, then I accomplished my goal!

Haha, I think the word "cheesy" showed up in place of the emoji you used when I copy/pasted your questions.  I did not type that!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 09:16:31 PM
[For fanfic, since I know I fall into this trap, I try to be less picky and more general. So I usually have two requirements, followed by a third if it doesn't take too long: 1. Do I like the name? 2. Will I get sick of seeing it however many times it appears on the page? Option 3. Can I stumble on a name I like that also fits into the character or something that happens to them? That's how you get things like "Renee."

I like the name Renee!  Those seem like good questions to ask yourself when considering a name.  Although sometimes (as in the case of Claire), I use names that I don't personally like, but like for the character.  But like I said, you use a name enough and it grows on you.

Can anyone remember alternate names they considered for original characters?  I know I had a list of other options for Claire, and the other one I was strongly considering was "Keelie."  Which seems so weird to me now because Keelie seems like a totally different girl than Claire.  Keelie is like a cute, ditzy cheerleader kind of name, and Claire couldn't be further from that description.  I don't remember if I realized that and liked the juxtaposition or just liked the name Keelie, but ugh.  I'm glad I went with Claire LOL.


I think I would add that even though you want your hero to seem heroic, in addition to that relatability and vulnerability, they really need some great flaws that they can learn to overcome, manage, or that can really knock them down.

To me, any Nick is always defined by his loyalty and his "get back up"ness. I also tend to make my Nick's pretty hot-headed and reactive instead of proactive. I think a young Nick is almost too trusting and an older Nick is bit "world weary." Put them all together and... well, there's a reason he's the hero of so many BSB fanfics.

I agree.  Nick is lovably flawed.  He makes for a versatile character because he's shown us so many sides of himself over the years, which makes him easy to write.  He has a more interesting back story than the others because of his dysfunctional family and personal demons, so the drama comes easily.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 09:22:27 PM
I would not take the money.  I don't need the added stress of having to watch out for Terminator snails.  I love that you went down a rabbit hole researching the intelligence of snails though LOL.

Exactly! You get it. I think all of them are silly for taking the money because it would be so stressful.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 09:34:47 PM
That makes sense.  Nick/Claire was probably all I talked about here in terms of my own fanfic for the first couple years this forum was around because Broken/BMS was basically all I wrote between 2003 and 2008.  Het romance was a lot more popular then, so there were a lot of us on here writing Nick romances at that time.  I've never thought of myself as a romance writer, per se, because that's never been my main genre, but I've written a lot of "medical drama with a hint of romance."

I think every story in that time was "x with a hint of romance," maybe we just all thought Nick needed another good person in his life besides the Boys. I stumbled on a post called "Dee wants to write a fluffy romance, halp" and I thought about that and went "I was surprised I wanted to write a fluffy romance?" Did I really think fluffy romances were out of my wheelhouse? Because PBox has the fluffiest little romance ever in it. Whatever that other story is obviously never got very far! Maybe because in general I'm not a huge fan of stories where the main plot is only a romance. Take Les Mis, my very favorite book. Sure Marius and Cosette have kind of a fluffy little romance going on, but there's also that whole June Rebellion thing and Valjean's conflicted terminator snail that is Javert. Also, on the "all I wrote" thing: if y'all were not excited about PBox coming back, then you must be "thrilled" that it's still all I have to talk about a decade later, haha.

Probably a bit of both, but for the characters who are meant to be love interests, I definitely give them more characteristic s I wish I had to make them more appealing to whichever boy I want to be interested in them.  They're prettier, wittier, etc.  (But hopefully not to the extent of being Mary Sues.)

I think there's a difference between prettier/wittier/etcetera and prettiest/wittiest/etcetera. That's the Mary Sue line. I always like to think of Hitch with love interests/characteristics like that. I can't remember the movie star character's name off hand (Allegra? I know it was weird) but all the things she said she liked most about Albert were the things Hitch said to absolutely change. But then if you go too quirky, you might end up in "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" territory, which is also bad in its own way for a story.

Haha, I think the word "cheesy" showed up in place of the emoji you used when I copy/pasted your questions.  I did not type that!

HAHA, well now it's even funnier.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 09:47:27 PM
I like the name Renee!  Those seem like good questions to ask yourself when considering a name.  Although sometimes (as in the case of Claire), I use names that I don't personally like, but like for the character.  But like I said, you use a name enough and it grows on you.

Can anyone remember alternate names they considered for original characters?  I know I had a list of other options for Claire, and the other one I was strongly considering was "Keelie."  Which seems so weird to me now because Keelie seems like a totally different girl than Claire.  Keelie is like a cute, ditzy cheerleader kind of name, and Claire couldn't be further from that description.  I don't remember if I realized that and liked the juxtaposition or just liked the name Keelie, but ugh.  I'm glad I went with Claire LOL.

If it doesn't grow on you, you're doomed! I like the name Keelie too! And I have used it for a cute, ditzy cheerleader type. I do sometimes like to give characters subversive names, but it really depends on the character.

I'm pretty sure I almost named Minako "Aya" instead, again for another character I really liked. I looked it up now and saw some of the meanings in various languages. I'm assuming I actively decided not to name my fluffy love interest "amazing and wonderful" to avoid Mary Sueism.

I agree.  Nick is lovably flawed.  He makes for a versatile character because he's shown us so many sides of himself over the years, which makes him easy to write.  He has a more interesting back story than the others because of his dysfunctional family and personal demons, so the drama comes easily.

Poor Nick, drama constantly follows him, but I always root for him (whether that's fanfic or real life)!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 10:11:30 PM
I think every story in that time was "x with a hint of romance," maybe we just all thought Nick needed another good person in his life besides the Boys. I stumbled on a post called "Dee wants to write a fluffy romance, halp" and I thought about that and went "I was surprised I wanted to write a fluffy romance?" Did I really think fluffy romances were out of my wheelhouse? Because PBox has the fluffiest little romance ever in it. Whatever that other story is obviously never got very far! Maybe because in general I'm not a huge fan of stories where the main plot is only a romance. Take Les Mis, my very favorite book. Sure Marius and Cosette have kind of a fluffy little romance going on, but there's also that whole June Rebellion thing and Valjean's conflicted terminator snail that is Javert. Also, on the "all I wrote" thing: if y'all were not excited about PBox coming back, then you must be "thrilled" that it's still all I have to talk about a decade later, haha.

That is true about romance.  Poor Nick had such bad taste in women back then, and we just wanted him to be happy, so we created fictional women for him that were way better than Paris LOL.  I've always preferred romance as a subplot too.

I get having that one longterm project you keep coming back to.  Although Broken/BMS is not the best thing I've ever written, I still consider it my fanfic "magnum opus" because it was such an important piece of writing for me.  PBox is your magnum opus!


I think there's a difference between prettier/wittier/etcetera and prettiest/wittiest/etcetera. That's the Mary Sue line. I always like to think of Hitch with love interests/characteristics like that. I can't remember the movie star character's name off hand (Allegra? I know it was weird) but all the things she said she liked most about Albert were the things Hitch said to absolutely change. But then if you go too quirky, you might end up in "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" territory, which is also bad in its own way for a story.

That's a good point.  I looked up the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, which is pretty much what I thought it was.  Claire was definitely a bit of an MPDG.  But then again, so apparently is Jack in Titanic, Gus in The Fault in Our Stars, and any character played by Zooey Deschanel, who is one of my celebrity girl crushes, so I guess she's in good company LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 30, 2021, 10:17:44 PM
If it doesn't grow on you, you're doomed! I like the name Keelie too! And I have used it for a cute, ditzy cheerleader type. I do sometimes like to give characters subversive names, but it really depends on the character.

I'm pretty sure I almost named Minako "Aya" instead, again for another character I really liked. I looked it up now and saw some of the meanings in various languages. I'm assuming I actively decided not to name my fluffy love interest "amazing and wonderful" to avoid Mary Sueism.

Poor Nick, drama constantly follows him, but I always root for him (whether that's fanfic or real life)!

Subversive names can be perfect sometimes.  I remember Kelly's Not Your Average Cinderella Story, where the female lead hated her Mary Sue name Cinderella and was the complete opposite of what you'd expect a Cinderella to be.  That was a good example.

Aya is a pretty name, but it does sound more Mary Sue than Minako.  It's too short to be a Mary Sue name though.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 10:34:05 PM
That is true about romance.  Poor Nick had such bad taste in women back then, and we just wanted him to be happy, so we created fictional women for him that were way better than Paris LOL.  I've always preferred romance as a subplot too.

I get having that one longterm project you keep coming back to.  Although Broken/BMS is not the best thing I've ever written, I still consider it my fanfic "magnum opus" because it was such an important piece of writing for me.  PBox is your magnum opus!

Such bad taste in women! Being single would have been a better choice than Paris Hilton. Although in recent years as she's mellowed out, I've thought a couple of times "maybe she's not that bad anymore?" And then I hate myself every time because that would be another thing that young Dee (and possibly all BSB fans) would be upset to hear.

I do enjoy that it still comes up in serious conversations (and not just leg chopping conversations), even though it's been so many years. I think you really hit your stride with it, perfected your researching skills, and created this whole little world from a tiny "what if Nick had bone cancer?" I'm totally fine that PBox et al. is my magnum opus. It earned it if the characters are still popping around in my head after 15 years.

Oh! Before I forget again, speaking of leg choppage... I had a conversation yesterday about the dangers of self diagnosing on google. One of my friends was talking about how when she injured her ankle and google said it might be bone cancer (it's not). And I said, "Yeah don't self diagnose on google, but you could totally have bone cancer in your ankle." (I assume because of Broken) Then she started talking about a time she fell while ice skating and bruised her ribs and google also said it was bone cancer and she said, "I was so worried that they would have to cut out a rib, but my doctor said bone cancer just isn't that common in ribs." And the first thing I said (which got some odd looks) was "Rib choppage! Oh noes!" But I laughed so hard. Then the second thing was, "I'm sure it's way less common than bone cancer in a limb, but I have a friend who I'm sure would know the answer." And she thought I meant my BFF who is a nurse and I said, "Oh her too. I meant another friend who likes medical drama, but you're right [BFF] might be the better person to ask." I'm still not convinced, I was sure you would know the answer off hand and my BFF would probably have to look it up, haha.

That's a good point.  I looked up the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, which is pretty much what I thought it was.  Claire was definitely a bit of an MPDG.  But then again, so apparently is Jack in Titanic, Gus in The Fault in Our Stars, and any character played by Zooey Deschanel, who is one of my celebrity girl crushes, so I guess she's in good company LOL.

She is in good company! I'm team trope no matter what the trope it is. Tropes are tools; it's when they're in excess for anything that it gets to be a bit too much. Unfortunately, that "too muchness" usually ends up squarely on the shoulders of protagonists, love interests, and original characters in fanfics. So you want your love interest to be a MPDG? Cool. Just make sure that's not all she is, basically. I'm sure you assumed that was a general you, of course.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 30, 2021, 10:38:26 PM
Subversive names can be perfect sometimes.  I remember Kelly's Not Your Average Cinderella Story, where the female lead hated her Mary Sue name Cinderella and was the complete opposite of what you'd expect a Cinderella to be.  That was a good example.

Aya is a pretty name, but it does sound more Mary Sue than Minako.  It's too short to be a Mary Sue name though.

Yes, that's a great example! Plus the added lampshading, so funny. Kelly was great at those twist retells of stories.

Give a kid that Mary Sue baggage, not a character, haha. I wonder if all the "Mary Sue" characteristic s are the same or if they've changed over the years. I think there used to be general agreed upon things across fandoms and then some fandom specific ones, of course.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 31, 2021, 12:30:30 AM
Oh! Before I forget again, speaking of leg choppage... I had a conversation yesterday about the dangers of self diagnosing on google. One of my friends was talking about how when she injured her ankle and google said it might be bone cancer (it's not). And I said, "Yeah don't self diagnose on google, but you could totally have bone cancer in your ankle." (I assume because of Broken) Then she started talking about a time she fell while ice skating and bruised her ribs and google also said it was bone cancer and she said, "I was so worried that they would have to cut out a rib, but my doctor said bone cancer just isn't that common in ribs." And the first thing I said (which got some odd looks) was "Rib choppage! Oh noes!" But I laughed so hard. Then the second thing was, "I'm sure it's way less common than bone cancer in a limb, but I have a friend who I'm sure would know the answer." And she thought I meant my BFF who is a nurse and I said, "Oh her too. I meant another friend who likes medical drama, but you're right [BFF] might be the better person to ask." I'm still not convinced, I was sure you would know the answer off hand and my BFF would probably have to look it up, haha.

LOL!  Your friend sounds like me.  Cancer is always a possibility when you Google symptoms!  I don't think bone cancer is as common in ribs as it is in limbs.  I doubt it would start in the ribs, but it could probably spread there from other places.  Rib choppage, oh noes!  LMAO I love that you said that out loud!


She is in good company! I'm team trope no matter what the trope it is. Tropes are tools; it's when they're in excess for anything that it gets to be a bit too much. Unfortunately, that "too muchness" usually ends up squarely on the shoulders of protagonists, love interests, and original characters in fanfics. So you want your love interest to be a MPDG? Cool. Just make sure that's not all she is, basically. I'm sure you assumed that was a general you, of course.

Yep, absolutely!  I read the article about MPDG on TV Tropes, and it said it's mainly if the girl only exists to make the brooding protagonist happy and has no personal life goals herself.  In Broken, Claire pretty much did just exist to support brooding Nick, but when she got promoted to main character status in BMS, she had her own goals, especially after she broke up with Nick - but that's when some of my readers stopped liking her.  So maybe she was better off as a MPDG LOL. 

Fanfic is a little different, though, because most readers just want to read about the Boys and don't care about original characters, especially when they're not interacting with one of the Boys.  From a reader's perspective, I get it.  Even in stories where I really like the original female lead, I still prefer reading scenes with a BSB in them to scenes that are just about her.


I wonder if all the "Mary Sue" characteristic s are the same or if they've changed over the years. I think there used to be general agreed upon things across fandoms and then some fandom specific ones, of course.

I think the idea that Mary Sue is this unrealisticall y perfect female character who is adored by all the other characters is universal across fandoms, but each fandom has its own specific Mary Sue tropes.  In the BSB fandom, Mary Sue often has musical talent so she can become the opening act or backup dancer or band member, whereas in fantasy fandoms, she would have unique powers and be some kind of Chosen One.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 31, 2021, 12:49:10 AM
LOL!  Your friend sounds like me.  Cancer is always a possibility when you Google symptoms!  I don't think bone cancer is as common in ribs as it is in limbs.  I doubt it would start in the ribs, but it could probably spread there from other places.  Rib choppage, oh noes!  LMAO I love that you said that out loud!

That was what I said, it can probably spread there, but probably doesn't start there. Also if you fell while ice skating and they didn't hurt before that, it's probably not cancer. I'd assume. I loved it and hated it, because it was a perfect time to say it, but for them it's noodle incident and not the perfect joke at the perfect time, haha.

Yep, absolutely!  I read the article about MPDG on TV Tropes, and it said it's mainly if the girl only exists to make the brooding protagonist happy and has no personal life goals herself.  In Broken, Claire pretty much did just exist to support brooding Nick, but when she got promoted to main character status in BMS, she had her own goals, especially after she broke up with Nick - but that's when some of my readers stopped liking her.  So maybe she was better off as a MPDG LOL.

Fanfic is a little different, though, because most readers just want to read about the Boys and don't care about original characters, especially when they're not interacting with one of the Boys.  From a reader's perspective, I get it.  Even in stories where I really like the original female lead, I still prefer reading scenes with a BSB in them to scenes that are just about her.

So rude of Claire to break up with Nick in his story! How dare she get character development! Just kidding! I say a character that grows is always better than a character who doesn't and it was better for Claire to have her own goals besides supporting brooding Nick.

Also true, we're all here reading and writing fanfic to care about the Boys in the story, but some stories just need other characters too. I almost think that's why the other characters need to be more interesting and not flat support characters if they're there. But I get that "when can we get back to the Boys" feeling too.

I think the idea that Mary Sue is this unrealisticall y perfect female character who is adored by all the other characters is universal across fandoms, but each fandom has its own specific Mary Sue tropes.  In the BSB fandom, Mary Sue often has musical talent so she can become the opening act or backup dancer or band member, whereas in fantasy fandoms, she would have unique powers and be some kind of Chosen One.

You're right on all of that, especially if she's a chosen one when there's already a chosen one in the source material.

I never stumbled on any, but now I'm wondering if there were ever any "sixth Backstreet Boy" Gary Stu stories. That would have been an adventure to read.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 31, 2021, 12:59:52 AM
Also true, we're all here reading and writing fanfic to care about the Boys in the story, but some stories just need other characters too. I almost think that's why the other characters need to be more interesting and not flat support characters if they're there. But I get that "when can we get back to the Boys" feeling too.

It wasn't until I tried writing a slash that I realized that may be one reason why slash is popular - it lets you read/write romance without original characters, thus making it totally BSB-centered.  (I agree that some stories do need original characters, though.)


I never stumbled on any, but now I'm wondering if there were ever any "sixth Backstreet Boy" Gary Stu stories. That would have been an adventure to read.

LOL!  I can't think of any offhand either.  I read some suspense stories back in the day where there was a guy trying to take out one of the Boys so he could replace him in the group, but those characters were villains, not Gary Stus.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 31, 2021, 01:11:31 AM
It wasn't until I tried writing a slash that I realized that may be one reason why slash is popular - it lets you read/write romance without original characters, thus making it totally BSB-centered.  (I agree that some stories do need original characters, though.)

LOL!  I can't think of any offhand either.  I read some suspense stories back in the day where there was a guy trying to take out one of the Boys so he could replace him in the group, but those characters were villains, not Gary Stus.

That's definitely one of the reasons! When I was younger, I felt like I always had a hard time not adding original characters unless it was a shorter story. I fall victim so often to the "must have loads and loads of characters" plan for stories. I think that Nick is Brian's guardian angel story would be best as an all Boy one though. I might have a loophole idea that I'll need to pick your brain on later. I'll just do it now while I'm thinking about it.

I read a few of those too! I always wondered why the other guys would be like, "Oh, you killed our friend, yup, come join the band!" Like it's the secret entrance ticket or something...
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 31, 2021, 01:19:34 AM
I might have a loophole idea that I'll need to pick your brain on later. I'll just do it now while I'm thinking about it.

I read a few of those too! I always wondered why the other guys would be like, "Oh, you killed our friend, yup, come join the band!" Like it's the secret entrance ticket or something...

Pick away!

LOL!  Well, in the ones I read, they didn't make it that obvious.  The one I remember best was "Trapped" by Jenna, where the guy's sister (who was a doctor) made Brian crash his car and then kept him sedated with drugs and convinced the other guys he had severe brain damage so they would need to replace him.  Then she suggested her brother as the replacement.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 31, 2021, 01:25:50 AM
Pick away!

Did and did. Can't give away my ideas to too many people, you know.  ;)

LOL!  Well, in the ones I read, they didn't make it that obvious.  The one I remember best was "Trapped" by Jenna, where the guy's sister (who was a doctor) made Brian crash his car and then kept him sedated with drugs and convinced the other guys he had severe brain damage so they would need to replace him.  Then she suggested her brother as the replacement.

"Since Brian has severe brain damage and you can't possibly go on with only four of you, my brother sings and dances." haha!

The heyday of fanfic was something else. Does it still get busier when the guys get busier or is it just increasingly quiet? I wonder if that happens to other fandoms. Like, do Harry Potter fanfic writers just stop writing fanfic now that it's been finished for however many years?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 31, 2021, 01:51:57 AM
Did and did. Can't give away my ideas to too many people, you know.  ;)

Just messaged you back!  It sounds like my kind of story! LOL


"Since Brian has severe brain damage and you can't possibly go on with only four of you, my brother sings and dances." haha!

LMAO Sounds legit, right?


The heyday of fanfic was something else. Does it still get busier when the guys get busier or is it just increasingly quiet? I wonder if that happens to other fandoms. Like, do Harry Potter fanfic writers just stop writing fanfic now that it's been finished for however many years?

It used to get busier when the guys got busier.  This site was active during the TIU album and tour era, NKOTBSB, and IAWLT.  But I didn't notice that same surge here when DNA came out.  I think that may have more to do with many of the old AC regulars moving on and reviews being turned off than a general decline in fanfic writing across the fandom.  AO3 is a lot more active.  It's still not anywhere near what it was back in the 90s and early 2000s, but I think that is mainly the result of the fandom growing up and moving on.

As far as I know, Harry Potter fanfic is still alive and well.  That's a huge fandom.  I've never really gotten into the fanfic side of it, but the fandom in general is still going strong.

When I posted my BSB/ER crossover last year and included the ER character tags on AO3, I was surprised to see how many people are writing ER fanfic these days, 12 years since the show ended.  And the characters that are most popular to write about are not the characters I would have expected, not who I would have pegged as the fan favorites.  AO3 is a strange place LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 31, 2021, 02:09:51 AM
Just messaged you back!  It sounds like my kind of story! LOL

Oh, I know. Little column A, little column B here.

LMAO Sounds legit, right?

I think those are my favorite leaps in fanfic. The "well of course this makes sense" moments that do not make sense at all but just get kind of hand waved. I can't think of others right now, but I feel like it's the magic of fanfic.

It used to get busier when the guys got busier.  This site was active during the TIU album and tour era, NKOTBSB, and IAWLT.  But I didn't notice that same surge here when DNA came out.  I think that may have more to do with many of the old AC regulars moving on and reviews being turned off than a general decline in fanfic writing across the fandom.  AO3 is a lot more active.  It's still not anywhere near what it was back in the 90s and early 2000s, but I think that is mainly the result of the fandom growing up and moving on.

As far as I know, Harry Potter fanfic is still alive and well.  That's a huge fandom.  I've never really gotten into the fanfic side of it, but the fandom in general is still going strong.

When I posted my BSB/ER crossover last year and included the ER character tags on AO3, I was surprised to see how many people are writing ER fanfic these days, 12 years since the show ended.  And the characters that are most popular to write about are not the characters I would have expected, not who I would have pegged as the fan favorites.  AO3 is a strange place LOL.

I can see how the lack of reviews would have caused an exodus. Since they're not there, I do look at my little chapter counter for PNecklace and when I see a little "1" pop up next to the newest chapter, I know that Tracy's reading it and it makes me smile. I wonder if it happens more in the RPF fanfic circles than the fictional ones. Like are NKOTB fans still writing fanfic? What about NSYNC fans? Also now I want to know how many NSYNC fanfics has BSB as villains? I assume so many. Was it more or less than the ones where Lou Perlman was the villain?

I felt like they would, I mostly picked it because I knew you might have a straight answer for me rather than speculating.

That's interesting that it's still going strong! How did the ER fans feel about the BSB crossover? I would think it would be the original cast, but I'm guessing it's not?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on January 31, 2021, 04:52:20 AM
Today's questions are all about characters!

How do you come up with character names for your stories? (Other than the obvious, "Well, Nick is "Nick.").  I usually don’t really put thoughts into names, but lets go with a example where I did. In Finding Carter, I chose Howie’s two cronies or “assistants” names from Pokémon. Brock is the one who follows Ash Ketchum on his adventures, and Gary is Ash’s rival in the series. Their frat was Phi Beta Kappa or “Pika” for short, another Pokémon reference to Pikachu. I don’t know if any of my readers caught onto that.

Crystal’s name came from the fact that I gave her blue eyes.

Nicks kids, Peter and Andrew were from Disney movies. It’s explained by Nick in the story but Peter was for Peter Pan because as Nick’s first child...having a child was part of Nick finally letting go of his childhood and growing up. So it was kind of a metaphor. Andrew was named after Andy from Toy Story, who also ended up growing up.

Nick’s wife Laura was directly inspired by Lauren.


I can’t really think of any other circumstance where names were chosen for a purpose. I usually use names of people that I know.

What are the essential characteristic s of a hero you can root for? Are there certain aspects of the Boys you play up if they're in the hero role?

Hm. Loyalty, bravery of course. Nick is usually my hero in my stories. I like that he’s so easy to write due to his history, and that he’s overcome and grown as a person.

What do you do to get inside your characters' heads?

I like to watch BSB interviews, read interviews, and other things that will get me into their personality off stage.

If you could be a character from one of your stories, who would it be and why?

I don’t really think any of my characters are like me, aside from Nick in If I Knew Then. He’s still navigating who he is and trying to figure his life out.

What's the trickiest thing about writing characters of the opposite gender?.

I don’t find it very trick to be honest.

Does one of your characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

Nick in Finding Carter. He was on a journey in that story and it felt so good to see him find what he was looking for, which is his family.

Now describe that character in three words.

Loyal, determined, unsure.

Which of your characters do you relate to the most? Again, Nick in If I Knew Then for the same reason i stated before.

Do you often put aspects of yourself into your characters?.

Nick in the Nick and Amanda series is very much like me.

And just for fun:

Go back to that character you said holds a special place in your heart and think about the other characters in their story. They can only use each character once, so which character from their story would they pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?

Nick would probably want to pick Brian because Brian grew up on a farm and knows how to live off the land. So does Kevin. Kevin raised him. So maybe he would actually go with Kevin. Nick in Finding Carter would not be able to fend for himself, especially hunt for food. I just keep picturing the scene with him trying to milk a cow and thinking the rooster was going to kill him xD

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?  Nick would most likely choose Brian. Brian is braver than he is. Well, except for when his daughter was born in the spin off called Finding Littrell.

c. have for a boss? Why? He’d choose AJ because AJ runs the fraternity and is good at leading.

d. pull off a heist with? Why? Nick would pick Howie, not because he would be good at it or anything but he would be great at distracting the police so he could get away.

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?   He’d choose Brian because he loves to go on adventures with Brian.

And because these are fun anyway, just answer for yourself with the Boys. You can only use each one once. :D

Which Boy would you pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?  I would choose Kevin too. Kevin lives in the mountains and shit half of the time anyway. He’s like a modern day Paul Bunyan. We’d be good.

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?  Nick because he would be hilarious and find all the ghosts which I am really interested in. We would have a blast in there.

c. have for a boss? Why?  Howie because he has great business sense.

d. pull off a heist with? Why?  AJ because he’s resourceful, and can be a great distraction to everyone while I do the actual theft.

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?  I’d pick Brian because he’s athletic, and I think we could put our heads together to win.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 31, 2021, 10:01:13 AM
That's interesting that it's still going strong! How did the ER fans feel about the BSB crossover? I would think it would be the original cast, but I'm guessing it's not?

My story did well on AO3, but I'm not sure how many of the reviews I got from people I didn't know were from ER fans vs. BSB fans.

The most popular character in ER fanfic seems to be Kerry Weaver... who is almost an original cast member, but not quite (she came in during Season 2).  Still, I never thought of her as a fan favorite, so it was surprising to see so many stories about her and her various girlfriends from the later seasons of the show.  It would be like if BSB fanfic was dominated by Howie stories LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on January 31, 2021, 12:38:33 PM
Oh and to answer your question from the first page, Dee about why otters? i love them! That's pretty much it. If I can't own one, having one as my spirit animal is the closest I'll ever get.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 31, 2021, 01:17:36 PM
Otters are so cute!  I wish I could buy you one for your birthday.  Happy birthday, Mare!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on January 31, 2021, 02:19:40 PM
LOL! Thanks! I wish they were a thing here!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 31, 2021, 03:09:39 PM
Oh and to answer your question from the first page, Dee about why otters? i love them! That's pretty much it. If I can't own one, having one as my spirit animal is the closest I'll ever get.

They are cute! Especially when they sleep together holding hands. :)

Since you can't own one, may I suggest  Sea Otter Foundation (http://seaotterfoundationtrust.org) or the WWF? Almost the same as owning an otter, but none of the poop!

I hope you're having the happiest of birthdays! :bighug:
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 31, 2021, 03:11:05 PM
My story did well on AO3, but I'm not sure how many of the reviews I got from people I didn't know were from ER fans vs. BSB fans.

The most popular character in ER fanfic seems to be Kerry Weaver... who is almost an original cast member, but not quite (she came in during Season 2).  Still, I never thought of her as a fan favorite, so it was surprising to see so many stories about her and her various girlfriends from the later seasons of the show.  It would be like if BSB fanfic was dominated by Howie stories LOL.

It would be fun if you could track that!

That's interesting; I would have for sure thought Clooney. I think it's about time BSB fanfic was dominated by Howie stories. Howies need love too!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 31, 2021, 03:18:09 PM
I can’t really think of any other circumstance where names were chosen for a purpose. I usually use names of people that I know.

How does it feel writing the story with characters named after people you know? Do you put aspects of those people into them or is it just a name for the sake of a name?

Does one of your characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
Nick in Finding Carter. He was on a journey in that story and it felt so good to see him find what he was looking for, which is his family.

Aww!

Do you often put aspects of yourself into your characters?.
Nick in the Nick and Amanda series is very much like me.

I noticed that you said your Nicks end up most like you. Why would you say that is over other characters?

I just keep picturing the scene with him trying to milk a cow and thinking the rooster was going to kill him xD

LMAO! Roosters are shady!

Go back to that character you said holds a special place in your heart and think about the other characters in their story. They can only use each character once, so which character from their story would they pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?

Nick would probably want to pick Brian because Brian grew up on a farm and knows how to live off the land. So does Kevin. Kevin raised him. So maybe he would actually go with Kevin. Nick in Finding Carter would not be able to fend for himself, especially hunt for food. I just keep picturing the scene with him trying to milk a cow and thinking the rooster was going to kill him xD

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?  Nick would most likely choose Brian. Brian is braver than he is. Well, except for when his daughter was born in the spin off called Finding Littrell.

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?   He’d choose Brian because he loves to go on adventures with Brian.

Nick cheated and chose Brian three times. I self-assumed the first one was changed to Kevin, but which is his once Brian? And then who is the other one? haha
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 31, 2021, 03:36:03 PM
In case anyone was wanting to keep track:

Everyone who answered so far has picked a Nick as a character that holds a special place in their heart. And so far those Nicks have decided that:

Go back to that character you said holds a special place in your heart and think about the other characters in their story. They can only use each character once, so which character from their story would they pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?

100% Kevin would be the best person to be trapped in the wilderness with.

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?

33% An OC from their story, 33% Brian, 33% inconclusive results

c. have for a boss? Why?

66% AJ, 33% Howie

d. pull off a heist with? Why?

66% Howie, 33% AJ

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?

33% Brian, 33% An OC from their story, 33% inconclusive results



And because these are fun anyway, here's the self with the Boys results:

Which Boy would you pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?

33% Brian, 66% Kevin: Overall, the Nicks agree with us.

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?

66% Nick, 33% Brian: Nick cannot choose himself, but overall we would pick him if he was a choice.

c. have for a boss? Why?

100% Howie: Overall, the Nicks do not agree with us.

d. pull off a heist with? Why?

33% Kevin, 66% AJ: Overall, the Nicks do not agree with us.

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?

33% AJ, 33% Nick, 33% Brian: We need more survey information to determine the best Backstreet Boy to be on the Amazing Race with.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on January 31, 2021, 03:43:49 PM
I have failed to write anything since Friday. I hope I'm not burnt out right now. I guess that I just was so anxious to get to Brian's surgery that once I got there my muse went poof.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on January 31, 2021, 03:58:18 PM
I have failed to write anything since Friday. I hope I'm not burnt out right now. I guess that I just was so anxious to get to Brian's surgery that once I got there my muse went poof.

The same thing happened to me after finishing Chapter 16 of Bethlehem.  I spent so much time and energy working on that whole climactic sequence that once the excitement was over, I kinda came back down and didn't want to write anymore.  But eventually I got back into it, and you will too.  You may just need to take a mental break for a few days and then come back to it.  Or maybe watch Titanic again LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 31, 2021, 04:11:31 PM
I have failed to write anything since Friday. I hope I'm not burnt out right now. I guess that I just was so anxious to get to Brian's surgery that once I got there my muse went poof.

The same thing happened to me after finishing Chapter 16 of Bethlehem.  I spent so much time and energy working on that whole climactic sequence that once the excitement was over, I kinda came back down and didn't want to write anymore.  But eventually I got back into it, and you will too.  You may just need to take a mental break for a few days and then come back to it.  Or maybe watch Titanic again LOL.

You wanna talk burn out? I am an expert in burn out! Give yourself a break. You've earned it. All that excitement can be emotionally draining, but if you give yourself the rest you need, you can always make it back. Julie's absolutely right. :)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on January 31, 2021, 04:29:54 PM
Lol well I haven't watched Titanic in a few days either so Julie may be onto something haha
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on January 31, 2021, 05:12:12 PM
Do it, do it!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 01, 2021, 08:59:18 PM
How's everyone's writing life going this week?

Writing is going much slower than editing was, but I still feel on track to get through my next couple of planned chapters. I added another weird google search to my efforts: "Plants and herbs used in medicines and native to sea level land in Asia." So fun...
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 01, 2021, 09:07:15 PM
I finished the first scene of Fallen Angel yesterday.  It's like 600 words, but it's a start.

Writing is definitely slower than editing.  I don't know if it requires more mental effort or just a different kind of effort.  As long as you're making progress, don't worry about the pace.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 01, 2021, 09:09:04 PM
They are cute! Especially when they sleep together holding hands. :)

Since you can't own one, may I suggest  Sea Otter Foundation (http://seaotterfoundationtrust.org) or the WWF? Almost the same as owning an otter, but none of the poop!

I hope you're having the happiest of birthdays! :bighug:

I wouldn’t mind otter poop. It was a lovely birthday! Thanks!!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 01, 2021, 09:24:56 PM
I finished the first scene of Fallen Angel yesterday.  It's like 600 words, but it's a start.

Writing is definitely slower than editing.  I don't know if it requires more mental effort or just a different kind of effort.  As long as you're making progress, don't worry about the pace.

Woo! Yay! (We need a cheerleading emoji.) I guess these little guys are the closest:  :wave: That's 600 more words than you had, so I say good work!

I think it's a different kind of mental effort. Since editing you already have something there, but you're trying to improve on it; whereas, if you're writing you're typing it out for the first time from ideas. I'd feel better if my favorite muse was being more nitpicky, I think. But I say all this and I'm halfway done with the chapter I was working on, so it's really all fine in the grand scheme of things. I think I'm just worried that I'm being lazy because I didn't try to commit to "write ____ words in the month of February" or "edit ____ chapters so they're ready to post by Wednesday." All I have is "edit your one chapter per week, also write if the mood strikes." Feels weird.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 01, 2021, 09:25:29 PM
I wouldn’t mind otter poop. It was a lovely birthday! Thanks!!

Braver than me! Glad it was lovely!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 01, 2021, 09:53:18 PM
I've been trying to write. Got to 50 words yesterday and I'm up to 200 today. It's going very slow. I'm working on it.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 02, 2021, 05:57:42 PM
I've been trying to write. Got to 50 words yesterday and I'm up to 200 today. It's going very slow. I'm working on it.

That's 250 more words than before! Go Tracy!  :wave:
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 02, 2021, 06:05:38 PM
Today I got to over 2,000 so I updated  ;D
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 02, 2021, 07:18:11 PM
Knew you could!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 02, 2021, 08:51:02 PM
I actually had a very productive writing day. I finished the chapter of If I Knew Then that I was working on, and I edited some on the story that I am planning to post when If I Knew Then is finished. Right now that story has been titled “History” but I might go with a different title, I’m not sure. I have been making some changes on the chapters I’ve been holding on Google Docs for the past year or so. I’m actually really tempted to start posting it but I think I am going to hold off.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 02, 2021, 09:21:12 PM
That is productive! How is it working on two stories at once? I find that when I do it, I get pretty scatter-brained.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 02, 2021, 09:29:29 PM
I have done it before but I don't like to do it cause like you, I do get scattered. I've had these chapters written for about a year or so. So it's not like I'm actually writing them, it's mostly just editing some. Plus not posting them gives me something to work on if I've got a block.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 02, 2021, 09:32:56 PM
Woo! Yay! (We need a cheerleading emoji.) I guess these little guys are the closest:  :wave: That's 600 more words than you had, so I say good work!

I think it's a different kind of mental effort. Since editing you already have something there, but you're trying to improve on it; whereas, if you're writing you're typing it out for the first time from ideas. I'd feel better if my favorite muse was being more nitpicky, I think. But I say all this and I'm halfway done with the chapter I was working on, so it's really all fine in the grand scheme of things. I think I'm just worried that I'm being lazy because I didn't try to commit to "write ____ words in the month of February" or "edit ____ chapters so they're ready to post by Wednesday." All I have is "edit your one chapter per week, also write if the mood strikes." Feels weird.

Thanks!

That's where I am too - "Write if the mood strike" - and it is weird.  Not that I set specific goals before, but at least with Bethlehem, I had the pressure of knowing I needed to stay ahead of what I was posting.  Now there's no pressure except knowing I have to write to be able to post this story eventually.  If I had started this in the summer, I would be further along by now, but during the school year, if I can write something every weekend, I'm doing well.  I don't even try on weeknights unless I'm really inspired or in the middle of a daily writing streak I want to keep going.

I just realized it's been a long time since I started a new novel any time of year other than summer or winter break.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 02, 2021, 09:36:12 PM
I have done it before but I don't like to do it cause like you, I do get scattered. I've had these chapters written for about a year or so. So it's not like I'm actually writing them, it's mostly just editing some. Plus not posting them gives me something to work on if I've got a block.

I think there's value in having a backup story, that way if you're not inspired on one, you might be inspired on the other. :) Editing is its own fun adventure, haha. Hoarding is fun. Join us.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 02, 2021, 09:36:32 PM
I actually had a very productive writing day. I finished the chapter of If I Knew Then that I was working on, and I edited some on the story that I am planning to post when If I Knew Then is finished. Right now that story has been titled “History” but I might go with a different title, I’m not sure. I have been making some changes on the chapters I’ve been holding on Google Docs for the past year or so. I’m actually really tempted to start posting it but I think I am going to hold off.

Way to go!  I knew the words would start flowing again sooner or later.  That's how it usually happens for me too; I'll struggle one day, then have a burst of productivity the next, or vice versa.

I totally get the temptation to start posting the new story, but if it were me, I'd hold off until IIKT was done.  That'll give you longer to bank chapters so you'll have more updates lined up after you finish IIKT.  How close are you to finishing?  It feels like the story is starting to wind down, but I'm not sure what else you have planned.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 02, 2021, 09:39:59 PM
Thanks!

That's where I am too - "Write if the mood strike" - and it is weird.  Not that I set specific goals before, but at least with Bethlehem, I had the pressure of knowing I needed to stay ahead of what I was posting.  Now there's no pressure except knowing I have to write to be able to post this story eventually.  If I had started this in the summer, I would be further along by now, but during the school year, if I can write something every weekend, I'm doing well.  I don't even try on weeknights unless I'm really inspired or in the middle of a daily writing streak I want to keep going.

I just realized it's been a long time since I started a new novel any time of year other than summer or winter break.

I know that pressure will come up, but I've also got updates ready through May, so I'm not in crunch mode yet. Right now I'm just kind of meandering. I took a nap this evening, so my brain is pretty much fried this week,  I think. But I feel you, "eventually" feels like a long way off compared to "every [insert day of the week]."

How's that feel, starting a new novel during a busy time?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 02, 2021, 09:40:38 PM
Oh yeah the story is very close to being done.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 02, 2021, 09:47:51 PM
Oh yeah the story is very close to being done.

You're so close!

You're both so productive finishing your novels up.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 02, 2021, 09:48:36 PM
I know that pressure will come up, but I've also got updates ready through May, so I'm not in crunch mode yet. Right now I'm just kind of meandering. I took a nap this evening, so my brain is pretty much fried this week,  I think. But I feel you, "eventually" feels like a long way off compared to "every [insert day of the week]."

How's that feel, starting a new novel during a busy time?

I guess that's where the weird feeling is coming from.  I'm not used to starting something new and then only working on it on the weekends.  But I'm not far enough into it yet to feel like attempting to work on it on school nights.  It's kinda nice to have that week to think about the next scene or chapter before I write it because my outline is just a summary and not a specific list of scenes or anything like that.

I've taken an evening nap both nights this week!  I hit a wall around 5:30-6:00, when it's too early to go to bed, but I can't stay away, so I'll go sleep for a couple hours and then get back up for a few more hours.  This is probably not the best habit to get into, but I figure I'll get more sleep in the long run than staying up late without a nap, because inevitably, nap or not, I always get a second wind around 9 p.m. and don't want to go to bed.  At least now I know I've already had a couple hours of sleep to add to whatever I get tonight LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 02, 2021, 09:49:41 PM
Oh yeah the story is very close to being done.

Exciting!!  Finishing a story is one of the best feelings in the world for a writer.

Which is better:  finishing a story you've been working on for awhile, or getting a really good piece of feedback?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 02, 2021, 10:01:18 PM
I guess that's where the weird feeling is coming from.  I'm not used to starting something new and then only working on it on the weekends.  But I'm not far enough into it yet to feel like attempting to work on it on school nights.  It's kinda nice to have that week to think about the next scene or chapter before I write it because my outline is just a summary and not a specific list of scenes or anything like that.

I've taken an evening nap both nights this week!  I hit a wall around 5:30-6:00, when it's too early to go to bed, but I can't stay away, so I'll go sleep for a couple hours and then get back up for a few more hours.  This is probably not the best habit to get into, but I figure I'll get more sleep in the long run than staying up late without a nap, because inevitably, nap or not, I always get a second wind around 9 p.m. and don't want to go to bed.  At least now I know I've already had a couple hours of sleep to add to whatever I get tonight LOL.

I think that's why Nanowrimo was good for me. It forced me to do something on a weeknight other than just staring at the tv.

That was me today, but it only ended up being a half hour because I had to be up for a meeting. I also feel really tired, then feel more awake at 9pm. It is the worst. Just don't use those two hours as an excuse to stay up late! haha
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 02, 2021, 10:06:24 PM

OH man this is a tough question. I do highly look forward to feedback on stuff I post. But there is just a satisfaction of finishing something that I've worked on a long time. I know I have some abandoned stories on my page. So for me completing something is probably more satisfying than the reviews.




Exciting!!  Finishing a story is one of the best feelings in the world for a writer.

Which is better:  finishing a story you've been working on for awhile, or getting a really good piece of feedback?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 02, 2021, 10:06:39 PM
Which is better:  finishing a story you've been working on for awhile, or getting a really good piece of feedback?

Finishing... and... feedback... What are those things? haha I'm being a facetious ahole on purpose, obviously.

They're both good for different reasons. It's nice to complete something you start and it's nice to have other people appreciate it. I think I'll go with feedback because if we just wanted to write to finish stories, we wouldn't put them out there in the world. So it's nice to know people are reading and engaging with it in a meaningful way. Although putting a bow on something you wrote and telling it that it looks beautiful is pretty nice too!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 03, 2021, 09:28:02 AM
I would say the feedback is better. It helps to motivate you to finish a story that you otherwise might have trouble wanting to complete. It’s weird timing for this question because just yesterday I got the nicest feedback on my To Protect and Serve series over on AO3. It made me remember how important those comments were to help make me want to continue to write when I was struggling. I give you guys so much credit for posting on AC where feedback is no longer an option. I admit, I’m not sure I’d have the desire to post if I didn’t get any comments.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 03, 2021, 09:31:32 AM
Feedback has been the greatest motivation for me with my current story. I don't think I would have continued to keep up the frequent updates if it hadn't been for my readers and their comments. It's not even about being told its a good chapter but the fact they're so excited to read it, makes me excited to write more.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 03, 2021, 08:21:30 PM
So far it's 100% for feedback. Excitement is infectious is seems!

Here's one just for fun: favorite punctuation mark?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 03, 2021, 08:22:40 PM
Aww! Some guests or spam bots are reading my update thread and featured story thread. Thanks!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 03, 2021, 09:10:01 PM
I think that's why Nanowrimo was good for me. It forced me to do something on a weeknight other than just staring at the tv.

That was me today, but it only ended up being a half hour because I had to be up for a meeting. I also feel really tired, then feel more awake at 9pm. It is the worst. Just don't use those two hours as an excuse to stay up late! haha

LOL I do use it as an excuse, and then I stay up even later than usual!  Ugh.  Tonight I didn't take an evening nap though - yay!  We'll see if I can actually get to bed at a decent time or if I still stay up late.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 03, 2021, 09:25:28 PM
I would say the feedback is better. It helps to motivate you to finish a story that you otherwise might have trouble wanting to complete. It’s weird timing for this question because just yesterday I got the nicest feedback on my To Protect and Serve series over on AO3. It made me remember how important those comments were to help make me want to continue to write when I was struggling. I give you guys so much credit for posting on AC where feedback is no longer an option. I admit, I’m not sure I’d have the desire to post if I didn’t get any comments.

I love those random comments on old stories that come out of the blue!  Those always make my day.  I'm glad people are finding your stories and giving you feedback on AO3.

Honestly, posting on AC at this point is just a matter of habit.  I do it because I want to keep my collection of stories there growing for as long as the site is around.  I'm glad there are other places to post that do allow feedback because I would miss it too.


They're both good for different reasons. It's nice to complete something you start and it's nice to have other people appreciate it. I think I'll go with feedback because if we just wanted to write to finish stories, we wouldn't put them out there in the world. So it's nice to know people are reading and engaging with it in a meaningful way. Although putting a bow on something you wrote and telling it that it looks beautiful is pretty nice too!

It's a hard choice for sure!  You make a great point about putting our stories out there in the world.  Finishing a story wouldn't have the same satisfaction if there was no one else to read it.


 OH man this is a tough question. I do highly look forward to feedback on stuff I post. But there is just a satisfaction of finishing something that I've worked on a long time. I know I have some abandoned stories on my page. So for me completing something is probably more satisfying than the reviews.

I agree with you on this.  Of course I love and look forward to feedback, and I'm so appreciative of every piece I get, even if it's just a simple "Great story!"  But there is such a feeling of pride that comes with finishing a story, especially one you've poured your heart and soul into over months or years.  Feedback is great extrinsic motivation, but actually finishing a story takes intrinsic motivation.  You don't get anything for it except a really good feeling of accomplishment, but that feeling is worth all the work that went into writing it.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 03, 2021, 09:27:09 PM
LOL I do use it as an excuse, and then I stay up even later than usual!  Ugh.  Tonight I didn't take an evening nap though - yay!  We'll see if I can actually get to bed at a decent time or if I still stay up late.

I believe in your ability to sleep! I'm on to my next story on the list, so I guess how late I stay up will depend on Tracy's cliffhangers.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 03, 2021, 09:33:52 PM
So far it's 100% for feedback. Excitement is infectious is seems!

Here's one just for fun: favorite punctuation mark?

I love all punctuation marks!  While I enjoy using exclamation points and appreciate the underrated semicolon, I've always been a comma queen.  Commas are the most overused, underused, and misused of all punctuation marks.  (Oxford commas for life!)  I love the example of "Let's eat Grandma!" vs. "Let's eat, Grandma!"  Commas save lives!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 03, 2021, 09:37:13 PM
I love all punctuation marks!  While I enjoy using exclamation points and appreciate the underrated semicolon, I've always been a comma queen.  Commas are the most overused, underused, and misused of all punctuation marks.  (Oxford commas for life!)  I love the example of "Let's eat Grandma!" vs. "Let's eat, Grandma!"  Commas save lives!

For the oxford comma, my favorite is the Hitler and JFK strippers one.

I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't say the ellipses because boy do I love to abuse a good ellipses... but I think I'd go with the em-dash. It's underutilized.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 03, 2021, 09:38:37 PM
I give you guys so much credit for posting on AC where feedback is no longer an option. I admit, I’m not sure I’d have the desire to post if I didn’t get any comments.

Y'all are my fanfic family. Where else would I post?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 03, 2021, 09:41:46 PM
Feedback is great extrinsic motivation, but actually finishing a story takes intrinsic motivation.  You don't get anything for it except a really good feeling of accomplishment, but that feeling is worth all the work that went into writing it.

I think that intrinsic versus extrinsic is the reason to write. Is it as satisfying if you're just doing something for the extrinsic value? Maybe it depends on what the thing is... Creative efforts seem like one that totters on that line.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 03, 2021, 09:42:53 PM
For the oxford comma, my favorite is the Hitler and JFK strippers one.

I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't say the ellipses because boy do I love to abuse a good ellipses... but I think I'd go with the em-dash. It's underutilized.

That's a good one too!

Those are both great choices.  Ellipses are great for creating suspense and bringing dialogue to life through pauses and what not.  The em-dash is a very versatile punctuation mark.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 03, 2021, 09:44:24 PM
I think that intrinsic versus extrinsic is the reason to write. Is it as satisfying if you're just doing something for the extrinsic value? Maybe it depends on what the thing is... Creative efforts seem like one that totters on that line.

Definitely not as satisfying.  Has anyone ever forced themselves to finish a story they didn't enjoy writing just to please their readers?  It's not nearly as fun as writing because you want to write, regardless of whether anyone wants to read it.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 03, 2021, 09:49:49 PM
Definitely not as satisfying.  Has anyone ever forced themselves to finish a story they didn't enjoy writing just to please their readers?  It's not nearly as fun as writing because you want to write, regardless of whether anyone wants to read it.

I force myself to finish nothing, even when I am enjoying it! I actually can't think of a time a reader has asked me for anything. Do people really have demanding readers like that? I ask this and know the answer must be yes. Everyone tell me your favorite demand a reader gave you.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 03, 2021, 10:00:53 PM
I force myself to finish nothing, even when I am enjoying it! I actually can't think of a time a reader has asked me for anything. Do people really have demanding readers like that? I ask this and know the answer must be yes. Everyone tell me your favorite demand a reader gave you.

Demand is a strong word, but every once in awhile I'll get a request to write a story for someone.  "Will you write a story about eating disorders?"  "Will you write a story about me and Brian for my birthday?"  Usually it comes from someone I hardly know (or don't know at all) who doesn't give regular (or any) feedback and just kind of pops up out of nowhere.  I made the mistake of writing a story someone suggested to me many years ago (like 2001), and it was one I definitely had to force myself to finish.  I will never do that again, unless it's for an AC challenge or something (and even that is unlikely).

I don't mind the readers who beg for updates because that is motivating.  I don't get many of those anymore, hopefully because I've been so much better at updating regularly the last couple years, but it was a nice kick in the butt back in the day.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 03, 2021, 10:08:10 PM
Demand is a strong word, but every once in awhile I'll get a request to write a story for someone.  "Will you write a story about eating disorders?"  "Will you write a story about me and Brian for my birthday?"  Usually it comes from someone I hardly know (or don't know at all) who doesn't give regular (or any) feedback and just kind of pops up out of nowhere.  I made the mistake of writing a story someone suggested to me many years ago (like 2001), and it was one I definitely had to force myself to finish.  I will never do that again, unless it's for an AC challenge or something (and even that is unlikely).

I don't mind the readers who beg for updates because that is motivating.  I don't get many of those anymore, hopefully because I've been so much better at updating regularly the last couple years, but it was a nice kick in the butt back in the day.

I just kind of figure that if people want things from anyone it's accompanied by exclamation points or caps or something. But you're right, it's not like they're popping into your reviews like "do this for me or I will unleash a computer virus on you!" (the internet equivalent of a stick up?) I don't think I could ever write a story someone had suggested to me in seriousness unless I'd already had a similar idea. Now a joke story, I could take any of those and run with it!

I stumbled on a thread where Mare asked what everyone's posting preferences were and we all basically said, "Why would you have a regular update day and not post something as soon as it's done or at least within a couple of days? That's crazy!" And I thought, oh naive me... An update day is the best!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 03, 2021, 10:30:56 PM
I stumbled on a thread where Mare asked what everyone's posting preferences were and we all basically said, "Why would you have a regular update day and not post something as soon as it's done or at least within a couple of days? That's crazy!" And I thought, oh naive me... An update day is the best!

LOL!  We were all so young and innocent, and Mare was so wise.  I've been sticking to the weekly updates pretty well since coming back from my unofficial hiatus/slump two years ago.  Sometimes I'll update more often if I have a ton of chapters banked or have finished the story and want to post the rest.  The only reason I haven't started doing that with Bethlehem yet is because if I stick to my schedule, I'll be able to post the last chapter on Brian's birthday.  And that will probably be my last update until summer, when I'll hopefully have enough chapters of something written to start posting it.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 03, 2021, 10:43:51 PM
I luckily do not get many people asking me to write stuff on demand, but I did have to block a girl on Wattpad like a month or so ago because she kept inboxing me asking me to write a story about her and Brian or Brian and a disabled fan that fall in love. I politely told her that I don’t take requests and she wouldn’t leave me alone, so I ended up blocking her.

I also had someone ask me for a story about JC from NSYNC one time too. I’ve written crossovers but I don’t write straight up NSYNC fan fiction. the most I’ve done is them having cameos. I told her again, I don’t do requests. LOL that would be like me saying hey Julie write another story about Nick killing me because two wasn’t enough and I want him to kill me again xD
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 03, 2021, 11:18:08 PM
LOL!  We were all so young and innocent, and Mare was so wise.  I've been sticking to the weekly updates pretty well since coming back from my unofficial hiatus/slump two years ago.  Sometimes I'll update more often if I have a ton of chapters banked or have finished the story and want to post the rest.  The only reason I haven't started doing that with Bethlehem yet is because if I stick to my schedule, I'll be able to post the last chapter on Brian's birthday.  And that will probably be my last update until summer, when I'll hopefully have enough chapters of something written to start posting it.

I don't think Mare said she used an update day either, it was just one of the options in the poll, haha.

You've gotta stick to the update days to post it on Brian's birthday! Then you got 3/5 birthdays while posting.

I could definitely do more frequent updates, since I have 22.5 chapters written. However, my paranoid self knows that I am prone to slumps, so I would rather have a bunch in case I hit an inevitable slump.

Since Bethlehem isn't your first weekly update story, how do your regular readers react when you go from weekly to nothing?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 03, 2021, 11:23:02 PM
I luckily do not get many people asking me to write stuff on demand, but I did have to block a girl on Wattpad like a month or so ago because she kept inboxing me asking me to write a story about her and Brian or Brian and a disabled fan that fall in love. I politely told her that I don’t take requests and she wouldn’t leave me alone, so I ended up blocking her.

I also had someone ask me for a story about JC from NSYNC one time too. I’ve written crossovers but I don’t write straight up NSYNC fan fiction. the most I’ve done is them having cameos. I told her again, I don’t do requests. LOL that would be like me saying hey Julie write another story about Nick killing me because two wasn’t enough and I want him to kill me again xD

That girl is persistent! I probably would have blocked her too if she kept refusing to take no for an answer.

If an NSYNC fan ever asked me to write something, I would laugh. I obviously have zero qualms killing them all and definitely made almost all of them into aholes. You can absoliutely tell how I felt about each member of NSYNC in 2006.

Can you have enough stories about Nick getting his revenge on the same fanfic authors? I don't think you can.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 04, 2021, 01:55:42 AM
Update days were an essential part of my posting. I always used them. My readers always knew when I was going to update and what day it would happen for each story. There were times, which I still can’t believe, that was updating multiple stories at once and had a day for each one. Not even just a day but usually a time as well. I was/am pretty schedule oriented lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 04, 2021, 02:02:32 AM
I used to get a fair amount of will you write a story about this? Emails as well as can you make me Nicks girlfriend requests. Uh...have you met me? I’ll make you his girlfriend and then kill you horrifically about two seconds before your first date.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 07:03:17 PM
Since Bethlehem isn't your first weekly update story, how do your regular readers react when you go from weekly to nothing?

LOL They don't.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 07:04:54 PM
LOL that would be like me saying hey Julie write another story about Nick killing me because two wasn’t enough and I want him to kill me again xD

If I had an idea, I totally would kill you a third time! LOL


Can you have enough stories about Nick getting his revenge on the same fanfic authors? I don't think you can.

Definitely not!  Kill kill kill!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 07:08:45 PM
Got the site to show up secure again! Finally! What was I going to do without a live chat during the instagram?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 07:09:26 PM
LOL They don't.

Because they have nothing to react to? ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 07:13:20 PM
I used to get a fair amount of will you write a story about this? Emails as well as can you make me Nicks girlfriend requests. Uh...have you met me? I’ll make you his girlfriend and then kill you horrifically about two seconds before your first date.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 07:13:52 PM
Update days were an essential part of my posting. I always used them. My readers always knew when I was going to update and what day it would happen for each story. There were times, which I still can’t believe, that was updating multiple stories at once and had a day for each one. Not even just a day but usually a time as well. I was/am pretty schedule oriented lol

LOL!  We were all so young and innocent, and Mare was so wise.

Y'all, we've talked about this! My fanfic memory is hazy. I will stop summarizing things that I don't actually remember. As always, Mare is wise.

I love that you had an update time, Mare. That is attention to detail!

How was updating multiple stories at a time with specific days? Did that make it easier to keep up with writing? More difficult?

I will bow to Mare's wisdom. I love my little update day. It gives me something to look forward to on Wednesdays now that Nick's not on the Masked Singer anymore. And an excuse to continue using my crocodile coffee cup on Wednesdays.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 07:26:44 PM
I used to get a fair amount of will you write a story about this? Emails as well as can you make me Nicks girlfriend requests. Uh...have you met me? I’ll make you his girlfriend and then kill you horrifically about two seconds before your first date.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 07:28:31 PM
Update days were an essential part of my posting. I always used them. My readers always knew when I was going to update and what day it would happen for each story. There were times, which I still can’t believe, that was updating multiple stories at once and had a day for each one. Not even just a day but usually a time as well. I was/am pretty schedule oriented lol


I am fairly new to having update days, but I get the appeal!  It gives me something to look forward to.  I posted Heroic Measures (my ER story) on Thursday nights at 10/9c, the old ER time slot.  I scheduled them in advance to post at exactly that time LOL.  I'm such a dork, but it was fun!  Now I'm back to Saturdays because that's just easier during the school year, but I don't have a specific time.  Sometimes it's first thing in the morning, but sometimes I try to write first and wait to update until later in the day.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 07:29:04 PM
If I had an idea, I totally would kill you a third time! LOL

Definitely not!  Kill kill kill!

LMAO! Julie's choppage happy again. Must be the livestream coming up.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 07:35:36 PM
I am fairly new to having update days, but I get the appeal!  It gives me something to look forward to.  I posted Heroic Measures (my ER story) on Thursday nights at 10/9c, the old ER time slot.  I scheduled them in advance to post at exactly that time LOL.  I'm such a dork, but it was fun!  Now I'm back to Saturdays because that's just easier during the school year, but I don't have a specific time.  Sometimes it's first thing in the morning, but sometimes I try to write first and wait to update until later in the day.

I love that you posted them during ER's timeslot. How clever! I figure it's best to pick a day that's easy for you, but I also wanted to make sure that I didn't take anyone's day when I saw you were posting on Saturdays and Tracy was posting on Tuesdays (or at least had been for a couple of weeks at that point).
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 07:36:15 PM
Julie beat me to it. That's exactly what I wanted to say. That and "They thought you would put girlfriends in BACKSTREET BOYS fanfic?" Suddenly in December 2020, Mare comes back with a brand new story all about Leighanne and the history of Wylee while Brian's off on tour. And I would say, "Yup. That's kind of how I thought 2020 would end."

LMAO I would love to read a Leighanne story written by Mare.  Do it, Mare!  I demand it!

Mare did predict Donald Trump becoming president and bringing about the apocalypse in one of her stories.


I think at one time there were definitely people who wrote with less planning. But of course Mare is a planner! And Julie, just because you posted a chapter right after you finished didn't make you any less of a planner, it just meant that maybe there was wiggle room.

:D It was not a suggestion! It was a joke! Like I would ever tell either of you my ideas for your stories. If I really had that many ideas, I would just write my own story. Also, if you want to put any of my jokes into your story, it should clearly be Nick howling outside the car or the Brian "seven days" one.

LOL True, I always had an idea of where the story was going, but I was more open to different ideas.  I didn't start outlining until Broken; I was way more of a pantser before then.

I know it was a joke!  I was just kidding too.  Although if I could put Brian as Samara in, I totally would!  Seven days...  I actually had an idea for a parody of The Ring planned a long time ago, back when The Ring was still relevant LOL.  Never wrote it though.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 07:46:29 PM
LMAO I would love to read a Leighanne story written by Mare.  Do it, Mare!  I demand it!

Mare did predict Donald Trump becoming president and bringing about the apocalypse in one of her stories.

That might be even shorter than the groundhog April Fool's story.  :D

"Chapter One: Someone told Leighanne on facebook that her bags were ugly, so she went on a long rant about freedom of speech. Then facebook banned her. She had nothing to console herself but her Christmas trees because Brian was on tour. The end."

"Chapter Two: Meanwhile, Brian was on tour with the Backstreet Boys and since this is a Backstreet Boys fanfic, he cared about his wife getting banned from facebook, but clearly had a lot of other things going on. Like carving MINE in Nick's arm..."

Mare, you're a wizard! And I hate it. Does he need a SAG card to be mentioned in your story? I hear he withdrew from them today.

LOL True, I always had an idea of where the story was going, but I was more open to different ideas.  I didn't start outlining until Broken; I was way more of a pantser before then.

I know it was a joke!  I was just kidding too.  Although if I could put Brian as Samara in, I totally would!  Seven days...  I actually had an idea for a parody of The Ring planned a long time ago, back when The Ring was still relevant LOL.  Never wrote it though.

I think we were all pantsers in our early days, but that was also when I could finish writing a fanfic in a week. It's hard to plan when it would take longer to plan than it would to write.

I know, the extreme exclamation points were part of the fun.  ;) My joke has officially made it relevant again. Add it to your pandaskunk series.

I was curious if anyone else on AO3 reads your other reviews, because they will get to mine and be so confused because half of it is all very heartfelt and half of it is stupid jokes and references.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 08:00:12 PM
That might be even shorter than the groundhog April Fool's story.  :D

"Chapter One: Someone told Leighanne on facebook that her bags were ugly, so she went on a long rant about freedom of speech. Then facebook banned her. She had nothing to console herself but her Christmas trees because Brian was on tour. The end."

"Chapter Two: Meanwhile, Brian was on tour with the Backstreet Boys and since this is a Backstreet Boys fanfic, he cared about his wife getting banned from facebook, but clearly had a lot of other things going on. Like carving MINE in Nick's arm..."

Mare, you're a wizard! And I hate it. Does he need a SAG card to be mentioned in your story? I hear he withdrew from them today.

LMAO at all of this!!!


I think we were all pantsers in our early days, but that was also when I could finish writing a fanfic in a week. It's hard to plan when it would take longer to plan than it would to write.

LOL So true.  I was the same way; I averaged a "novel" a month.  Of course, my "novels" were all around twenty chapters of 200-600 words a piece LOL.  I've written short stories longer than some of my early "novels."


My joke has officially made it relevant again. Add it to your pandaskunk series.


That would be the perfect place for it! LOL


I was curious if anyone else on AO3 reads your other reviews, because they will get to mine and be so confused because half of it is all very heartfelt and half of it is stupid jokes and references.

LOL, I have no idea.  I read other existing reviews on chapters I've read and reviewed, but I don't know if other people do that.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 04, 2021, 09:02:44 PM
My Leighanne Story

All the boys are in the recoding studio laying down a track and in walks Brian

"Hey Brian! How's Leighanne?" Nick asks anxiously.

"Dead."

"Oh...huh...and a one and a two and a..."



Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 04, 2021, 09:05:06 PM
That might be even shorter than the groundhog April Fool's story.  :D

"Chapter One: Someone told Leighanne on facebook that her bags were ugly, so she went on a long rant about freedom of speech. Then facebook banned her. She had nothing to console herself but her Christmas trees because Brian was on tour. The end."

"Chapter Two: Meanwhile, Brian was on tour with the Backstreet Boys and since this is a Backstreet Boys fanfic, he cared about his wife getting banned from facebook, but clearly had a lot of other things going on. Like carving MINE in Nick's arm..."


LMAO perfect!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 04, 2021, 09:05:30 PM
I have never had regular update days myself. I mean with this current story I usually update in the beginning of the week, but the way I write is on the fly so I just post whenever I finish writing a chapter. My readers don’t seem to care either way.

The only story that I’ve ever had somewhat of an outline was Finding Carter, where I knew how I wanted it to end before I got to that point.

If I Knew Then, I am following a timeline but I pretty much write on the fly. There was a lot of drafts I did when I was still in the developing stages of the story. There was a whole chapter I wrote where Brian was going to marry Leighanne, there was a different version of some scenes too. I don’t want to give a lot away. But it went through a lot of changes.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 04, 2021, 09:06:06 PM

Hahahahahahhah ahahahahaha I almost spit out my water.

My Leighanne Story

All the boys are in the recoding studio laying down a track and in walks Brian

"Hey Brian! How's Leighanne?" Nick asks anxiously.

"Dead."

"Oh...huh...and a one and a two and a..."




Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 09:10:39 PM
LMAO at all of this!!!

LMAO perfect!

Y'all hear that? Mare blessed me to be her ghost writer and Julie enjoyed it.

My Leighanne Story

All the boys are in the recoding studio laying down a track and in walks Brian

"Hey Brian! How's Leighanne?" Nick asks anxiously.

"Dead."

"Oh...huh...and a one and a two and a..."

LMAO! But why did Nick ask so anxiously? Unless... he killed her?!? It's "How To Get Away With Murder" Backstreet style!

Fanfic Nick: It's easy because Mare wrote the story and doesn't write about wives. No one would suspect a thing...
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 04, 2021, 09:12:25 PM
Y'all hear that? Mare blessed me to be her ghost writer.

LMAO! But why did Nick ask so anxiously? Unless... he killed her?!? It's "How To Get Away With Murder" Backstreet style!

Fanfic Nick: It's easy because Mare wrote the story and doesn't write about wives. No one would suspect a thing...

Well duh! It’s my story so I had to end on a cliffhanger.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 09:15:18 PM
My Leighanne Story

All the boys are in the recoding studio laying down a track and in walks Brian

"Hey Brian! How's Leighanne?" Nick asks anxiously.

"Dead."

"Oh...huh...and a one and a two and a..."


LMFAO!!!  I love you, Mare.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 09:15:28 PM
LOL So true.  I was the same way; I averaged a "novel" a month.  Of course, my "novels" were all around twenty chapters of 200-600 words a piece LOL.  I've written short stories longer than some of my early "novels."

I'll have you know, I once wrote a 700 word chapter. If nothing else, young Dee had the gift of brevity.


That would be the perfect place for it! LOL

LOL, I have no idea.  I read other existing reviews on chapters I've read and reviewed, but I don't know if other people do that.

I don't need to give you ideas, I just need to make you think about your old ideas. ;)

I like to know to what other people thought, so I do. But I doubt anyone else reading your stuff likes to add dumb jokes just to make you laugh.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 09:16:48 PM
Well duh! It’s my story so I had to end on a cliffhanger.

Yes, of course! But what will you do now that I've figured it out? You're ten chapters ahead of me, so you can't rewrite now!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 04, 2021, 09:17:04 PM
Nick totallly killed her cause he wants Brian to himself.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 09:17:23 PM
LMAO! But why did Nick ask so anxiously? Unless... he killed her?!? It's "How To Get Away With Murder" Backstreet style!

Fanfic Nick: It's easy because Mare wrote the story and doesn't write about wives. No one would suspect a thing...

LMAO I love this!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 09:18:56 PM
Nick totallly killed her cause he wants Brian to himself.

Obviously.  Nick has never liked Leighanne because she stole Brian away from him.  That's motive.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 09:24:53 PM
Nick totallly killed her cause he wants Brian to himself.

Of course!

Obviously.  Nick has never liked Leighanne because she stole Brian away from him.  That's motive.

He has a motive, now we just need to find a weapon! And discreetly discard the evidence because Nick's too cute to go to jail.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 09:26:33 PM
Poisoned pancakes?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 04, 2021, 09:27:22 PM
You’re all wrong!

Three words

Jewish space lasers
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 09:30:34 PM
Poisoned pancakes?

Oh noes! Gluten substitute!

You’re all wrong!

Three words

Jewish space lasers

I'd like to clarify, are Jewish space lasers the weapon or the motive? ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 09:40:21 PM
I have never had regular update days myself. I mean with this current story I usually update in the beginning of the week, but the way I write is on the fly so I just post whenever I finish writing a chapter. My readers don’t seem to care either way.

The only story that I’ve ever had somewhat of an outline was Finding Carter, where I knew how I wanted it to end before I got to that point.

If I Knew Then, I am following a timeline but I pretty much write on the fly. There was a lot of drafts I did when I was still in the developing stages of the story. There was a whole chapter I wrote where Brian was going to marry Leighanne, there was a different version of some scenes too. I don’t want to give a lot away. But it went through a lot of changes.

Did you feel like the multiple developing drafts were helpful in your planning process and do you find them preferable to an outline? Or do you consider the timeline to be your outline?

Did you have the Finding Carter outline from the beginning or just once you got to the point where you figured it out? I did that with PBox. The beginning I kind of meandered, but I had a very brief outline for every chapter from 31 on.

I know the jokes are great, but didn't want this to get lost!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 09:42:54 PM
My Leighanne Story

All the boys are in the recoding studio laying down a track and in walks Brian

"Hey Brian! How's Leighanne?" Nick asks anxiously.

"Dead."

"Oh...huh...and a one and a two and a..."

Also, we should all take a moment to celebrate that Mare wrote 34 words today.  :broccoli:
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 09:44:46 PM
You’re all wrong!

Three words

Jewish space lasers

Hahaha!!


Also, we should all take a moment to celebrate that Mare wrote 34 words today.  :broccoli:

LOL Yay Mare!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 09:59:55 PM
Here's some random writing questions for today:

Is it "Chapter One" or "Chapter 1"?

If you have more than one scene in a chapter, what kind of scene break do you use to split them up?

If you want to designate that something is a flashback or happened in the past, how do you designate it?

Bold, italics, or underlining?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 10:09:00 PM
Is it "Chapter One" or "Chapter 1"?

Chapter 1.  As someone who has written stories with over 100 chapters, I don't wanna have to write out "Chapter One Hundred Seventy-Seven" in words LOL.


If you have more than one scene in a chapter, how do you split them up?

I use *** for scene breaks.  Or, as Text to Speech man would say, "Asterisk asterisk asterisk" LMAO.  Is that what you're asking?


If you want to designate that something is a flashback or happened in the past, how do you designate it?

I write ~*~*~*~*~*~fLAsHbAcK!1!~*~*~*~*~*~*~

LOL Actually, I just put it in italics.


Bold, italics, or underlining?

I use italics for words that are emphasized in dialogue, as well as inner thoughts and flashbacks or dream sequences.  I don't use bold much other than for chapter titles and when describing what signs say.  I don't really use underlining in fanfics.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 04, 2021, 10:14:03 PM
Here's some random writing questions for today:

Is it "Chapter One" or "Chapter 1"?

I always do Chapter 1.

If you have more than one scene in a chapter, what kind of scene break do you use to split them up?

I just kind of space things out a little to transition between scenes.

If you want to designate that something is a flashback or happened in the past, how do you designate it?

Bold, italics, or underlining? I use italics.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 10:15:01 PM
scene breaks. Is that what you're asking?

That's the phrase I was missing, thanks!

Is it "Chapter One" or "Chapter 1"?

Chapter 1.  As someone who has written stories with over 100 chapters, I don't wanna have to write out "Chapter One Hundred Seventy-Seven" in words LOL.

Boo! Lazy!

If you have more than one scene in a chapter, how do you split them up?

I use *** for scene breaks.  Or, as Text to Speech man would say, "Asterisk asterisk asterisk" LMAO.  Is that what you're asking?

Please just start typing "asterisk asterisk asterisk" for your scene breaks. I would laugh so hard.

If you want to designate that something is a flashback or happened in the past, how do you designate it?

I write ~*~*~*~*~*~fLAsHbAcK!1!~*~*~*~*~*~*~

LOL Actually, I just put it in italics.

I see your shade for my buddy "~*~"... But at least you wrote flashback correctly.

Bold, italics, or underlining?

I use italics for words that are emphasized in dialogue, as well as inner thoughts and flashbacks or dream sequences.  I don't use bold much other than for chapter titles and when describing what signs say.  I don't really use underlining in fanfics.

Poor underlining. It's the Howie of formatting.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 04, 2021, 10:18:03 PM
Did you feel like the multiple developing drafts were helpful in your planning process and do you find them preferable to an outline? Or do you consider the timeline to be your outline?

The timeline was basically my outline, where it told me what the boys were doing at exactly that point in that year. It was super helpful to just have to fill in and interpret what I felt happened according to the story. It worked really well and made the story seem realistic. At least for me it did.

Did you have the Finding Carter outline from the beginning or just once you got to the point where you figured it out? I did that with PBox. The beginning I kind of meandered, but I had a very brief outline for every chapter from 31 on.

I didn't really outline it but I knew what I wanted to accomplish and what I wanted Nick to accomplish during the story so that helped some. The ending pretty much wrote itself once I got to it. I always have a bit of a hard time with endings.

I know the jokes are great, but didn't want this to get lost!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 10:20:01 PM
Is it "Chapter One" or "Chapter 1"?

Chapter One: "Title of Chapter One" of course.

If you have more than one scene in a chapter, what kind of scene break do you use to split them up?

This little guy, because it's pretty and I'm an aging teeny: ~*~

If you want to designate that something is a flashback or happened in the past, how do you designate it?

italics

Bold, italics, or underlining?

Italics for emphasis, flashbacks, other people's quotes that characters are thinking about, I've done it for text messages... I honestly don't do anything special formatting-wise to designate a thought. Is that bad? Should I start doing that?

Bold is usually signs or something like every time Nick looked at his phone to see the time in my holiday story.

I think I used an underline once when a character saw a book title? I can't remember.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 10:21:21 PM
Is it "Chapter One" or "Chapter 1"?

I always do Chapter 1.

Y'all and your numbers...
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 10:24:57 PM
The timeline was basically my outline, where it told me what the boys were doing at exactly that point in that year. It was super helpful to just have to fill in and interpret what I felt happened according to the story. It worked really well and made the story seem realistic. At least for me it did.

I didn't really outline it but I knew what I wanted to accomplish and what I wanted Nick to accomplish during the story so that helped some. The ending pretty much wrote itself once I got to it. I always have a bit of a hard time with endings.

As always, I am impressed by your ability to stick to a hard and fast timeline and find it helpful.

I think endings can be hard too, because you want to make sure the characters get there. I like that Nick's accomplishment s were part of your plan as a characters over plot person.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 04, 2021, 10:27:57 PM
I honestly don't do anything special formatting-wise to designate a thought. Is that bad? Should I start doing that?

You don't have to.  I don't think it's a required bit of formatting.  I just like how italics differentiate the thoughts from the rest of the prose, like how quotation marks are used to separate dialogue.


This little guy, because it's pretty and I'm an aging teeny: ~*~


I see your shade for my buddy "~*~"

Hehe, no shade.  One ~*~ is perfectly fine!  It's the excessive use of them (especially when they aren't even in equal amounts on each side of the "fLAsHbACK") that seems teenybopperesq ue.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 04, 2021, 10:33:42 PM
You don't have to.  I don't think it's a required bit of formatting.  I just like how italics differentiate the thoughts from the rest of the prose, like how quotation marks are used to separate dialogue.

That's fair. That's why I asked. I noticed the couple of times you did it and was like, "Hmmm..."

Hehe, no shade.  One ~*~ is perfectly fine!  It's the excessive use of them (especially when they aren't even in equal amounts on each side of the "fLAsHbACK") that seems teenybopperesq ue.

Oh yes, the unequal on each side of switch case "flashback" is not okay. They at least have to be equal. It makes the word look cuter and more sophisticated. *hair flip*

Oh! I guess when I did Beta Sigma Beta, I used the little Greek letters. I'd forgotten about that. That was a creative use of a scene break for that one. If I could add a tiny demon in PBox, I would probably do that.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 05, 2021, 10:50:20 PM
Anyone else trying to do some serious writing today? I think I've changed 700 words... Ugh...
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 05, 2021, 11:35:44 PM
I did some research for my next chapter of If I Knew Then and wrote a bunch so it was a pretty productive writing day for me.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 05, 2021, 11:40:03 PM
Yay research and productivity!  :wave: I got distracted by 27 Dresses.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 01:00:50 PM
You're offered $10million today. Catch is you now have a killer snail out to get you -- if it touches you, you die. It always knows your location, cannot die, and its sole mission in life is to find you and kill you. Do you take the money?

Most of my friends picked the money, but I (as a writer who understands the psychological stress of things wanting to find and murder you) said I would not take the money.

Yesterday, he asked us: Are snails smart? He decided that if snails are dumb, he would take the money. But he recognized that a smart snail could possibly "drag out the murder for years, so you're never quite sure if it's nearby or not." I asked "So you want to know if it's a 28 Days snail or a 28 Days Later snail, basically? I'll bite. I love researching interesting things on the internet." (As you all know.) So I looked up articles on scientific research about the intelligence of snails. (There's mixed results, if you were wondering.) And then he asked me, "You always said you wouldn't take the money. What do you think the snail would be like? If you were the snail, what would you do?" And, oh boy, were my friends not prepared for the answer! Weird research rabbit hole writing me is not the one they are used to!

Before I tell you all what I said, would you take the money or not? And why?

Since no one else bit besides Julie and it's been a week, it might be time to tell you just what I think these snails are capable of... However, I also noticed that "Took the money, stalked by snail intent on killing him" was not listed as a death Nick has experienced yet. So maybe instead of telling you all what I think, I should save it and add it to 1,000 Ways instead?  :D
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 01:23:26 PM
I have two serious goals today. First, finish this first chapter edit of possibly PBox as OF. Second, finish writing Ch. 22 of PNecklace and possibly Ch. 24 if I'm really productive! I originally thought Ch.23 was going to be Ch. 22, but it's not and I have a decent chunk of what would be Ch. 24 already written, so it may happen! Everyone send me good writing vibes.

However! It's Saturday and it's been a hot minute since we had some thought-provoking discussion questions, so... Today's discussion is brought to you by arcs in a novel, since everyone chatting seems to be a different points in the writing process.

1. Beginnings, Middles, or Endings: What is your favorite part to write in a story and why?

2. Same question, but least favorite?

3. When you're writing a beginning, how much time do you like to devote to backstory or do you intersperse it throughout the story?

4. What are backstory elements you know, but don't include? Are these conscious choices or more along the lines of "We're BSB fans reading BSB fanfics"?

5. Do you always know your main character's (or characters') motivation when you start a story or does it come up later?

6. "I won't start the beginning of the story until I know: ____________."

7. What's the easiest thing about beginnings and the most challenging?

8. "In the middle of the story, I often: ______________ ."

9. What's something overrated about middles? What's something underrated about middles?

(Clearly I am having a hard time coming up with questions about middles, so you may know my answer to the second question, haha.)

11. What's the easiest thing about middles and the most challenging?

12. What's the easiest thing about endings and the most challenging?

13. "I won't end the story until I know: ____________."

14. Do you always know the end of a story when you start it? If not, when's the last possible point you must decide the ending?

15. Do your stories always have an ending or do you leave them open-ended just in case?

16. What types of endings leave you feeling most satisfied with your story? (Interpret that as you will.)

17. Do you ever leave noodle incidents in your story without a resolution for fun?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 04:25:32 PM
More fun with text-to-speech.  I'm trying once again to listen to my Bethlehem chapter to help catch any typos (missing words!) before I post it.  My British narrator read "sake" (as in "for their sake") as "sah-kay," like the Japanese alcoholic drink.  He read "Dr." (doctor) as "drive" LOL.  He also sounds hilarious reading Kevin's Kentucky dialect in a British accent.  I sped him up today so it wouldn't take so long, and now he sounds like the doctor in South Park: https://youtu.be/ScriSzvc7OU  Dying!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 04:39:51 PM
More fun with text-to-speech.  I'm trying once again to listen to my Bethlehem chapter to help catch any typos (missing words!) before I post it.  My British narrator read "sake" (as in "for their sake") as "sah-kay," like the Japanese alcoholic drink.  He read "Dr." (doctor) as "drive" LOL.  He also sounds hilarious reading Kevin's Kentucky dialect in a British accent.  I sped him up today so it wouldn't take so long, and now he sounds like the doctor in South Park: https://youtu.be/ScriSzvc7OU  Dying!

LMAO! My suggestion to help has gone horribly wrong. You're welcome?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 05:17:04 PM
LMAO! My suggestion to help has gone horribly wrong. You're welcome?

Hey, at least it's entertaining!  And I do think it would help me catch those pesky missing words, if I could stop laughing at it LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 05:17:45 PM
Since no one else bit besides Julie and it's been a week, it might be time to tell you just what I think these snails are capable of... However, I also noticed that "Took the money, stalked by snail intent on killing him" was not listed as a death Nick has experienced yet. So maybe instead of telling you all what I think, I should save it and add it to 1,000 Ways instead?  :D

Yes!!  Death by snail!  Do it!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 05:33:11 PM
I have two serious goals today. First, finish this first chapter edit of possibly PBox as OF. Second, finish writing Ch. 22 of PNecklace and possibly Ch. 24 if I'm really productive! I originally thought Ch.23 was going to be Ch. 22, but it's not and I have a decent chunk of what would be Ch. 24 already written, so it may happen! Everyone send me good writing vibes.

Sending good vibes your way!

I am feeling completely unmotivated today.  I updated Bethlehem, but I haven't even opened Fallen Angel.  I'm not far enough into it to feel excited about it yet.  I'm considering opening the other in-progress story I've started but not officially posted, which is called My Brother's Keeper, and taking a look at that instead.  I have like four chapters finished of that one from three years ago, which is the last time I've worked on it.  It needs some revising before I can write any more of it, and I didn't think I would feel like doing that after Heroic Measures and Bethlehem, but maybe I do.  It's in my medical drama wheelhouse, whereas Fallen Angel is more of a psychological drama, which is a bigger challenge for me.  Anyone else tend to gravitate towards writing what's comfortable, even if it's not as interesting?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 06, 2021, 05:40:29 PM
If I keep going at the pace I'm going and nothing gets in the way I feel like I should have an update for Monday morning. Feeling pretty confident about it.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 06:03:38 PM
Hey, at least it's entertaining!  And I do think it would help me catch those pesky missing words, if I could stop laughing at it LOL.

That's what you need on a Saturday after a long week with students, so good!

Yes!!  Death by snail!  Do it!

In addition to an overall idea (because I already thought about it in general), I may have both the opening line and the opening scene in my head... So it's possible!  ;D
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 06:29:53 PM
1. Beginnings, Middles, or Endings: What is your favorite part to write in a story and why?
Endings!  Since I write in order, I spend the whole story looking forward to the big climactic moments near the end.  And as we've discussed, there are few things more satisfying than finally finishing a story.


2. Same question, but least favorite?
Beginnings.  While it's exciting to start something new, there's so much uncertainty that comes with a new story.  It can be daunting to imagine how I want it to go and then look at the blank page and think about how much I have to write to get to that point.  Once I get a few chapters in, it becomes easier if it's going well.


3. When you're writing a beginning, how much time do you like to devote to backstory or do you intersperse it throughout the story?
I try to intersperse it as needed instead of doing a big information drop at the beginning.


4. What are backstory elements you know, but don't include? Are these conscious choices or more along the lines of "We're BSB fans reading BSB fanfics"?
One of the nice parts about writing fanfic is that it comes with a set of already-developed "characters."  I don't spend as much time detailing the Boys' real history, unless it relates to what's happening in the story.  I probably include more of this kind of stuff in stories set in the past to help set the scene for what point in BSB history we're in.  For example, Heroic Measures was set in 1995, so I did write more about the Boys' formation and early years together than I normally would.


5. Do you always know your main character's (or characters') motivation when you start a story or does it come up later?
I guess it depends on the story.  In a character-driven story, I definitely have a sense of the main character's motivation and overall arc before I start the story.  In a plot-driven story, I tend to think more in terms of what situations I'm going to put the characters in and how they'll react than what their motivation is.  Usually their main motivation in my stories is survival LOL.  But as I write, other things come up as a subplots, like the Brian political stuff I included in Bethlehem.  That was not planned from the beginning.


6. "I won't start the beginning of the story until I know: ____________."
The title, the characters' names, and at least a basic sense of what happens in the beginning, middle, and end.


7. What's the easiest thing about beginnings and the most challenging?
When I start off inspired, it's easy to stay inspired through the beginning.  But sometimes it takes me a few chapters to really get into a new story, so that's not always the case.  The most challenging thing for me is usually the first line.


8. "In the middle of the story, I often: ______________ ."
Make a prediction for how many chapters long the story will be, which is almost always too low LOL.  I was actually pretty close with Bethlehem - first I thought it would be about 25 chapters, then I thought 20, and it ended up at 22.


9. What's something overrated about middles? What's something underrated about middles?
These middle questions are hard LOL.  I guess the middle is where some authors (myself included - see BMS) get derailed with subplots, which can be overrated.  But the middle is usually where most of the character development occurs, which may be underrated.


11. What's the easiest thing about middles and the most challenging?
The easiest thing is that you've made it through the beginning, so you should be getting into the rising action, a.k.a. the good stuff.  The most challenging thing is staying inspired through this section, especially with a long story.  I am not a runner, but I'm going to use a marathon metaphor anyway.  In the middle, you're past the starting line, when you're full of energy and excitement, but not yet to the last leg, when you get your second wind and are ready to race to the finish, so you just have to force yourself to keep plodding forward.


12. What's the easiest thing about endings and the most challenging?
I am usually uber-inspired by the time I reach the climax of a story.  I almost always go on an end-of-story writing streak, so staying inspired is easy.  The most challenging is trying to wrap up all the loose ends and not leaving anything hanging.  It can also be tough to come up with the perfect last line.


13. "I won't end the story until I know: ____________."
I've reached the end of the character's journey and wrapped up the loose ends.


14. Do you always know the end of a story when you start it? If not, when's the last possible point you must decide the ending?
I almost always know the end a story when I start it.  It's not always set in stone, but at least I have a sense of it or several possibilities that could all work.  I guess the last possible point to decide would be the last chapter, but I've pretty much always made up by mind by the halfway point of the story.  I can't remember a time when I've drastically changed the ending at the last minute.


15. Do your stories always have an ending or do you leave them open-ended just in case?
I've written short stories that were intentionally left open-ended, and I have at least one or two very old novels that I left open to a possible sequel.  One of them was the one I wrote at a reader's suggestion and hated, so I ran out of steam and hastily wrapped it up before the ending I had originally planned and said I would save the rest for a sequel, which I never wrote LOL.  Nowadays I try to give my novels a satisfying (but not necessarily always happy) ending and don't do sequels, except for my silly pandaskunk saga.


16. What types of endings leave you feeling most satisfied with your story? (Interpret that as you will.)
Of course I love happy endings where everything works out, but I'm also a fan of bittersweet ending, which are sad but still leave the characters and readers with a sense of closure.


17. Do you ever leave noodle incidents in your story without a resolution for fun?
I had to look up what a noodle incident was.  (Here it is, in case anyone else wondered: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NoodleIncident)  I'm not sure if this counts, but I used to reference a lot of personal inside jokes in my stories that are never explained.  Broken, in particular, is full of them.  For example, there's a "Dr. Marvin" who only appears in a couple chapters (98-99), and when Nick meets him, I describe all this random stuff he has in his office, but never explain why:

Quote
“Good morning, Mr. Carter,” he greeted Nick pleasantly and stretched his hand out across the desk.  “I’m Dr. Vin Marvin; good to meet you.”

“You too,” replied Nick, perching himself in one of the two chairs positioned in front of the doctor’s desk and shaking hands.

The Hispanic doctor looked younger than Nick had expected; he was possibly in his early thirties, no older.  He had a casual air to him, and his office matched this.  It was rather untidy, cluttered with several cardboard boxes containing God-knows-what.  Amid university and medical school diplomas, random pictures hung on the walls, from a painting of a grassy green pasture in which several goats grazed, to an old poster from the Broadway play “The Miracle Worker.”  The bookshelves in one corner were filled with thick medical volumes, framed pictures, and all sorts of peculiar odds and ends… a figurine of a chicken, a small taxi cab, a model train, things like that.  His desk was cluttered with papers and more pictures and… a bat?

The doctor noticed Nick looking at the small, beady-eyed plastic bat lying upside down on one corner of the desk and laughed.  “Look at this, isn’t this cool?” he exclaimed, picking up the bat.  When he flipped a tiny switch on the bat’s underside, the toy sprang to life, its eyes flickering bright red, while an obnoxious, high-pitched humming noise sounded.

He was based on an online acquaintance that another online friend of mine and I secretly called "Starvin Marvin" and had all these inside jokes about.  Some of these references I can remember the story behind, and others I honestly don't LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 06:30:18 PM
That's what you need on a Saturday after a long week with students, so good!

In addition to an overall idea (because I already thought about it in general), I may have both the opening line and the opening scene in my head... So it's possible!  ;D

Yes!!!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 06:31:04 PM
If I keep going at the pace I'm going and nothing gets in the way I feel like I should have an update for Monday morning. Feeling pretty confident about it.

Yay! Sending good vibes!

Sending good vibes your way!

Thanks! I am 98% done with goal number one. Just trying to decide on how to end it on Nick instead of Minako since pesky Nick likes to black out before chapters end and early Nick wouldn't have said how something was feeling, so it's not just a matter of rewording something.

Then it's back to Kevin being annoyed at a lack of medical supplies!

I am feeling completely unmotivated today.  I updated Bethlehem, but I haven't even opened Fallen Angel.  I'm not far enough into it to feel excited about it yet.  I'm considering opening the other in-progress story I've started but not officially posted, which is called My Brother's Keeper, and taking a look at that instead.  I have like four chapters finished of that one from three years ago, which is the last time I've worked on it.  It needs some revising before I can write any more of it, and I didn't think I would feel like doing that after Heroic Measures and Bethlehem, but maybe I do.  It's in my medical drama wheelhouse, whereas Fallen Angel is more of a psychological drama, which is a bigger challenge for me.

I say if you haven't committed to working on something specific yet, because you started posting it, embrace the wandering! If you've considered opening it, you should at least open it and look it back over. And reworking and editing can be just as much fun as writing, for different reasons. Try both, see what happens, don't make a decision until you've hit a comfortable stride with either.

Anyone else tend to gravitate towards writing what's comfortable, even if it's not as interesting?

Definitely! Why else do you think it's still PBox's characters I'm writing after all of these years? Not that I don't think they're interesting or that I don't want to tell the story, but it definitely felt more comfortable coming back with something familiar (but still new) than trying to jump right back into unfinished Gobosei (which I have opened over the years). Or, even scarier, trying to remember my plans for Beta Sigma Beta (the last thing I had been writing, but haven't touched at all).

Or even scarier still, just writing something brand new! And I did that with my holiday story, but not until I'd spent three months writing PNecklace. And that story was only 6,000 words. So I feel you.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 06:41:45 PM
I say if you haven't committed to working on something specific yet, because you started posting it, embrace the wandering! If you've considered opening it, you should at least open it and look it back over. And reworking and editing can be just as much fun as writing, for different reasons. Try both, see what happens, don't make a decision until you've hit a comfortable stride with either.

That's exactly what I'm thinking too.  I will play around with both until I get into a groove with one of them (or come up with a completely different idea, which is what tends to happen to me LOL), and that's the one I'll eventually post.


Or even scarier still, just writing something brand new! And I did that with my holiday story, but not until I'd spent three months writing PNecklace. And that story was only 6,000 words. So I feel you.

It is scary starting a new story!  Especially when it's a type of story I've never really written before.  I don't completely trust myself to pull it off.  It's definitely easier to go back to familiar territory.  Short stories are a great way to branch out of your comfort zone.  You can dip your toe in the water of something new without having to take the plunge and commit to an entire novel.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 07:09:42 PM
That's exactly what I'm thinking too.  I will play around with both until I get into a groove with one of them (or come up with a completely different idea, which is what tends to happen to me LOL), and that's the one I'll eventually post.

It is scary starting a new story!  Especially when it's a type of story I've never really written before.  I don't completely trust myself to pull it off.  It's definitely easier to go back to familiar territory.  Short stories are a great way to branch out of your comfort zone.  You can dip your toe in the water of something new without having to take the plunge and commit to an entire novel.

Or a completely new story, whatever ends up being the most fun! :) Especially if you don't post much during the school year, I would say you're golden to just tinker with whatever. It's once you start posting that you have to commit to something. Or don't! In general, you're pretty good about finishing your stories, so I say don't let the unfinished ones stress you out too much.

I had this tiny idea to post bits and pieces of the backstory of PBox, a prequel if you will, but I don't know that I'm ready to commit to an entire novel of everyone before the events of PBox (especially when our Boys are youngins and Nick in particular is birth to 13)... Even though I think the bits and pieces that I did want to post are interesting. So I'm over here like, if y'all like PBox and find all this interesting, do you care that this is forever an "as the mood strikes" story? What if I get to the end of it all and don't care to finish it? I don't know. :shrug: This was only a slightly related thought to that "committing to posting something" comment.

Yes! It's fun to experiment in short stories. Most of the times I wanted to try something new, I started with a short story because it's easier to get to the end without having to worry about expanding on anything you don't want to. I think there's always something to be said for challenging yourself, but there's nothing wrong with being creative in your niche too. There's a reason "niche" is nice with a little chimney house inside of it. ;)

This a long diatribe, but my point is that even when we're scared, we have two choices. We can work through the fear or not. And even with comfortable things, there's some fear of how it will all go. I posted the first PNecklace chapter on AO3 and no one has read it. haha. So I'm over here like, I see you AO3, you do not like your fantasy stories and/or you Boys dying; noted. Now I can laugh at it, but I know in the past, I would have been really nervous about the whole thing.

Whatever you decide to go with, it's going to be great.  :)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 07:13:19 PM
Usually their main motivation in my stories is survival LOL.

I will comment on the rest, but LMAO over here. That's never the motivation they started with! They just wanted something mundane like living life as usual thinking they were cancer free or making a Christmas album.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 07:59:41 PM
I will comment on the rest, but LMAO over here. That's never the motivation they started with! They just wanted something mundane like living life as usual thinking they were cancer free or making a Christmas album.

Haha, true!  Which goes to show how quickly a character's motivation can change.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 08:04:54 PM
Haha, true!  Which goes to show how quickly a character's motivation can change.

They thought they wanted to make a Christmas album, but what they really needed was to survive. And if you're heartless like me, now they get neither.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 08:53:58 PM
1. Beginnings, Middles, or Endings: What is your favorite part to write in a story and why?
Endings!  Since I write in order, I spend the whole story looking forward to the big climactic moments near the end.  And as we've discussed, there are few things more satisfying than finally finishing a story.


2. Same question, but least favorite?
Beginnings.  While it's exciting to start something new, there's so much uncertainty that comes with a new story.  It can be daunting to imagine how I want it to go and then look at the blank page and think about how much I have to write to get to that point.  Once I get a few chapters in, it becomes easier if it's going well.

So do middles lean more toward like or dislike for you? I agree that the beginning can be daunting and waiting with all that excitement to write things you want to write makes them flow out really quickly.

3. When you're writing a beginning, how much time do you like to devote to backstory or do you intersperse it throughout the story?
I try to intersperse it as needed instead of doing a big information drop at the beginning.


4. What are backstory elements you know, but don't include? Are these conscious choices or more along the lines of "We're BSB fans reading BSB fanfics"?
One of the nice parts about writing fanfic is that it comes with a set of already-developed "characters."  I don't spend as much time detailing the Boys' real history, unless it relates to what's happening in the story.  I probably include more of this kind of stuff in stories set in the past to help set the scene for what point in BSB history we're in.  For example, Heroic Measures was set in 1995, so I did write more about the Boys' formation and early years together than I normally would.

Imagine if we all had to start every story with some sort of "the history of the Backstreet Boys" weaved in. haha! How many times could we all read about Nick talking about the first time he met Brian? Like at that point, I would just rather go watch Nick talking about it and then come back to whatever story.

I don't think anyone likes info dumps at the beginning, readers or writers. It's just not as interesting.

5. Do you always know your main character's (or characters') motivation when you start a story or does it come up later?
I guess it depends on the story.  In a character-driven story, I definitely have a sense of the main character's motivation and overall arc before I start the story.  In a plot-driven story, I tend to think more in terms of what situations I'm going to put the characters in and how they'll react than what their motivation is.  Usually their main motivation in my stories is survival LOL.  But as I write, other things come up as a subplots, like the Brian political stuff I included in Bethlehem.  That was not planned from the beginning.

Would you say, in general, you write more pot-driven stories or more character-driven stories? Or different types at different periods in your body of work? I love happy accidents like that where it just kind of fits.

6. "I won't start the beginning of the story until I know: ____________."
The title, the characters' names, and at least a basic sense of what happens in the beginning, middle, and end.

7. What's the easiest thing about beginnings and the most challenging?
When I start off inspired, it's easy to stay inspired through the beginning.  But sometimes it takes me a few chapters to really get into a new story, so that's not always the case.  The most challenging thing for me is usually the first line.

At least you get five characters' names out of the way pretty quickly!

First lines are so hard. I'm not sure my are very good half the time. Except for the snail story; that one is gold.

8. "In the middle of the story, I often: ______________ ."
Make a prediction for how many chapters long the story will be, which is almost always too low LOL.  I was actually pretty close with Bethlehem - first I thought it would be about 25 chapters, then I thought 20, and it ended up at 22.


9. What's something overrated about middles? What's something underrated about middles?
These middle questions are hard LOL.  I guess the middle is where some authors (myself included - see BMS) get derailed with subplots, which can be overrated.  But the middle is usually where most of the character development occurs, which may be underrated.


11. What's the easiest thing about middles and the most challenging?
The easiest thing is that you've made it through the beginning, so you should be getting into the rising action, a.k.a. the good stuff.  The most challenging thing is staying inspired through this section, especially with a long story.  I am not a runner, but I'm going to use a marathon metaphor anyway.  In the middle, you're past the starting line, when you're full of energy and excitement, but not yet to the last leg, when you get your second wind and are ready to race to the finish, so you just have to force yourself to keep plodding forward.

You got it right in the middle for Bethlehem! That is pretty close!

These middle questions were so hard to come up with! Character development forever. And I agree, sometimes the middles can be hard to keep going through even though it's all usually good stuff.

12. What's the easiest thing about endings and the most challenging?
I am usually uber-inspired by the time I reach the climax of a story.  I almost always go on an end-of-story writing streak, so staying inspired is easy.  The most challenging is trying to wrap up all the loose ends and not leaving anything hanging.  It can also be tough to come up with the perfect last line.


13. "I won't end the story until I know: ____________."
I've reached the end of the character's journey and wrapped up the loose ends.

Do you set writing goals for yourself once you've reached and ending or does it just kind of happen that you're writing all the time? Last lines are also hard.

Yes, end those journeys!

14. Do you always know the end of a story when you start it? If not, when's the last possible point you must decide the ending?
I almost always know the end a story when I start it.  It's not always set in stone, but at least I have a sense of it or several possibilities that could all work.  I guess the last possible point to decide would be the last chapter, but I've pretty much always made up by mind by the halfway point of the story.  I can't remember a time when I've drastically changed the ending at the last minute.

Deciding on an end for a story at the last chapter sounds stressful! How do you properly build up to it?

15. Do your stories always have an ending or do you leave them open-ended just in case?
I've written short stories that were intentionally left open-ended, and I have at least one or two very old novels that I left open to a possible sequel.  One of them was the one I wrote at a reader's suggestion and hated, so I ran out of steam and hastily wrapped it up before the ending I had originally planned and said I would save the rest for a sequel, which I never wrote LOL.  Nowadays I try to give my novels a satisfying (but not necessarily always happy) ending and don't do sequels, except for my silly pandaskunk saga.


16. What types of endings leave you feeling most satisfied with your story? (Interpret that as you will.)
Of course I love happy endings where everything works out, but I'm also a fan of bittersweet ending, which are sad but still leave the characters and readers with a sense of closure.

I think that's the best personal experience to remind people to not write stories other people requested. Would you be opposed to a sequel if you ever had an idea for a story that did seem like it had more story than the current arc your were working on? Or do you try to avoid those ideas?

The character for sure need closure whether it's happy or not.

17. Do you ever leave noodle incidents in your story without a resolution for fun?
I had to look up what a noodle incident was.  (Here it is, in case anyone else wondered: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NoodleIncident)  I'm not sure if this counts, but I used to reference a lot of personal inside jokes in my stories that are never explained.  Broken, in particular, is full of them.  For example, there's a "Dr. Marvin" who only appears in a couple chapters (98-99), and when Nick meets him, I describe all this random stuff he has in his office, but never explain why:

He was based on an online acquaintance that another online friend of mine and I secretly called "Starvin Marvin" and had all these inside jokes about.  Some of these references I can remember the story behind, and others I honestly don't LOL.

Haha. I like this doctor who never appears again, but has a very detailed introduction to who he might be based on his desk. Excellent!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 09:27:52 PM
Or a completely new story, whatever ends up being the most fun! :) Especially if you don't post much during the school year, I would say you're golden to just tinker with whatever. It's once you start posting that you have to commit to something. Or don't! In general, you're pretty good about finishing your stories, so I say don't let the unfinished ones stress you out too much.

I had this tiny idea to post bits and pieces of the backstory of PBox, a prequel if you will, but I don't know that I'm ready to commit to an entire novel of everyone before the events of PBox (especially when our Boys are youngins and Nick in particular is birth to 13)... Even though I think the bits and pieces that I did want to post are interesting. So I'm over here like, if y'all like PBox and find all this interesting, do you care that this is forever an "as the mood strikes" story? What if I get to the end of it all and don't care to finish it? I don't know. :shrug: This was only a slightly related thought to that "committing to posting something" comment.

Yes! It's fun to experiment in short stories. Most of the times I wanted to try something new, I started with a short story because it's easier to get to the end without having to worry about expanding on anything you don't want to. I think there's always something to be said for challenging yourself, but there's nothing wrong with being creative in your niche too. There's a reason "niche" is nice with a little chimney house inside of it. ;)

This a long diatribe, but my point is that even when we're scared, we have two choices. We can work through the fear or not. And even with comfortable things, there's some fear of how it will all go. I posted the first PNecklace chapter on AO3 and no one has read it. haha. So I'm over here like, I see you AO3, you do not like your fantasy stories and/or you Boys dying; noted. Now I can laugh at it, but I know in the past, I would have been really nervous about the whole thing.

Whatever you decide to go with, it's going to be great.  :)

Thanks!  That's what I'm thinking too, that I've got time to just tinker for now until I settle into something.  This happens to me almost every time I finish a story.  Last year I lucked out because I ended up working on Heroic Measures and Bethlehem simultaneously, so when I finished one, it was easy to go right back to the other.  That may be what happens with My Brother's Keeper and Fallen Angel until I figure out which one I'm ready to commit to.

I think it's okay to have a "when the mood strikes" story too, especially if you make that clear from the beginning. 

As for AO3, you should try including some kinky tags in PNecklace.  If you sort the BSB stories in order of hits, that's what gets the clicks over there. LOL

I agree with what you said about having two choices.  I've found that the stories that scare or intimidate me usually turn out the best once I work through that fear.

A question for everyone:  What story or chapter were you most nervous about posting?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 09:28:22 PM
They thought they wanted to make a Christmas album, but what they really needed was to survive. And if you're heartless like me, now they get neither.

Hehe... no comment.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 09:33:10 PM
Hehe... no comment.

You monster. (I always mean this in the most loving way.)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 06, 2021, 09:39:13 PM
I laughed really hard at this and I almost felt bad bahahaha


Hehe... no comment.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 09:59:58 PM
So do middles lean more toward like or dislike for you? I agree that the beginning can be daunting and waiting with all that excitement to write things you want to write makes them flow out really quickly.

I like middles.  The middle is the meat of the story, where most of the drama happens.


Imagine if we all had to start every story with some sort of "the history of the Backstreet Boys" weaved in. haha! How many times could we all read about Nick talking about the first time he met Brian? Like at that point, I would just rather go watch Nick talking about it and then come back to whatever story.

LOL It would be like every Babysitter's Club book, where Chapter 2 was always the back story about how the BSC was formed and a description of each member.


Would you say, in general, you write more pot-driven stories or more character-driven stories? Or different types at different periods in your body of work? I love happy accidents like that where it just kind of fits.

I'm definitely more plot-driven.  When I plan a story, I tend to think in terms of the plot first and then cast my characters based on which boy(s) will work best for that idea.  Sometimes I'll start with certain characters in mind and craft a plot around them, but that is not my norm.  Character development typically comes as a result of the events in my stories.


First lines are so hard. I'm not sure my are very good half the time. Except for the snail story; that one is gold.

Haha, I can't wait to read it!!


Do you set writing goals for yourself once you've reached and ending or does it just kind of happen that you're writing all the time? Last lines are also hard.

You mean once I've reached the beginning of the ending? (LOL)  I don't set writing goals for myself; I just write when I feel like it.  But being so close to the end usually gives me a burst of inspiration, so I tend to write more often.  Toward the end of A Heart That Isn't Mine, I was writing before and after school just about every day because I was so into it.  That's also why I usually need a break from writing after I finish a story like that so I can clean my house, catch up on my TV shows, and all the other things I neglected while I was in my fanfic bubble LOL.


Deciding on an end for a story at the last chapter sounds stressful! How do you properly build up to it?

It would definitely stress me out not to know what was going to happen well in advance.


I think that's the best personal experience to remind people to not write stories other people requested. Would you be opposed to a sequel if you ever had an idea for a story that did seem like it had more story than the current arc your were working on? Or do you try to avoid those ideas?

I would not be opposed to a sequel if it made sense, but I try to avoid them just because I haven't had the best luck with finishing them.  BMS is the last novel-length sequel I wrote, and thankfully that one was a success, but I held on to that one for a long time before I started posting it on my site because I wasn't sure I would be able to finish it and didn't want it to ruin Broken.  I don't think I've had any fanfic novel ideas since that have demanded a sequel.  I've written a couple of one-shot companions to previously-finished novels, but I don't consider those true sequels as much as, well, companions.  One was just for an April Fools joke anyway.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 10:04:20 PM
I laughed really hard at this and I almost felt bad bahahaha

You monster. (I always mean this in the most loving way.)

I am a monster; I'll proudly admit it.  Tracy knows this about me LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 10:06:18 PM
Thanks!  That's what I'm thinking too, that I've got time to just tinker for now until I settle into something.  This happens to me almost every time I finish a story.  Last year I lucked out because I ended up working on Heroic Measures and Bethlehem simultaneously, so when I finished one, it was easy to go right back to the other.  That may be what happens with My Brother's Keeper and Fallen Angel until I figure out which one I'm ready to commit to.

That would be exciting if the same thing happened. How nice would that be if when you were in tinkering mode, both stories just kind of hit a stride, but one was slightly more than the other! And two years in a row too.

I think it's okay to have a "when the mood strikes" story too, especially if you make that clear from the beginning. 

As for AO3, you should try including some kinky tags in PNecklace.  If you sort the BSB stories in order of hits, that's what gets the clicks over there. LOL

Might be the way to round out that whole universe. Who knows!

Haha, it's not that kinky. Except for that little subplot I mentioned way back when and that seems like it's not the kinky subplots they seem to be into. If anything, it's more demons physically eating each others' body parts, but not in a sexual way. Although, I did write a part where I deliberately selected words that could be taken in a food context and a sexual context at the same time. As I intended, it upped the creep factor of the whole thing! ;D

I agree with what you said about having two choices.  I've found that the stories that scare or intimidate me usually turn out the best once I work through that fear.

A question for everyone:  What story or chapter were you most nervous about posting?

I agree. There's a reason things scare us in writing and it's usually that we've hit a place where we can grow if we rise to the challenge.

Oh man! So many!

Let's see... I guess I was pretty nervous about Beta Sigma Beta when I first started writing it because it was the first solo story I'd written since PBox and it was outside of part of my niche market on the BSB fanfic world. At that time, I think people that really read my stuff knew me for PBox and Gobosei more than any of my failed other ideas. The other reason was that when I started posting it, I knew that I was planning on flipping back and forth between real time and AU time, but no one reading knew for the first three chapters. So I did worry that people would get to chapter four and stop reading it when I was like "Surprise, this is also partially an AU!" Also Nick was kind of an opinionated dick in that story, haha.

Chapters-wise... Two come to mind right away.

One was PBox ch. 25 "Deep Scars" where I revealed that part of Renee's anger at Minako stemmed from what Renee assumed was implied rape. Which yikes! It was never actual rape, it was all manipulation by Justin... But when I was editing it, I went "Oh geez, this does not sit well in 2020..." So I added a tiny bit that made it seem clearer that it didn't happen. But even back then, I was like "Do I add a trigger warning? Will people hate this?" Anyway... PBox is pretty dark on many occasions... I still worry that it was too much for an already dark story, but as with many other things about it... While I edited and improved, I didn't remove anything that was relevant to the plot or character motivations; only a few filler things where I thought "Oh man, this sounds so stupid... Exactly what an aging teeny would think the fluffiest of romances should touch on so briefly in the most irrelevant moments." Like even Ch. 10 "Heart of Warmth," which got a major rehaul, still has the exact same plot as it did before (Nick apologizes to Minako and says he didn't understand her feelings); it's just better conveyed.

The other was PBox ch. 46 "Chaos" ("God of Chaos" at the time) which featured graphic heart eating (and also I killed off AJ...) I thought, is this heart eating too gross? Like I know I said graphic violence, but... And also AJ died! And I knew if people did not like AJ dying... Well they weren't going to like what I had planned for ch. 47 "Sorry" or ch. 48 "Denouement" either! However, after writing that chapter, I had my six month writer's block, so I guess I never found out one way or another if people hated the Boys dying. None of those chapters ever got reviews on them and no one's ever told me they were mad, so I assumed everyone stopped reading because they were mad or forgot about the story when it went unfinished for so long.

And then of course ch. 47 and ch. 48 again for the whole Boys dying thing... But again. No one ever told me one way or the other. :shrug:
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 10:08:20 PM
I laughed really hard at this and I almost felt bad bahahaha

No spoilers! I like to read my BSB stories when I want to sleep, but can't sleep yet. I'm a few hours away!

I am a monster; I'll proudly admit it.  Tracy knows this about me LOL.

I wrote a whole story about cute demons and then I wrote half of a second one (so far). Clearly I love monsters. But as long as you know, then I will stop trying to make it seem nice. ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 10:23:49 PM
Haha, it's not that kinky. Except for that little subplot I mentioned way back when and that seems like it's not the kinky subplots they seem to be into. If anything, it's more demons physically eating each others' body parts, but not in a sexual way. Although, I did write a part where I deliberately selected words that could be taken in a food context and a sexual context at the same time. As I intended, it upped the creep factor of the whole thing! ;D

LOL I know you don't write that kind of kink.  I'm just saying if you add tags like "Cousin Incest," "Anal Fingering," and "Cock Slapping," whether the story actually includes that stuff or not, people will apparently click on it.  Check out the tags on this one, the most clicked on BSB story on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21715126/chapters/51797743   ???


Let's see... I guess I was pretty nervous about Beta Sigma Beta when I first started writing it because it was the first solo story I'd written since PBox and it was outside of part of my niche market on the BSB fanfic world. At that time, I think people that really read my stuff knew me for PBox and Gobosei more than any of my failed other ideas. The other reason was that when I started posting it, I knew that I was planning on flipping back and forth between real time and AU time, but no one reading knew for the first three chapters. So I did worry that people would get to chapter four and stop reading it when I was like "Surprise, this is also partially an AU!" Also Nick was kind of an opinionated dick in that story, haha.

Chapters-wise... Two come to mind right away.

One was PBox ch. 25 "Deep Scars" where I revealed that part of Renee's anger at Minako stemmed from what Renee assumed was implied rape. Which yikes! It was never actual rape, it was all manipulation by Justin... But when I was editing it, I went "Oh geez, this does not sit well in 2020..." So I added a tiny bit that made it seem clearer that it didn't happen. But even back then, I was like "Do I add a trigger warning? Will people hate this?" Anyway... PBox is pretty dark on many occasions... I still worry that it was too much for an already dark story, but as with many other things about it... While I edited and improved, I didn't remove anything that was relevant to the plot or character motivations; only a few filler things where I thought "Oh man, this sounds so stupid... Exactly what an aging teeny would think the fluffiest of romances should touch on so briefly in the most irrelevant moments." Like even Ch. 10 "Heart of Warmth," which got a major rehaul, still has the exact same plot as it did before (Nick apologizes to Minako and says he didn't understand her feelings); it's just better conveyed.

The other was PBox ch. 46 "Chaos" ("God of Chaos" at the time) which featured graphic heart eating (and also I killed off AJ...) I thought, is this heart eating too gross? Like I know I said graphic violence, but... And also AJ died! And I knew if people did not like AJ dying... Well they weren't going to like what I had planned for ch. 47 "Sorry" or ch. 48 "Denouement" either! However, after writing that chapter, I had my six month writer's block, so I guess I never found out one way or another if people hated the Boys dying. None of those chapters ever got reviews on them and no one's ever told me they were mad, so I assumed everyone stopped reading because they were mad or forgot about the story when it went unfinished for so long.

And then of course ch. 47 and ch. 48 again for the whole Boys dying thing... But again. No one ever told me one way or the other. :shrug:

I think that's a good way to lure people who may not love AU into reading an AU.  Start with canon BSB and then switch to AU after you've sucked them in LOL.  I love genre-bending twists.

The dark stuff is always what makes me nervous to post too, but I've discovered that most fanfic readers, at least the ones I talk to, like dark stuff.  I'm sure there's still the light, fluffy romance lovers, but I don't think they read our stuff LOL.  Graphic heart-eating and death for the win!

It is disappointing when you post something you're expecting a reaction for and get no reviews.  Hence why you should try the kinky tags, hehe.  Just kidding... or am I?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 10:24:06 PM
I like middles.  The middle is the meat of the story, where most of the drama happens.

You know, I hated on middles when I wrote the questions, but I really don't hate middles at all; they might actually be my favorite. They're just hard to come up with "relevant to everyone" questions for.

LOL It would be like every Babysitter's Club book, where Chapter 2 was always the back story about how the BSC was formed and a description of each member.

Ann M. Martin, I loved you... but I always skimmed that chapter for that reason. I had the entire series  as a child, then donated most of it to a book drive my middle school did because I wanted other kids to enjoy the BSC like I had. I kept two books she signed when I met her, so... hopefully they had the money to buy those two books, sorry!

I'm definitely more plot-driven.  When I plan a story, I tend to think in terms of the plot first and then cast my characters based on which boy(s) will work best for that idea.  Sometimes I'll start with certain characters in mind and craft a plot around them, but that is not my norm.  Character development typically comes as a result of the events in my stories.

I think we've discussed this before, since I'm the opposite. I will always lean in favor of characters over plot, but I don't know that I ever start by thinking something like "I want to write a story about Howie. Now... what does Howie do?" It's more, here's an idea with a place to start and a possible ending. What they do in the middle... That's on them!

You mean once I've reached the beginning of the ending? (LOL)  I don't set writing goals for myself; I just write when I feel like it.  But being so close to the end usually gives me a burst of inspiration, so I tend to write more often.  Toward the end of A Heart That Isn't Mine, I was writing before and after school just about every day because I was so into it.  That's also why I usually need a break from writing after I finish a story like that so I can clean my house, catch up on my TV shows, and all the other things I neglected while I was in my fanfic bubble LOL.

Yes, the beginning of the ending! What a weird phrase. I'm still amazed that you wrote that both before school and after school. It's impressive. And I feel you on the break. That was kind of me this week. Also since the first week is kind of busy with one of my volunteer positions anyway.

I would not be opposed to a sequel if it made sense, but I try to avoid them just because I haven't had the best luck with finishing them.  BMS is the last novel-length sequel I wrote, and thankfully that one was a success, but I held on to that one for a long time before I started posting it on my site because I wasn't sure I would be able to finish it and didn't want it to ruin Broken.  I don't think I've had any fanfic novel ideas since that have demanded a sequel.  I've written a couple of one-shot companions to previously-finished novels, but I don't consider those true sequels as much as, well, companions.  One was just for an April Fools joke anyway.

I didn't know that! How long did you hold on to BMS after you finished Broken? Were you still posting Broken when you started writing BMS or was it already complete?

I think a one-shot companion is different, because it doesn't necessarily have to take place at the end of the story. It could just be a fun middle thing you wanted to write, but never did. Those ones just happened to take place after the main plot.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 10:24:49 PM
No spoilers! I like to read my BSB stories when I want to sleep, but can't sleep yet. I'm a few hours away!

I wrote a whole story about cute demons and then I wrote half of a second one (so far). Clearly I love monsters. But as long as you know, then I will stop trying to make it seem nice. ;)

I love monsters too, so I took it as a compliment!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 10:45:44 PM
Ann M. Martin, I loved you... but I always skimmed that chapter for that reason. I had the entire series  as a child, then donated most of it to a book drive my middle school did because I wanted other kids to enjoy the BSC like I had. I kept two books she signed when I met her, so... hopefully they had the money to buy those two books, sorry!

That's so cool that you got to meet her!  I still have all my BSC books.  I used to have them all in my classroom, but none of the kids wanted to read them, so I boxed up all but the first five and took them home.  I keep trying to get girls who have read the new graphic novel versions to try the originals, but they say they can't get into them.  Kids today!  I realize they are very 80s, so they probably seem too outdated.


I think we've discussed this before, since I'm the opposite. I will always lean in favor of characters over plot, but I don't know that I ever start by thinking something like "I want to write a story about Howie. Now... what does Howie do?" It's more, here's an idea with a place to start and a possible ending. What they do in the middle... That's on them!

LOL I have done the "I want to write a story about [insert Backstreet Boy here].  Now... what does he do?" thing before.  Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.  I got a nice little short story out of going, "I wanna write a Howie/Brian story... because no one ever writes about the two of them together."  (I'm not talking about slash though.)  Of all the Boys, Howie and Brian are the two that don't seem to have a special bond with each other within the group, at least not that they have really shown us.  So I thought about what a story about Howie and Brian would entail and decided it would have to center around Nick because, to me, that is the common denominator - they both have/had a close friendship with Nick.  So I wrote a little story about Howie and Brian bonding over something bad happening to Nick.

So with PBox, do you remember what your original idea was?  My ideas tend to come about like, "I want to write a survival story," or "Maybe the Boys quarantine together in some remote location to work on the Christmas album, and something bad happens."  What does that sound like for a character-driven idea?


I didn't know that! How long did you hold on to BMS after you finished Broken? Were you still posting Broken when you started writing BMS or was it already complete?

I actually forgot I did that until I was looking back at my old site updates while blogging about BMS for my site's anniversary last year.  I started BMS in March 2004, right after finishing Broken, but didn't start posting it on my site until April 2005, when I was already 50+ chapters in.  Before that, I was only sharing chapters on a Yahoo Group I had created for Broken readers who really wanted to read it in its early stages.  Obviously once I was that far into it, I knew I was good to go, but I was really worried about it in the beginning.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 10:47:27 PM
LOL I know you don't write that kind of kink.  I'm just saying if you add tags like "Cousin Incest," "Anal Fingering," and "Cock Slapping," whether the story actually includes that stuff or not, people will apparently click on it.  Check out the tags on this one, the most clicked on BSB story on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21715126/chapters/51797743   ???

OMG! ??? How many people are actually reading it and how many are clicking on it just for the tags?!?! I was not about to read any of that, but I just had to see what these tags were and I can't imagine it doesn't have other clicks for that reason too. Also, I like to leave cousin incest out of my stories, because Kevin and Brian may be from Kentucky, but they both deserve a non-incestuous relationship.

I think that's a good way to lure people who may not love AU into reading an AU.  Start with canon BSB and then switch to AU after you've sucked them in LOL.  I love genre-bending twists.

The dark stuff is always what makes me nervous to post too, but I've discovered that most fanfic readers, at least the ones I talk to, like dark stuff.  I'm sure there's still the light, fluffy romance lovers, but I don't think they read our stuff LOL.  Graphic heart-eating and death for the win!

It is disappointing when you post something you're expecting a reaction for and get no reviews.  Hence why you should try the kinky tags, hehe.  Just kidding... or am I?

I also love genre-bending twists! It was my favorite part of the idea. But then I had no ideas for anything and... No more Beta Sigma Beta.  :-[

I'm sure there's a list that the fluffy lovers keep that says "The following authors are into some dark things: ..." That way, they know to avoid us. Which is too bad, because I like to offset the dark with a lot of fluffy things, like loving romances and bromances. Thanks for enthusiastical ly supporting my dark choices; I support your dark choices as well.

You're not kidding, but also kinky heart eating could be spoiler? And I don't like to tag my spoilers. Hence "Chose not to add warnings."

A question for everyone:  What story or chapter were you most nervous about posting?

I thought of another one, but I haven't posted it yet... Which is probably why I didn't think of it the first time. There's an upcoming chapter of PNecklace that I'm actually very nervous to post for entirely different reasons than dark or graphic anything (I ultimately decided the part that would have been graphic was too graphic and mentioned, but not in great detail). I guess, for anyone reading PNecklace, you'll know which one it is when you see it. I'm also very excited to post it. I guarantee that you'll know which one it is. So tell me what you think somehow... Smoke signals... Registering for an account here... Snail (but not killer snail) mail... Telepathy... Whatever...
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 11:06:26 PM
OMG! ??? How many people are actually reading it and how many are clicking on it just for the tags?!?! I was not about to read any of that, but I just had to see what these tags were and I can't imagine it doesn't have other clicks for that reason too. Also, I like to leave cousin incest out of my stories, because Kevin and Brian may be from Kentucky, but they both deserve a non-incestuous relationship.

LOL!  I have not clicked on that one, but I admit, I have clicked on others with some kinky tags (the Baylee gang-bang one comes to mind) just to see if they were for real, and... yep.  They were.  The Kentucky cousin incest is about as bad as Brian encouraging the other guys to rape his son, but at least Kevin and Brian are consenting adults.


I'm sure there's a list that the fluffy lovers keep that says "The following authors are into some dark things: ..." That way, they know to avoid us. Which is too bad, because I like to offset the dark with a lot of fluffy things, like loving romances and bromances. Thanks for enthusiastical ly supporting my dark choices; I support your dark choices as well.

They're missing out!  I like a little fluff and comic relief to offset the darkness too.  Thanks!


You're not kidding, but also kinky heart eating could be spoiler? And I don't like to tag my spoilers. Hence "Chose not to add warnings."

Same.  I don't know that I've written anything I would call kinky, but the most fetishy thing I've written is not on AO3 yet... and when I do post it there, I will not be including tags that spoil its content, even if it means attracting fewer readers.  I hate spoilers.

I wonder if there's a good word for kinky heart eating?  Let's see what Google has to say...

Found it:  cardiophagy

https://hecatejoannes.tumblr.com/post/137920565268/cardiophagy-aka-cardiophagia-noun-the-practice
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 11:27:28 PM
I love monsters too, so I took it as a compliment!

As you should!

That's so cool that you got to meet her!  I still have all my BSC books.  I used to have them all in my classroom, but none of the kids wanted to read them, so I boxed up all but the first five and took them home.  I keep trying to get girls who have read the new graphic novel versions to try the originals, but they say they can't get into them.  Kids today!  I realize they are very 80s, so they probably seem too outdated.

I remember that it was awesome, but I do not remember what I asked her or said, haha. Some of the kids in my class read The Boxcar Children and I can't imagine that those books are any less outdated than BSC, but I also don't think there's a new version. So that might be it. There's a new version they relate to better, so why would they read the older version? I also think there are many very well-written graphic novels with excellent stories, so I figure as long as they're enjoying the BSC, it doesn't matter to me if the story is conveyed in only words or a combination of words/pictures. They do miss out on the way feelings and scenery are described, but it's similar to a movie in that respect. You intuit a lot more.

LOL I have done the "I want to write a story about [insert Backstreet Boy here].  Now... what does he do?" thing before.  Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.  I got a nice little short story out of going, "I wanna write a Howie/Brian story... because no one ever writes about the two of them together."  (I'm not talking about slash though.)  Of all the Boys, Howie and Brian are the two that don't seem to have a special bond with each other within the group, at least not that they have really shown us.  So I thought about what a story about Howie and Brian would entail and decided it would have to center around Nick because, to me, that is the common denominator - they both have/had a close friendship with Nick.  So I wrote a little story about Howie and Brian bonding over something bad happening to Nick.

I was glad you had some Brian&Howie (That's how you designate the platonic version in other fandoms, but not sure if we've picked up on it as much over here in BSB; I don't read other fandoms' fanfic, but I've seen it.) in Bethlehem. I think they get overlooked because whatever special bond they may have, they don't show us. Maybe they just tolerate each other in the collective? That would be so sad... :( I think Nick is good common denominator when we're not sure on their personal specifics.

So with PBox, do you remember what your original idea was?  My ideas tend to come about like, "I want to write a survival story," or "Maybe the Boys quarantine together in some remote location to work on the Christmas album, and something bad happens."  What does that sound like for a character-driven idea?

But of course! Please see below:

I think I've mentioned before that PBox began as a weird dream, but I'm not sure who remembers that after this long. There was a demon carrying a girl through the dark and they picked up a box from an altar, but that weird and random demon had Nick's face. And I wonder now if this was more a case of "your brain can't make up faces and you fall asleep staring at the same five faces every day" than "you remembered this weird dream, this is a sign to write this story," but here we are. So I just started thinking and writing. How would this girl end up with these demons? Why was there a box? If Nick is a demon, then the other Boys should be demons, but why are the Boys demons? What are demons like? I planned out the first few and then puzzled through the last question as I wrote. I hadn't figured out what I was doing exactly by the time Nick was introduced (two chapters in, oh noes), but I had decided that if he was found in hiding, then maybe he didn't know his powers.

I've said before that I'm a questioner more than an outliner, so "Why was there a box?" became closely tied to the question "Why do the demons want the box?" And they had their collective reasoning, but PBox et al. spans the big question of "what defines us/me/you?" for all of the characters. I think this is vague enough without being a spoiler... Character motivations is really where I start since they're driving the plot along. After all, Nick has changed endings on me twice so far based on what he ends up doing, so I've just given up on planning too much without his input. I may as well say it. Y'all heard it here first: PNecklace does have a defined end that will close this arc. The whole story does as well, but it's not in PNecklace. Sometimes I hate Nick and his epic story so much (and this is why I've been calling it "PBox et al." when I speak of them collectively).

So our buddy Nick started from "I want the box because it's obvious the thing I don't have is sealed in it: my memories." (And he was kind of right, but not exactly.) And the story happened and his motivation became: "I do not want the box, because I don't actually care about whether or not I have my old memories. I actually want to keep my 'family of choice' and our memories that I've gotten from all of this. But they want the box, so I guess box?" And now we're on to PNecklace where he's like "Well, I guess I need my memories after all to help solve this next problem... So, yay? But I can't let them define me, I still want my 'family of choice' and our memories instead." And where he ends up at the end... Well... You'll see. ;) It's all fun. He's very busy trucking the plot along with his plucky gumption.

I actually forgot I did that until I was looking back at my old site updates while blogging about BMS for my site's anniversary last year.  I started BMS in March 2004, right after finishing Broken, but didn't start posting it on my site until April 2005, when I was already 50+ chapters in.  Before that, I was only sharing chapters on a Yahoo Group I had created for Broken readers who really wanted to read it in its early stages.  Obviously once I was that far into it, I knew I was good to go, but I was really worried about it in the beginning.

Wow, a whole year! I'm not surprised because I know you had other things going on at the time, but it felt like they were a lot closer together and I don't know why I'm thinking that. Were you posting other things during that time or just BMS on the Yahoo Group? Did you change anything based on comments from your early readers or did it all mostly stay the same?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 06, 2021, 11:41:22 PM
LOL!  I have not clicked on that one, but I admit, I have clicked on others with some kinky tags (the Baylee gang-bang one comes to mind) just to see if they were for real, and... yep.  They were.  The Kentucky cousin incest is about as bad as Brian encouraging the other guys to rape his son, but at least Kevin and Brian are consenting adults.

You made me add to the hit count when you haven't?! Now I'm part of the problem! LMAO. I did not click that one, but saw it when it was being updated and said "Yikes!" That's the one thing Kentucky cousin has going for it, both parties are consenting adults. I guess I don't really care what people do in their free time as long as everyone is a consenting adult, even if I don't necessarily like it. However, that doesn't mean I want to read about it, because that's not what I like to do with my free time.

They're missing out!  I like a little fluff and comic relief to offset the darkness too.  Thanks!


Same.  I don't know that I've written anything I would call kinky, but the most fetishy thing I've written is not on AO3 yet... and when I do post it there, I will not be including tags that spoil its content, even if it means attracting fewer readers.  I hate spoilers.

I wonder if there's a good word for kinky heart eating?  Let's see what Google has to say...

Found it:  cardiophagy

https://hecatejoannes.tumblr.com/post/137920565268/cardiophagy-aka-cardiophagia-noun-the-practice

Oh yes, I forgot about comic relief.

I was fine with "graphic violence," as always, because it's just there. I did add it here for PNecklace even though there actually hasn't been anything too bad yet. Just because I want people to know that this isn't a lighter and fluffier continuation of PBox.

I'm not big on spoilers either, but when speaking on PBox I also figure there's gotta be a time limit for considering something a spoiler. Like the Vader is Luke's father thing or Snape kills Dumbledore... Everyone knows those by know or consciously decided they didn't want to consume the media so... I'd never tag a story with spoilers (that fine line between "Death" and "Major Character Death"), but I feel like talking about them 10 years later is an eh for me. Now call me a monster if you vehemently disagree!

I would have guessed something like cardiophagy, because cardiophillia doesn't quite grasp on the eating aspect. Rule 34?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 06, 2021, 11:51:19 PM
I was glad you had some Brian&Howie (That's how you designate the platonic version in other fandoms, but not sure if we've picked up on it as much over here in BSB; I don't read other fandoms' fanfic, but I've seen it.) in Bethlehem. I think they get overlooked because whatever special bond they may have, they don't show us. Maybe they just tolerate each other in the collective? That would be so sad... :( I think Nick is good common denominator when we're not sure on their personal specifics.

I actually just learned that last year when I started tagging relationships on AO3 and looked up the difference between / and &.  I had never seen that distinction used in our fandom before either.  I should probably start using it here instead of saying "but not in a slashy way" LOL.  I never felt the need to differentiate until I actually wrote a slash, but now you never know.


I've said before that I'm a questioner more than an outliner, so "Why was there a box?" became closely tied to the question "Why do the demons want the box?" And they had their collective reasoning, but PBox et al. spans the big question of "what defines us/me/you?" for all of the characters. I think this is vague enough without being a spoiler... Character motivations is really where I start since they're driving the plot along. After all, Nick has changed endings on me twice so far based on what he ends up doing, so I've just given up on planning too much without his input. I may as well say it. Y'all heard it here first: PNecklace does have a defined end that will close this arc. The whole story does as well, but it's not in PNecklace. Sometimes I hate Nick and his epic story so much (and this is why I've been calling it "PBox et al." when I speak of them collectively).

So our buddy Nick started from "I want the box because it's obvious the thing I don't have is sealed in it: my memories." (And he was kind of right, but not exactly.) And the story happened and his motivation became: "I do not want the box, because I don't actually care about whether or not I have my old memories. I actually want to keep my 'family of choice' and our memories that I've gotten from all of this. But they want the box, so I guess box?" And now we're on to PNecklace where he's like "Well, I guess I need my memories after all to help solve this next problem... So, yay? But I can't let them define me, I still want my 'family of choice' and our memories instead." And where he ends up at the end... Well... You'll see. ;) It's all fun. He's very busy trucking the plot along with his plucky gumption.

Kudos to you for figuring all that out from an image in a dream!  It's cool when something like that can spark an entire epic series.


Wow, a whole year! I'm not surprised because I know you had other things going on at the time, but it felt like they were a lot closer together and I don't know why I'm thinking that. Were you posting other things during that time or just BMS on the Yahoo Group? Did you change anything based on comments from your early readers or did it all mostly stay the same?

I really wasn't posting much else at the time besides hosted story updates.  I looked back at my site updates from 2004, and after Broken, it was just the odd chapter of Not Another Teenybopper Fanfic or Code Blue here and there.  I'm surprised I held out so long too; that took willpower I didn't realize I had back then LOL.  I don't remember changing anything before officially posting it on my site.  Really it was posted there the whole time; I just only gave the link to the Yahoo Group and didn't post it on my story page, so only people who had it could find it.

I also didn't post either Broken or BMS on AC until 2006, so if you read them here and not on my site, that would be why they seemed closer together.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 07, 2021, 12:03:54 AM
I'm not big on spoilers either, but when speaking on PBox I also figure there's gotta be a time limit for considering something a spoiler. Like the Vader is Luke's father thing or Snape kills Dumbledore... Everyone knows those by know or consciously decided they didn't want to consume the media so... I'd never tag a story with spoilers (that fine line between "Death" and "Major Character Death"), but I feel like talking about them 10 years later is an eh for me. Now call me a monster if you vehemently disagree!

I agree.  There's a difference between talking about them here and tagging spoilers on AO3, where there's a different audience of readers.  There's some crossover between AC and AO3, sure, but there are also people there who have probably never read or posted anything here and haven't seen you talk about PBox or me talk about Broken, etc.  So what's considered common knowledge here isn't there.  If I were to post Broken there, I wouldn't tag it with cancer and amputation because I wouldn't want to spoil that for anyone who was reading it for the first time... even though I know some people would see those tags and click on it just for those elements, as would I.  I just think the payoff is better if you actually get to that point in the story and find out for yourself.

I wish I could remember the moment I found out Vader was Luke's father, but I was so young the first time I saw those movies, I don't.  I do, however, remember my first time reading about Snape killing Dumbledore and the shock that accompanied that.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 07, 2021, 12:06:48 AM
I actually just learned that last year when I started tagging relationships on AO3 and looked up the difference between / and &.  I had never seen that distinction used in our fandom before either.  I should probably start using it here instead of saying "but not in a slashy way" LOL.  I never felt the need to differentiate until I actually wrote a slash, but now you never know.

I prefer "but not in a slashy way," but it's a lot to put on a tag page, haha. That's fair, back in your "I will never write a slash" days, of course it was platonic. But you're right, now you just never know.

Kudos to you for figuring all that out from an image in a dream!  It's cool when something like that can spark an entire epic series.

I was clearly meant to be an epic tale and not "Nick's face is burned in your brain, you will constantly think of Nick as your brain processes the day." It's fine, haha. I've enjoyed writing it, though I have moments where I wish someone else was writing it and I could enjoy it as a reader since nothing in it surprises me. And thanks! It has been an undertaking, but I think it's all been worthwhile even though it took many years. I just hope I can keep all the PNecklace steam going for the next one and just chunk them both out fairly quickly. I'm excited to keep sharing fun little things along the way, like: even the titles of the stories are based on Nick's journey; it's all very neat. ;D

I really wasn't posting much else at the time besides hosted story updates.  I looked back at my site updates from 2004, and after Broken, it was just the odd chapter of Not Another Teenybopper Fanfic or Code Blue here and there.  I'm surprised I held out so long too; that took willpower I didn't realize I had back then LOL.  I don't remember changing anything before officially posting it on my site.  Really it was posted there the whole time; I just only gave the link to the Yahoo Group and didn't post it on my story page, so only people who had it could find it.

I also didn't post either Broken or BMS on AC until 2006, so if you read them here and not on my site, that would be why they seemed closer together.

You always had the power inside you! Did you release it chapter-by-chapter when you did make it public on your site or was it whatever what up at the time already?

Ah, yes, that makes more sense.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 07, 2021, 12:13:51 AM
I've enjoyed writing it, though I have moments where I wish someone else was writing it and I could enjoy it as a reader since nothing in it surprises me.

I have definitely felt that way too.  Does everyone feel that way about their stories?  I mean, obviously, we write what we like... and hopefully we like what we write.  I have written stories that I know I probably wouldn't click on if someone else had written them, but most of them are right up my alley as a reader.


Did you release it chapter-by-chapter when you did make it public on your site or was it whatever what up at the time already?

It was whatever was already up.  I just added the link that already existed to my story page and announced it.  So anyone who wasn't already reading it on the Yahoo Group had like 50 chapters to catch up on.  But that turned out to be only a quarter of the whole story LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 07, 2021, 12:16:45 AM
I agree.  There's a difference between talking about them here and tagging spoilers on AO3, where there's a different audience of readers.  There's some crossover between AC and AO3, sure, but there are also people there who have probably never read or posted anything here and haven't seen you talk about PBox or me talk about Broken, etc.  So what's considered common knowledge here isn't there.  If I were to post Broken there, I wouldn't tag it with cancer and amputation because I wouldn't want to spoil that for anyone who was reading it for the first time... even though I know some people would see those tags and click on it just for those elements, as would I.  I just think the payoff is better if you actually get to that point in the story and find out for yourself.

I wish I could remember the moment I found out Vader was Luke's father, but I was so young the first time I saw those movies, I don't.  I do, however, remember my first time reading about Snape killing Dumbledore and the shock that accompanied that.

That's exactly what I figure too. Obviously we're all much more vague if we're talking about any of our current stories (or in my case in particular, things from old stories that would have major implications on a current story). You absolutely can't tag it with either of those things! It ruins the live reaction if you know about them going in. I think there's a huge difference between a warning/tag like "violence" or "sexual content" in any degree from there to graphic and a tag for anything that's a plot element (even when it's available as a warning tag). I don't even know that I would tag Broken as "Medical Drama" if that was an option... It's just too specific and not at all implied. "Heroic Measures"? Sure, go nuts. ER makes it implied.

For Harry Potter: so nuanced, but so shocking. I can't remember the Vader reveal either. I honestly feel like my father told me to "pay attention" right before it, so... I probably wasn't as surprised as I should have been.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 07, 2021, 12:34:15 AM
I have definitely felt that way too.  Does everyone feel that way about their stories?  I mean, obviously, we write what we like... and hopefully we like what we write.  I have written stories that I know I probably wouldn't click on if someone else had written them, but most of them are right up my alley as a reader.

I think it depends on the story for me? I've definitely read and reread whatever I've had written for PBox and Gobosei over the years, whether while I was writing or when I was hoping for new inspiration. I'd always had those two saved in a non-internet dependent accessible form since about 2008 and then moved to google drive for both online and offline mode around... 2011/2012 sounds right since that's about when I had a Galaxy S3. Plus the beginnings of both PNecklace and Pandora's Legend (that prequel type story I'd mentioned, yes it does already exist and have a name) whenever I started attempting to write them... 2015 sounds right? Right around Nick on DWTS? And I'll admit, I get sucked in every time even though I know what's coming. Other than not being surprised, the only major difference is probably that I can read them quicker than most other people because I know what's coming (and because I usually skip reading the NSYNC chapters, but summarize them in my head for the sake of the story), unless there's anyone else out there who has read them hundreds of times.

There's others, though, that I didn't reread until you and Mare recommended I save anything I wanted to keep since the site had been going down. And I reread almost everything I had posted when I saved them (I honestly didn't reread or save my very old stories because I know where they are if I really want to rescue them from my first computer's hard drive; same with my poems from college, I know where they are.) Beta Sigma Beta, for instance, I hadn't reread in years. And I laughed a couple of times and vaguely remembered everything I'd had planned for it, but I also saw it as "a snapshot into my life circa 2008-2009" and had no pang to finish it. I probably would have read it at the time if someone else had written it, but I don't know that I would now.

It was whatever was already up.  I just added the link that already existed to my story page and announced it.  So anyone who wasn't already reading it on the Yahoo Group had like 50 chapters to catch up on.  But that turned out to be only a quarter of the whole story LOL.

And I was worried about catching up on 19 chapters! 50 seems like a lot. That's kind of how I'm feeling about If I Knew Then. It just seems kind of daunting, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 07, 2021, 12:55:21 AM
Well, I just spent some time shuffling my interesting bits around and now it all flows much better than the original order! I was not as productive today as I was hoping. But I finished goal #1 and then started ch. 24 instead because I'm just not sure what Kevin's planning to do in ch. 22 other than be grumpy, haha! However, now that I've rearranged, suddenly my "if I am really productive, I will finish ch. 24" has turned into a "once I get going on this part, I may suddenly have up to somewhere in the range of ch. 27-29 completed." I surprise even myself sometimes. Nick's motivation in this portion of the story is very clearly aimed, apparently, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 07, 2021, 11:08:39 AM
And I was worried about catching up on 19 chapters! 50 seems like a lot. That's kind of how I'm feeling about If I Knew Then. It just seems kind of daunting, haha.

It does.  I'm not sure why I let it get that long before posting it officially.  I should have had an idea of how it was going before then.  But who knows.

That gives me an idea for a question for the reading thread, which I will ask there in a moment.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 07, 2021, 11:13:09 AM
Well, I just spent some time shuffling my interesting bits around and now it all flows much better than the original order! I was not as productive today as I was hoping. But I finished goal #1 and then started ch. 24 instead because I'm just not sure what Kevin's planning to do in ch. 22 other than be grumpy, haha! However, now that I've rearranged, suddenly my "if I am really productive, I will finish ch. 24" has turned into a "once I get going on this part, I may suddenly have up to somewhere in the range of ch. 27-29 completed." I surprise even myself sometimes. Nick's motivation in this portion of the story is very clearly aimed, apparently, haha.

Hey, at least you did something!  I hope today is productive for you, pre-Super Bowl.

It has not been a productive weekend for me at all so far.  I made myself coffee this morning, which I did not do yesterday, so there may be more hope for my writing today.  I've been thinking about My Brother's Keeper since last night, even had a dream about it last night (which I said I almost never do), so that's what I'm going to try to work on this morning.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 07, 2021, 12:28:45 PM
I wonder if there's a good word for kinky heart eating?  Let's see what Google has to say...

Found it:  cardiophagy

https://hecatejoannes.tumblr.com/post/137920565268/cardiophagy-aka-cardiophagia-noun-the-practice

I would have guessed something like cardiophagy, because cardiophillia doesn't quite grasp on the eating aspect. Rule 34?

So out of curiosity, I pretended to add this tag to PBox just see if it was there and "cardiophagy" is not, but "cardiophillia" is. So... kinky heart stuff, but not specifically kinky heart eating.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 07, 2021, 12:31:51 PM
So out of curiosity, I pretended to add this tag to PBox just see if it was there and "cardiophagy" is not, but "cardiophillia" is. So... kinky heart stuff, but not specifically kinky heart eating.

LOL I have heard of cardiophilia.  There's a fetish for everything!  I don't know if that's part of Rule #34 or if that's Rule #33.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 07, 2021, 12:51:15 PM
LOL I have heard of cardiophilia.  There's a fetish for everything!  I don't know if that's part of Rule #34 or if that's Rule #33.

Rule #33: Lurk more. (As in, if you just start posting right away, you will not understand the norms of a community and will be a nuisance.) I say, lurk less! It's fun here. ;D

We also break Rule #30 here: There are no girls on the internet. If I didn't know that people who identified as male were part of our community, I would assume the opposite.

Rule #34: There is porn of it, no exceptions.

Closely related, Rule #35: If no porn is found at the moment, it will be made.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 07, 2021, 12:56:07 PM
It does.  I'm not sure why I let it get that long before posting it officially.  I should have had an idea of how it was going before then.  But who knows.

Did you have a sense that those 50 chapters would only be 1/4 of the story at that point or were you still not sure? That may have been the reason more than not thinking it was going well.

How did you let people who wanted to see it early know where to go?

Hey, at least you did something!  I hope today is productive for you, pre-Super Bowl.

It has not been a productive weekend for me at all so far.  I made myself coffee this morning, which I did not do yesterday, so there may be more hope for my writing today.  I've been thinking about My Brother's Keeper since last night, even had a dream about it last night (which I said I almost never do), so that's what I'm going to try to work on this morning.

It's been a little productive, but it's also cooking day so productivity will now come to a halt. I think how productive my day is writing-wise overall depends on if I decide to venture into the world for the Super Bowl or watch it at home. I can multi-task during football unless it's my alma mater -- then I'm a nervous wreck!

You didn't make coffee yesterday? A mistake for writing inspiration! *chugs coffee from cheesy 90's BSB mug* Woah? A dream? You are seriously thinking about this story! Sending you good vibes! How'd the first hour go?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 07, 2021, 01:44:25 PM
Rule #33: Lurk more. (As in, if you just start posting right away, you will not understand the norms of a community and will be a nuisance.) I say, lurk less! It's fun here. ;D

We also break Rule #30 here: There are no girls on the internet. If I didn't know that people who identified as male were part of our community, I would assume the opposite.

Rule #34: There is porn of it, no exceptions.

Closely related, Rule #35: If no porn is found at the moment, it will be made.

LOL Thank you for listing all these!  I did not know any of the rules besides #34.  I guess the fetish thing would fall within that one then.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 07, 2021, 01:50:40 PM
Did you have a sense that those 50 chapters would only be 1/4 of the story at that point or were you still not sure? That may have been the reason more than not thinking it was going well.

How did you let people who wanted to see it early know where to go?

I assumed BMS would be about the same length as Broken (150 chapters), so I should have realized that was at least 1/3 of the way through.  I had no idea how long it was actually going to be.

I think I just sent the link to it out through the Yahoo Group.


You didn't make coffee yesterday? A mistake for writing inspiration! *chugs coffee from cheesy 90's BSB mug* Woah? A dream? You are seriously thinking about this story! Sending you good vibes! How'd the first hour go?

I know!  I have figured that out about myself - if I make coffee and sit down with my computer first thing in the morning, I'm much more likely to get something written.  I wasn't feeling it yesterday, so I didn't force myself to do that.

I did make coffee today and have been on the computer all day and have written nothing LOL.  But I have been researching.  My Brother's Keeper is heavy on the research.  Thankfully I did a bunch of it before I started writing the story 3 years ago, organized all my bookmarks, and made some notes in my outline, so I had something to go off of and didn't have to start from scratch.  I am probably not going to get anything written today, but at least I'm thinking about it LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 07, 2021, 03:45:04 PM
LOL Thank you for listing all these!  I did not know any of the rules besides #34.  I guess the fetish thing would fall within that one then.

I had to look them up again, but had a similar discussion with some of my friends this past summer. I think it does because the assumption is that if it's someone's fetish, they will inevitably seek out porn of it (and/or create it). The other rules are less funny, that's why I think we remember them less.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 07, 2021, 03:55:49 PM
I assumed BMS would be about the same length as Broken (150 chapters), so I should have realized that was at least 1/3 of the way through.  I had no idea how long it was actually going to be.

I think I just sent the link to it out through the Yahoo Group.

You've gotta stop guessing how many chapters your story will be and just write or write in a way that it can stop at whatever number of chapters you planned, haha. If I was at 50 chapters and thought it would only be 1/3 of the way through an individual story, I would still feel really nervous. That's a lot of story to get through.

How did you stay so motivated?

I know!  I have figured that out about myself - if I make coffee and sit down with my computer first thing in the morning, I'm much more likely to get something written.  I wasn't feeling it yesterday, so I didn't force myself to do that.

I did make coffee today and have been on the computer all day and have written nothing LOL.  But I have been researching.  My Brother's Keeper is heavy on the research.  Thankfully I did a bunch of it before I started writing the story 3 years ago, organized all my bookmarks, and made some notes in my outline, so I had something to go off of and didn't have to start from scratch.  I am probably not going to get anything written today, but at least I'm thinking about it LOL.

I just can't function without my coffee, so it's a regular part of my day whether I plan on writing or not.

Research counts as writing work though. It's better to spend time researching before writing (even if it's just for the chapter you need it in) than starting to write and realizing that you don't know something, then researching it and realizing that whatever you had written was completely wrong, forcing you to start over.

I might be productive today. My stomach's been kind of wonky, so I decided it's better to stay home to watch the Super Bowl so I can lay on the couch if I want rather than going somewhere with my husband and wanting to leave. So I'll probably just sit here with my computer cheering on the fighting Nick Carters in my red pants and Now or Never shirt, haha. No Bucs gear.

OMG, I'm watching Super Bowl coverage right now and they're just letting Gronk talk... He sounds so ridiculous all the time.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 07, 2021, 09:21:44 PM
I might be productive today.

I wrote 738 words during the game when the clock was stopped and took a tiny nap during halftime coverage (but not the performance, which was great). Going to call that pretty productive.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 07, 2021, 09:42:47 PM
You've gotta stop guessing how many chapters your story will be and just write or write in a way that it can stop at whatever number of chapters you planned, haha. If I was at 50 chapters and thought it would only be 1/3 of the way through an individual story, I would still feel really nervous. That's a lot of story to get through.

How did you stay so motivated?

Motivation was never a problem for me with those two stories.  I guess it was the perfect combination of a plot I found compelling and characters I loved writing about.



Research counts as writing work though. It's better to spend time researching before writing (even if it's just for the chapter you need it in) than starting to write and realizing that you don't know something, then researching it and realizing that whatever you had written was completely wrong, forcing you to start over.

Great point!  Very true. 


I wrote 738 words during the game when the clock was stopped and took a tiny nap during halftime coverage (but not the performance, which was great). Going to call that pretty productive.

That's definitely productive in my book!  I'm impressed.  I spent most of the game trying to decide on a name for a character I created for later in the story.  Names are the worst!!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 07, 2021, 10:00:42 PM
1. Beginnings, Middles, or Endings: What is your favorite part to write in a story and why?

When I used to write in order, I think my answer would have been endings just like Julie. But now that I write whatever is interesting, I often find myself writing bits in the middle before I get there. So team middles!

2. Same question, but least favorite?

I could go either way between beginnings and endings. Sometimes it's hard to start, but once the inspiration gets rolling, it's fairly easy. If you end up getting to an ending and not wanting to write something you'd been building to, it can be so difficult to get that inspiration back. But I don't know, maybe now that I write whatever's interesting when I feel like it, maybe the end isn't so bad anymore.

3. When you're writing a beginning, how much time do you like to devote to backstory or do you intersperse it throughout the story?

I think most of your major plot backstory has to be within the first ten chapters at bare minimum, earlier is better. Whatever the driving force is behind the events of the story, readers need to know without an info dump, because those are boring. Character backstories can and should be interspersed throughout when it's the most interesting and knife-twisting.

4. What are backstory elements you know, but don't include? Are these conscious choices or more along the lines of "We're BSB fans reading BSB fanfics"?

For the characters? Lots. For the plot? Nothing. That's over-simplifying it. If the readers need to know a part of a character's backstory, it will appear at the right time. Like our buddy Nick, I've known his origin story in full since probably ch. 14 and had all the details solidified by ch. 24. But we're into our second story and y'all don't quite know yet. I hope it blows everyone's minds! Or doesn't if you've paid attention to all my clues. For the plot, I tell everything that needs to be known as soon as possible. But in PBox, for instance, I have a lot more information in my head about their warring states era history than a reader probably needs to know unless it directly impacts the characters.

And like I said before, writing BSB's entire history until reaching the current point in the novel would be awful and time consuming.

5. Do you always know your main character's (or characters') motivation when you start a story or does it come up later? and 6. "I won't start the beginning of the story until I know: ____________."

Always. I won't start a story until I know at least the main character's motivation and how it might change during the story.

7. What's the easiest thing about beginnings and the most challenging?

The easiest is probably figuring out what all the characters are up to. The most challenging is trying to decide the exact point to start.

After all my years with PBox, for instance, I feel like I actually should have started with chapter two. But here we are.

8. "In the middle of the story, I often: ______________ ."

Should be writing something other than the middle! Middles are fun. You get to have all of your fun little arcs in full swing and you get to focus on characters instead of set up or climaxes. Middles are just fun.

9. What's something overrated about middles? What's something underrated about middles?

This is a bad question, I'm sorry I asked it. Middles are awesome if done correctly, but if they're rushed through they feel kind of bleh. So I guess, middles themselves can be both overrated and underrated.

11. What's the easiest thing about middles and the most challenging?

Character development! The best time for it. The most challenging is making sure there's not too many things that will need to be tied up once you get to the end.

12. What's the easiest thing about endings and the most challenging?

When inspiration is good, it's exciting to get to the end. Most challenging is probably if you're not sure about your ending, but it's too late to change it.

13. "I won't end the story until I know: ____________."

That all the character arcs are over and the plot has reached its complete end.

14. Do you always know the end of a story when you start it? If not, when's the last possible point you must decide the ending?

Nope! I've given up on deciding at the beginning, but I have to know by the half-way point so I can build to it properly.

15. Do your stories always have an ending or do you leave them open-ended just in case?

They always have an ending even if it's meant to have an opening for a sequel. The opening will be so tiny that it still feels satisfying without it.

16. What types of endings leave you feeling most satisfied with your story? (Interpret that as you will.)

When the characters got to wherever I wanted them to go, even if that means the ending was sad.

17. Do you ever leave noodle incidents in your story without a resolution for fun?

Depends on the story. I can't think of any now, but I usually try to resolve even tiny things -- like the candles in the holiday story.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 07, 2021, 10:05:14 PM
Motivation was never a problem for me with those two stories.  I guess it was the perfect combination of a plot I found compelling and characters I loved writing about.

I think that's great! I love when that happens, even though it can take a while. I guess I always worry that the longer it goes on, I'd lose steam. But we're different people.

That's definitely productive in my book!  I'm impressed.  I spent most of the game trying to decide on a name for a character I created for later in the story.  Names are the worst!!

I just told myself going in that I wouldn't bother trying to write anything during actual plays and I think it helped knowing I had little built in breaks.

B. Pringles. That's a great name. I wonder if he's part of the Pringles dynasty.  ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 08, 2021, 07:15:40 PM
If you end up getting to an ending and not wanting to write something you'd been building to, it can be so difficult to get that inspiration back. But I don't know, maybe now that I write whatever's interesting when I feel like it, maybe the end isn't so bad anymore.

I like the idea of writing whatever's interesting when you feel like it.  What about the stuff that isn't interesting, but necessary?  Do you ever find yourself stuck on the scenes that are needed to fill in the gaps between what you've already written?


When inspiration is good, it's exciting to get to the end. Most challenging is probably if you're not sure about your ending, but it's too late to change it.

Have you ever had that happen, where you want to change your ending before you write it but feel like you can't?


They always have an ending even if it's meant to have an opening for a sequel. The opening will be so tiny that it still feels satisfying without it.

That sounds like a good compromise.  That way, you have options - you can write a sequel if you want to, but there's no obligation to, since the original story had a satisfying ending on its own.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 08, 2021, 10:35:31 PM
I like the idea of writing whatever's interesting when you feel like it.  What about the stuff that isn't interesting, but necessary?  Do you ever find yourself stuck on the scenes that are needed to fill in the gaps between what you've already written?

Right now I'm a tiny bit stuck on just what Kevin plans to do in the chapter I left off on, but on the whole I haven't had a problem filling things in. If an interesting thing isn't begging to be written, I do write in order as much as possible. I think there was one other day back during NaNo when I was coming up on a heavily researched chapter, but I needed a little more research and the intro to the chapter just wasn't coming to me. I paused and edited something in PBox that felt semi-relevant and then had a good beginning by the end of the night.

I'm looking through my documents now to see how out of order I've been writing. Y'all are on ch. 8 while I'm writing ch. 22 and ch. 25 (just finished ch. 24 today and it is a doozy for anyone who's been waiting to know the thing I finally revealed in it!) I also wrote this tiny smidge of the next novel that was begging to come out. Probably because it's related to ch. 24 in the grand scheme of things.

I had chunks of ch. 1 and ch. 2 written since I first tried in 2015, but back then I thought ch. 1 was actually ch. 1-3 and ch. 2 was ch. 4 -- it's much better this way. The first thing I wrote in September was the beginningish/middleish and end of ch. 3, then I wrote ch. 4 and ch. 5 in their entirety, then the beginning/middle of ch. 6, then the 3rd scene of ch. 7, then most of ch. 10, then the beginning and end of ch. 11 (but not the middle), then part of the end of ch. 12,  then most of ch. 17, then a decent chunk of what's this ch. 24 to ch. 29ish stretch (but they probably won't end up exactly as I'd written them then if ch. 24 was any indication, just mostly as is). So that was kind of my September and October. I also rehauled PBox ch. 10-12 some time during all this.

Then November hit and I decided I should make more of a concerted effort to write in order. So on November 1st, I went back and filled in starting at ch. 1. I know I wrote bits and pieces of ch. 19 and ch. 20 in early November before I got there and a little more of this ch. 24 to ch. 29ish stretch, but otherwise I tried to stick to going as much in order as possible then. Because that's the point of NaNo: write a novel, not just interesting bits. But I think knowing that those interesting bits were coming motivated me to get to them. They didn't count to my word count for the month, but they already existed. Oh, it looks like I also wrote more of ch. 11 before I got there as well. I found a bit where I called ch. 8 by title, but it was listed as ch. 11. I'm really glad I sped up the novel from my original thought. It would have dragged.

Before I switched to just summarizing the scenes for markers, I apparently got tired of mislabeling them "Assumed Chapter Number: Possible Title" and just started calling them things like "chapter something or other" and "chapter later still." It's actually really fun looking at this version history because I can see when I got to the chapter that these snippets were part of because it tracks me deleting them. Apparently December 6th is when I penned a very small bit of the ultimate end. And January 16th is when I committed to a title for that last novel and switched to summarizing the snippets to mark them. Good, because "chapter later still" is very confusing even when I put the snippets in chronological order! haha

Have you ever had that happen, where you want to change your ending before you write it but feel like you can't?

I mean, I'm thinking of PBox specifically here, knowing what I know about it now. But I feel like if I had figured it out and decided Brian could live, I wouldn't have had the six month slump. Poor AJ and Howie. I guess I just accepted you would die without hard feelings. I couldn't kill you guys again; you're all my little demon buddies! Also Nick would murder me in my sleep after the last time! Oh look, here he comes now screaming "THE *@&$ YOU SAY ABOUT KILLING MY FAMILY FOR THE PLOT?!?! VENGEANCE!!!!" And Kevin's standing behind him shaking his head, pulling out some bandages, and calmly calling "Your actions have consequences, Nick!"

That sounds like a good compromise.  That way, you have options - you can write a sequel if you want to, but there's no obligation to, since the original story had a satisfying ending on its own.

I'm also thinking of published series, even if they're planned series at that point. Where you can read one book and it's enjoyable on its own, but more enjoyable in the entire context. That would be the worst if everyone said things like "The first and fourth ones are really good, but I just can't reread two and three." Meanwhile as the author, you're like "But three is my favorite!  :'(" That was all hypothetical. I didn't want to call out any published book series in particular.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 09, 2021, 01:53:53 AM
I think in every book series, there’s always at least one weak book. It’s sucks when it’s the last one. It sucks for the author if it happens to be the first one. lol

I honestly can’t think of a single series (more than two books or stories) that there wasn’t one where I found myself thinking “well this one was unnecessary.”
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 09, 2021, 07:39:45 PM
I think in every book series, there’s always at least one weak book. It’s sucks when it’s the last one. It sucks for the author if it happens to be the first one. lol

I honestly can’t think of a single series (more than two books or stories) that there wasn’t one where I found myself thinking “well this one was unnecessary.”
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 09, 2021, 08:34:19 PM
I think in every book series, there’s always at least one weak book. It’s sucks when it’s the last one. It sucks for the author if it happens to be the first one. lol

I honestly can’t think of a single series (more than two books or stories) that there wasn’t one where I found myself thinking “well this one was unnecessary.”
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 09, 2021, 08:39:05 PM
I feel like as the author, you should do your utmost to make it not be the first one! Then there won't be any others. Unless it's after everyone reads all of them and decides that the first one ended up being the weakest? That might not be the most terrible thing if it was good enough to read the others, but then the others were just that much better in the grand scheme of things? I don't know.

Now I want specifics on the books you thought were unnecessary! haha. Like the most unnecessary Harry Potter or something.

LOL I replied to Mare before I read your post.  In some ways, the first Harry Potter is my least favorite book of the series, but I would never call it weak because it establishes the wizarding world and sets up the whole series.  It's important.  It's just not my favorite because so much of it is introduction, and it's more juvenile than the rest of the books in the series.

The fifth book, Order of the Phoenix, is my other contender for least favorite HP book because I don't love emo Harry, and my favorite character gets killed off, but it scores points for containing my favorite villain, Umbridge.  I still love it, just not as much as the other books around it.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 09, 2021, 08:48:21 PM
For those of you who have written a series, which do you think was the strongest and weakest story?  Do you think any stories were unnecessary?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 09, 2021, 09:04:58 PM
LOL I replied to Mare before I read your post.  In some ways, the first Harry Potter is my least favorite book of the series, but I would never call it weak because it establishes the wizarding world and sets up the whole series.  It's important.  It's just not my favorite because so much of it is introduction, and it's more juvenile than the rest of the books in the series.

The fifth book, Order of the Phoenix, is my other contender for least favorite HP book because I don't love emo Harry, and my favorite character gets killed off, but it scores points for containing my favorite villain, Umbridge.  I still love it, just not as much as the other books around it.

That said, there definitely other series that have this problem.  It does suck when it's the last book.  My favorite HP is Deathly Hallows, but in other series that I've read in their entirety (which is really not that many that I can think of), the last book was my least favorite.  They either felt unnecessary or just went off the rails crazy.  Twilight (Breaking Dawn) and Hunger Games (Mockingjay), to name a couple examples.

Great minds think alike, obviously. I think the juvenileness.. . juvenality... (this is going to bother me...) the fact that it's more juvenile than the others is a strong point of the first book when you consider that the main cast is only eleven. That's how the wizarding world feels to them; obviously they're not all up in the politics and drama of it until later in the series. But of course reading (or rereading) it as an adult, you lose some of that "growing with the characters" that was a pinnacle of coming of age in a world where Harry Potter existed. And then all that business JK Rowling has going on these days, but that's unrelated to this topic.

See, my original joke was going to be that the entirety of Twilight was unnecessary, but it felt mean to say.

The last series I read was most of the Sookie Stackhouse series and I can't remember which one I liked the least that I read... The fourth one was definitely the best one, I remember that. I looked them up and apparently didn't read the last four of them, oops, so maybe the 9th one was the worst one.

Also Nick would murder me in my sleep after the last time! Oh look, here he comes now screaming "THE *@&$ YOU SAY ABOUT KILLING MY FAMILY FOR THE PLOT?!?! VENGEANCE!!!!" And Kevin's standing behind him shaking his head, pulling out some bandages, and calmly calling "Your actions have consequences, Nick!"

Also, I'm glad we got an interesting discussion about series going, but I am sad no one else thought this was as funny as I did, because it popped into my head a couple times today and I laughed to myself like an idiot for a long time every time.

For those of you who have written a series, which do you think was the strongest and weakest story?  Do you think any stories were unnecessary?

I will let you know eventually and get the nice little "It's been more than 120 days since someone posted in here. Are you sure?" message.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 09, 2021, 09:11:19 PM
I didn’t enjoy Chamber of Secrets. I found it really boring and hard to finish, almost to the point that I almost stopped reading it altogether. Keep in mind, I was late to the HP train and read them well into the movies which I have to admit is the only way I got through that book. lol sorry.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 09, 2021, 09:15:55 PM
Great minds think alike, obviously. I think the juvenileness.. . juvenality... (this is going to bother me...) the fact that it's more juvenile than the others is a strong point of the first book when you consider that the main cast is only eleven. That's how the wizarding world feels to them; obviously they're not all up in the politics and drama of it until later in the series. But of course reading (or rereading) it as an adult, you lose some of that "growing with the characters" that was a pinnacle of coming of age in a world where Harry Potter existed. And then all that business JK Rowling has going on these days, but that's unrelated to this topic.

Oh definitely!  It's written that way on purpose; the books get more mature and darker as the kids grow up.  I didn't start reading them until high school, so I've always been older than the protagonists and preferred the darker, more complex later books.  But I love reading the first two books to my class.  I've read the first one aloud every year for at least the last ten years, and many years I end up reading the second one to them too after they beg for it.  One year they talked me into reading the third, which is where I think the series goes from great to amazing... but surprisingly, I didn't enjoy reading Prisoner of Azkaban aloud as much as the first two.  It felt a little too long and a little too dark for a fourth grade read aloud.  So yes, I think age of the reader is a factor, as well as the age of the characters.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 09, 2021, 09:16:04 PM
I did feel the same way about the Hunger Games. By that 3rd book, you can tell she was contracted to write three books.

The reason I said it sucks for the author to have the first one suck the most, is that those people won’t go onto read the rest of them. Like Twilight for me. One and done lol

I hate when books feel like the author is only writing them because of a contract and not for a love of the story or the chacters.

Morbid curiosity got the better of me. I thought "Well, this can't get any worse! And my Little keeps saying how much she loves them." I was wrong. They got worse. Much worse.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 09, 2021, 09:19:06 PM
Oh definitely!  It's written that way on purpose; the books get more mature and darker as the kids grow up.  I didn't start reading them until high school, so I've always been older than the protagonists and preferred the darker, more complex later books.  But I love reading the first two books to my class.  I've read the first one aloud every year for at least the last ten years, and many years I end up reading the second one to them too after they beg for it.  One year they talked me into reading the third, which is where I think the series goes from great to amazing... but surprisingly, I didn't enjoy reading Prisoner of Azkaban aloud as much as the first two.  It felt a little too long and a little too dark for a fourth grade read aloud.  So yes, I think age of the reader is a factor, as well as the age of the characters.

Team dark and depressing!

I think I would stop at the first two and encourage them to read the others on their own. It definitely gets a little dark for nine-year-olds. However, kudos to the one year that convinced you to read the first three aloud.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 09, 2021, 09:21:37 PM
I didn’t enjoy Chamber of Secrets. I found it really boring and hard to finish, almost to the point that I almost stopped reading it altogether. Keep in mind, I was late to the HP train and read them well into the movies which I have to admit is the only way I got through that book. lol sorry.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 09, 2021, 09:22:48 PM
Team dark and depressing!

I think I would stop at the first two and encourage them to read the others on their own. It definitely gets a little dark for nine-year-olds. However, kudos to the one year that convinced you to read the first three aloud.

Yep, that was always what I did before that year and what I have done since.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 09, 2021, 09:22:59 PM
Ah, see I read those books as a full fledged adult so maybe that’s why that one just was eh, to me. I was going to say my next least favorite was Azkaban. I felt like it had a slow start but then by yet end I was more into it.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 09, 2021, 09:24:36 PM
Ah, see I read those books as a full fledged adult so maybe that’s why that one just was eh, to me. I was going to say my next least favorite was Azkaban. I felt like it had a slow start but then by yet end I was more into it.

The Marauders backstory is what makes Azkaban for me!  I love Sirius and Lupin.  My favorite was always Goblet of Fire until Deathly Hallows came out.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 09, 2021, 09:26:14 PM
My favorite was always Goblet of Fire until Deathly Hallows came out.

Yes to this.

Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 09, 2021, 09:38:58 PM
Maybe this is the next part of our discussion on series... What do we feel like works to make a series strong overall even if we personally say "I guess x is the worst?" Like clearly "contractually obligated to write x amount of books" is a good indicator that they may decline over time.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 09, 2021, 10:56:13 PM
I think it works better when the author envisions it as a series from the beginning and knows where the ending point will be, whether that's after three books or seven or whatever.  J.K. Rowling always said she planned HP to be seven books from the beginning, and the way the story progresses and wraps up makes sense.  Sequels are more hit or miss when they come as an afterthought, either because the original was so successful or because the author just wanted to write more.  Not that they can't still be good, but that's when they sometimes get too silly or crazy or just lack the magic of the first one.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 09, 2021, 11:46:47 PM
I have to agree on POA I love the back story with the marauders and all that. Azkaban is my favorite Harry Potter book, along with Goblet aof Fire, despite the movies kinda ruining both of those.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 05:28:41 PM
I think it works better when the author envisions it as a series from the beginning and knows where the ending point will be, whether that's after three books or seven or whatever.  J.K. Rowling always said she planned HP to be seven books from the beginning, and the way the story progresses and wraps up makes sense.  Sequels are more hit or miss when they come as an afterthought, either because the original was so successful or because the author just wanted to write more.  Not that they can't still be good, but that's when they sometimes get too silly or crazy or just lack the magic of the first one.

I wonder at what point you really have to decide something is a series for the whole thing to feel satisfying. I feel like as long as it's at some point while writing the first book, it would all still flow together. I'd even go as far as saying during the editing process. As long as the whole thing isn't posted/published before you decide.

I'm curious if any of the ones where we said "this was a contract/popularity thing" were actually planned from the beginning.

I can't fault an author too much for wanting to write more after the fact if they enjoyed it, but their first book would lack the nuanced "loose ends" that a planned series would.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 10, 2021, 05:44:49 PM
Do you guys define a series just more than one story/book? I usually don’t really consider anything a series unless there are at least three books/stories.

I think when a book ends up being incredibly popular, there’s always a push to get the author to write either a sequel or a prequel. I’m sure when the money is dangling in front of them it’s hard to say no. I know I succumbed to pressure to write the sequels to Mizpah because of all the positive feedback I was getting and the demands for more. I wish I  didn’t do it. I didn’t even get paid for it!

I’m also curious when it comes to movie adaptions. If some of these authors give creative rights to people when they see dollar signs only to have the screen writer massacre their book by changing really important plot points etc... cough...my sister’s keeper...cough .
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 06:03:17 PM
Do you guys define a series just more than one story/book? I usually don’t really consider anything a series unless there are at least three books/stories.

I think when a book ends up being incredibly popular, there’s always a push to get the author to write either a sequel or a prequel. I’m sure when the money is dangling in front of them it’s hard to say no. I know I succumbed to pressure to write the sequels to Mizpah because of all the positive feedback I was getting and the demands for more. I wish I  didn’t do it. I didn’t even get paid for it!

I’m also curious when it comes to movie adaptions. If some of these authors give creative rights to people when they see dollar signs only to have the screen writer massacre their book by changing really important plot points etc... cough...my sister’s keeper...cough .

No, I think to be a series, it has to have a least three, otherwise it's just a book and a sequel like you said.

I also can't fault anyone for hearing about money and saying "Holy ****, that's a lot of money." (Wasn't that what Kevin said in the doc? Can't fault the boys either.) We all like money, after all. You got paid for it in feedback! That's virtual dollar bills in your pockets! ;) Are reviews like bitcoin? haha In general, I feel like if you're writing anything because people are demanding more (whether it's for free or you're getting paid), it's never going to feel as satisfying to you. I can't speak from experience though, no one's ever demanded/begged/asked that I do anything.

I always think that when they turn the last book into a two-parter for a movie. Did the movie really need to be a two-parter? It's only one book. I think the Hobbit was worse off for that; it's not like the LOTR trilogy was nine parts (and Two Towers would be awful as a multi-parter since it often drags). It's especially the worst when they change plot points; I get irrationally angry about that.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 06:35:20 PM
Here's a question: To Write or Not to Write! What do you do during those times when you feel like you have motivation or inspiration, but know that you'll have to stop writing to do something else at a specific time? Do you write with the time that you do have or do you wait until the thing you have to do is over and hope the inspiration/motivation sticks?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 07:29:51 PM
I was going to put this in the nostalgia thread, but couldn't find it (I'm guessing you hid it somewhere, Mare.). Anyway, I stumbled on that old thread where Tanja joined the board and was asking for help with her pilfered HSM story and noticed that none of us said "Busted" after she got called out, and I think we missed a perfect opportunity there. Anyway, back to writing discussions!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 10, 2021, 07:51:38 PM
I have to agree on POA I love the back story with the marauders and all that. Azkaban is my favorite Harry Potter book, along with Goblet aof Fire, despite the movies kinda ruining both of those.

Seems like people either love or hate the Azkaban movie.  I love it; I think it has great atmosphere/cinematography.  I absolutely hate the ending shot, and I think the Marauders climax is rushed, but otherwise I think it's one of the better movies.  Goblet of Fire feels rushed, but that book is just so long, it was impossible to pack it all in to under 2.5 hours and make it satisfying.  My favorite of the movies is DH Part 2, followed by Half-Blood Prince and Azkaban.


Do you guys define a series just more than one story/book? I usually don’t really consider anything a series unless there are at least three books/stories.

I think when a book ends up being incredibly popular, there’s always a push to get the author to write either a sequel or a prequel. I’m sure when the money is dangling in front of them it’s hard to say no. I know I succumbed to pressure to write the sequels to Mizpah because of all the positive feedback I was getting and the demands for more. I wish I  didn’t do it. I didn’t even get paid for it!

I’m also curious when it comes to movie adaptions. If some of these authors give creative rights to people when they see dollar signs only to have the screen writer massacre their book by changing really important plot points etc... cough...my sister’s keeper...cough .

3+ makes it feel more like a series, but I guess I consider anything with multiple books to be a series.  Is there a better word for a book and its sequel?

I'm sure money is a big factor in authors' decisions to write more books in a series, just like with movie sequels.  As far as movie adaptations, I think I would demand creative control if someone wanted to buy the rights to my book.  I would want to be one of the producers and have a say in the script.

Interestingly, though, there are some authors who are okay with huge changes between their book and the movie - in fact, some authors even instigate those changes themselves.  I love both the book and movie version of "The Ruins" by Scott Smith - I just reread it last summer, actually, and learned that the author also wrote the screenplay for the movie, which has a ton of changes from the book.  The basic plot is the same, but the ending is different, and he switched up what happened to the characters, so the same events happen but to different people.  It's horror, so I guess he wanted to keep people who had read the book first guessing when they watched the movie, and vice versa.  "The Walking Dead" is the same way - the show follows the same basic storyline as the comic it's based on, and the author is one of the executive producers of the show, but he allows them to switch up what happens to characters to keep people who are already familiar with the comic on their toes.  No character is safe, even if they made it to the end of the comic.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 10, 2021, 07:58:27 PM
No, I think to be a series, it has to have a least three, otherwise it's just a book and a sequel like you said.

I also can't fault anyone for hearing about money and saying "Holy ****, that's a lot of money." (Wasn't that what Kevin said in the doc? Can't fault the boys either.) We all like money, after all. You got paid for it in feedback! That's virtual dollar bills in your pockets! ;) Are reviews like bitcoin? haha In general, I feel like if you're writing anything because people are demanding more (whether it's for free or you're getting paid), it's never going to feel as satisfying to you. I can't speak from experience though, no one's ever demanded/begged/asked that I do anything.

I always think that when they turn the last book into a two-parter for a movie. Did the movie really need to be a two-parter? It's only one book. I think the Hobbit was worse off for that; it's not like the LTR trilogy was nine parts (and Two Towers would be awful as a multi-parter since it often drags). It's especially the worst when they change plot points; I get irrationally angry about that.

Feedback is definitely fanfic writers' form of currency LOL.

As for two-parter movies for the last book in a series, I think it depends on the book.  I liked it for Harry Potter because it allowed them to do my favorite HP book justice.  The book is still better, but most of the things I loved about it are in those movies.  But I don't think it was necessary with Twilight: Breaking Dawn because nothing really happens in the second half of that book.  It's a build-up to absolutely nothing.  They could have kept that as one movie.

I have only seen the first LOTR movie, and it was the longest 2.5 hours of my life up until I got dragged to see 50 Shades of Grey, so I can only imagine how drawn out and boring a trilogy of The Hobbit was.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 08:01:14 PM
3+ makes it feel more like a series, but I guess I consider anything with multiple books to be a series.  Is there a better word for a book and its sequel?

The internet says this word is "dilogy"! And apparently that LOTR is also one novel published in varying amounts of several parts (a "tiptych" wrould be a better way to describe the usual split of it: one novel in three parts). You learn something new every day!


I'm sure money is a big factor in authors' decisions to write more books in a series, just like with movie sequels.  As far as movie adaptations, I think I would demand creative control if someone wanted to buy the rights to my book.  I would want to be one of the producers and have a say in the script.

Interestingly, though, there are some authors who are okay with huge changes between their book and the movie - in fact, some authors even instigate those changes themselves.  I love both the book and movie version of "The Ruins" by Scott Smith - I just reread it last summer, actually, and learned that the author also wrote the screenplay for the movie, which has a ton of changes from the book.  The basic plot is the same, but the ending is different, and he switched up what happened to the characters, so the same events happen but to different people.  It's horror, so I guess he wanted to keep people who had read the book first guessing when they watched the movie, and vice versa.  "The Walking Dead" is the same way - the show follows the same basic storyline as the comic it's based on, and the author is one of the executive producers of the show, but he allows them to switch up what happens to characters to keep people who are already familiar with the comic on their toes.  No character is safe, even if they made it to the end of the comic.

I think I would also. That stuff about The Ruins and Walking Dead is crazy! I wonder what you consider the canon continuity at that point. But I think they have the right idea; gotta make it interesting.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 10, 2021, 08:04:58 PM
Here's a question: To Write or Not to Write! What do you do during those times when you feel like you have motivation or inspiration, but know that you'll have to stop writing to do something else at a specific time? Do you write with the time that you do have or do you wait until the thing you have to do is over and hope the inspiration/motivation sticks?

I am not usually good at writing during small windows of time.  I am such a slow writer that unless I have at least 2-3 hours, it feels pointless to even try.  I do best when I know I have a whole day or night ahead of me with nothing else I absolutely have to do.

That said, if I'm truly inspired to the point that I'm already writing in my head anyway, I will hop on the computer and jot down what I can in whatever time I have.  That is how I was able to type one-handed while drying my hair in the mornings before school when I was on the last leg of AHTIM.  But that would never have happened if I wasn't already in that head space.

Knowing I have a three-day weekend coming up, I am using my evenings this week to think and research and jot down ideas in hopes I will be in the right head space to write by Friday night or Saturday morning.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 10, 2021, 08:06:47 PM
I was going to put this in the nostalgia thread, but couldn't find it (I'm guessing you hid it somewhere, Mare.). Anyway, I stumbled on that old thread where Tanja joined the board and was asking for help with her pilfered HSM story and noticed that none of us said "Busted" after she got called out, and I think we missed a perfect opportunity there. Anyway, back to writing discussions!

Oh noes, where did the nostalgia thread go??  I can't find it either.  Did it get accidentally deleted?

LOL We totally missed that opportunity.  I need to look up that thread; I forgot about us messing with Tanja here LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 10, 2021, 08:09:23 PM
The internet says this word is "dilogy"! And apparently that LOTR is also one novel published in varying amounts of several parts (a "tiptych" wrould be a better way to describe the usual split of it: one novel in three parts). You learn something new every day!

I think I would also. That stuff about The Ruins and Walking Dead is crazy! I wonder what you consider the canon continuity at that point. But I think they have the right idea; gotta make it interesting.

Dilogy? LOL  I guess that makes sense, but it sounds dumb.

That's a good point about canon.  I don't know if people write fanfic for The Ruins (I guess it probably exists; just like porn, there's fanfic for everything), but I'm sure they do for The Walking Dead.  I guess it would be important to specify if it's the novel/comic universe or the TV universe.

Edit:  Out of curiosity, I looked, and there are 4 fanfics for The Ruins on AO3.  There are two separate tags, one for the novel and one for the movie.  https://archiveofourown.org/tags/The%20Ruins%20(2008)/works
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 10, 2021, 08:25:13 PM
I was going to put this in the nostalgia thread, but couldn't find it (I'm guessing you hid it somewhere, Mare.). Anyway, I stumbled on that old thread where Tanja joined the board and was asking for help with her pilfered HSM story and noticed that none of us said "Busted" after she got called out, and I think we missed a perfect opportunity there. Anyway, back to writing discussions!

LMAO I found that thread: http://absolutechaos.net/fictalk/index.php/topic,1684.0.html

I'm cracking up at some of the stuff we said to her.

It's an interesting idea to make him schizophrenic. How much research did you do on the topic? I'd love links because i'm thinking of maybe trying out a story using mental health issues and i'd love to get some links besides the ones I already have.

Great start! Can't wait to see what else you come up with!

The goal is just to come up with your own idea and write it yourself; as long as you do that, you'll get encouragement here.

^ Aww, well that's one thing about our site that might set us apart from the rest. We don't miss much here. We're pretty observant and on top of things.

This is also true.  The nice thing about AC is that there are a lot of talented writers here who take their craft seriously.  They are more critical than the teenybopper crowd who will read anything as long as Nick's in it (or whoever), and if you ask for honest feedback or constructive criticism, they will give it to you, rather than just going "Great job, more soon!!!"
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 08:38:25 PM
As for two-parter movies for the last book in a series, I think it depends on the book.  I liked it for Harry Potter because it allowed them to do my favorite HP book justice.  The book is still better, but most of the things I loved about it are in those movies.  But I don't think it was necessary with Twilight: Breaking Dawn because nothing really happens in the second half of that book.  It's a build-up to absolutely nothing.  They could have kept that as one movie.

That's true, it probably depends on what's happening in the book! And I know that the HP books got longer as time went on, so there was really more to pack in with a limited amount of time.

Twilight definitely didn't need to be five movies. I'm on the fence about whether Hunger Games needed to be four movies.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 08:41:02 PM
I am not usually good at writing during small windows of time.  I am such a slow writer that unless I have at least 2-3 hours, it feels pointless to even try.  I do best when I know I have a whole day or night ahead of me with nothing else I absolutely have to do.

That said, if I'm truly inspired to the point that I'm already writing in my head anyway, I will hop on the computer and jot down what I can in whatever time I have.  That is how I was able to type one-handed while drying my hair in the mornings before school when I was on the last leg of AHTIM.  But that would never have happened if I wasn't already in that head space.

Knowing I have a three-day weekend coming up, I am using my evenings this week to think and research and jot down ideas in hopes I will be in the right head space to write by Friday night or Saturday morning.

I had to listen to a video of me talking, so now I'm just in cringe mode, haha.

I was the most unproductive person during that time when I probably should have just tried to write instead. I guess it depends on the time limit. If it's a set start time, I don't want to get sucked into writing, but if it's a more flexible start time, I might.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 10, 2021, 08:42:14 PM
That's true, it probably depends on what's happening in the book! And I know that the HP books got longer as time went on, so there was really more to pack in with a limited amount of time.

Twilight definitely didn't need to be five movies. I'm on the fence about whether Hunger Games needed to be four movies.

At least stuff happened in Mockingjay, but I tried watching Part 1 of that and didn't finish it.  I haven't even gotten to Part 2 LOL.  I've never seen Part 2 of Breaking Dawn all the way through either, but like I said, I already know nothing actually happens in that one, so no big loss there.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 08:44:25 PM
Oh noes, where did the nostalgia thread go??  I can't find it either.  Did it get accidentally deleted?

LOL We totally missed that opportunity.  I need to look up that thread; I forgot about us messing with Tanja here LOL.

LMAO I found that thread: http://absolutechaos.net/fictalk/index.php/topic,1684.0.html

I'm cracking up at some of the stuff we said to her.

I found something I quoted from it in the first Writing Thread and it says it's somewhere I can't see, so maybe it was too off topic for writing. ;)

I also got to comment on her spelling and try to persuade her to post on the site. We're terrible, but hilarious, people.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 08:46:22 PM
Dilogy? LOL  I guess that makes sense, but it sounds dumb.

That's a good point about canon.  I don't know if people write fanfic for The Ruins (I guess it probably exists; just like porn, there's fanfic for everything), but I'm sure they do for The Walking Dead.  I guess it would be important to specify if it's the novel/comic universe or the TV universe.

Edit:  Out of curiosity, I looked, and there are 4 fanfics for The Ruins on AO3.  There are two separate tags, one for the novel and one for the movie.  https://archiveofourown.org/tags/The%20Ruins%20(2008)/works

Possibly because there's not much that just stops at two anymore.

Four fanfics is more than zero! I assumed it would be that way too "Walking Dead -- Comic" or "Walking Dead -- TV Show."
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 10, 2021, 08:46:31 PM
I had to listen to a video of me talking, so now I'm just in cringe mode, haha.

I was the most unproductive person during that time when I probably should have just tried to write instead. I guess it depends on the time limit. If it's a set start time, I don't want to get sucked into writing, but if it's a more flexible start time, I might.

Ugh, watching/listening to yourself on video is the worst!

Do you ever find that when you're busy and have no time to write or other obligations you need to fulfill before you can write, all you want to do is write... but then when you finally find yourself with free time to write, you waste it?  I'm terrible about that.  I'll spend all week looking forward to writing on the weekend and then be totally unproductive when the weekend rolls around.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 10, 2021, 08:48:31 PM
I found something I quoted from it in the first Writing Thread and it says it's somewhere I can't see, so maybe it was too off topic for writing. ;)

I also got to comment on her spelling and try to persuade her to post on the site. We're terrible, but hilarious, people.

Hopefully it got moved to a secret board and not deleted.  That was a good thread!

As much as the plagiarism thing sucked, that Tanja drama was so entertaining!  She really united all us BSB authors against her.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 08:57:52 PM
At least stuff happened in Mockingjay, but I tried watching Part 1 of that and didn't finish it.  I haven't even gotten to Part 2 LOL.  I've never seen Part 2 of Breaking Dawn all the way through either, but like I said, I already know nothing actually happens in that one, so no big loss there.

After the way the books went, there was no way that I was watching any of the other movies! I enjoyed the first two Hunger Games movies, but also only watched part of Part 1.

Ugh, watching/listening to yourself on video is the worst!

Do you ever find that when you're busy and have no time to write or other obligations you need to fulfill before you can write, all you want to do is write... but then when you finally find yourself with free time to write, you waste it?  I'm terrible about that.  I'll spend all week looking forward to writing on the weekend and then be totally unproductive when the weekend rolls around.

I think it's because we sound different in our heads. That and outside of my classroom, I tend to be a horrendous public speaker. I hate it so much and it's only gotten marginally better over the years. At least now I can do it at all, even though I fumble through it.

Yes, always. Sometimes I'll try to carve out time to do it at the end of the day if I know I'll want to. I'll also jot notes for myself more along the lines of an outline if something is really trying to come out and I'm busy. But it won't be bad and unhelpful like "Kevin's power to heal is awesome if he fights with it," which is a terrible jot. It would be something more like... I'm trying to think of a PBox example I can summarize... Oh, here we go. "Nick's panicking against the wall of the inn and talking out loud to himself. Brian strolls up in all his priest gear. Nick says 'How do you know so much about me?' or something. Brian dances around the issue because he's a jerk. etcetera, etcetera."

I've been trying to be better about managing my "all the time in the world" in various ways. If I'm trying to write, I definitely sit at my desk away from the tv or other things I would distract myself with. But if I'm doing research, I will let myself engage in distractions in the background. Also if I wake up with ideas, I've been diligent to not get out of bed until they're all out on the paper, even though it means writing on my phone. Because I know that if I get up, I'll make coffee and talk to my husband and clean out pantry for a minute and... then I'll sit down and the spark will be gone.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 09:00:50 PM
Hopefully it got moved to a secret board and not deleted.  That was a good thread!

As much as the plagiarism thing sucked, that Tanja drama was so entertaining!  She really united all us BSB authors against her.

It's probably safe somewhere that Mare can discuss with Julilly and Ash in private!

It was when we were new buddies, an "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" thing, and brought out all our best creativity back in the beginning to really bond us.

Also, I still laugh to this day anytime someone says "I like horses." So hard every time.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 10, 2021, 09:13:51 PM
Also if I wake up with ideas, I've been diligent to not get out of bed until they're all out on the paper, even though it means writing on my phone. Because I know that if I get up, I'll make coffee and talk to my husband and clean out pantry for a minute and... then I'll sit down and the spark will be gone.

I do best when I stay in bed and write for as long as I can too.  I'll get up to make coffee and bring it back to bed, but as soon as I go shower or turn on the TV, I'm done.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 10, 2021, 09:14:31 PM
It was when we were new buddies, an "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" thing, and brought out all our best creativity back in the beginning to really bond us.

Also, I still laugh to this day anytime someone says "I like horses." So hard every time.

All of this! LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 09:24:25 PM
I do best when I stay in bed and write for as long as I can too.  I'll get up to make coffee and bring it back to bed, but as soon as I go shower or turn on the TV, I'm done.

Tomorrow is a later start for me, so I'm debating whether I try to get up early to sit down and be productive or hang out in bed and see what happens. I guess it depends on when I wake up in the morning, haha. Can't wait until the week is over.

What are some other odd places we all write in our homes? We've all talked about our inspiration spaces, writing near our holiday decorations, writing in bed, writing in the shower... Anyone write outside? Or in closets? Of my very few memories of childhood, I remember that my father used to keep a desk in the closet and would sit in there when he really wanted to focus on writing or researching (since we lived in a small apartment). So I had to fend for myself and make up stories with my Littlest Pet Shops, so thanks for forcing me to be creative, haha. However, being a child, I did not articulate this well and described it as "My Daddy hides in the closet when I want him to play with me." lmao
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 10, 2021, 09:35:46 PM
What are some other odd places we all write in our homes? We've all talked about our inspiration spaces, writing near our holiday decorations, writing in bed, writing in the shower... Anyone write outside? Or in closets?

I used to write outside on occasion when I lived in my apartment.  The apartment complex was built around a lake with a lighted fountain in the middle, so it was pretty at night.  I would sometimes go write on my patio on late summer nights, if the mosquitoes weren't too bad LOL.  I haven't done that as much since moving into my house because my neighbors' houses are really close, and I can't write if I feel like someone's watching me.


Of my very few memories of childhood, I remember that my father used to keep a desk in the closet and would sit in there when he really wanted to focus on writing or researching (since we lived in a small apartment). So I had to fend for myself and make up stories with my Littlest Pet Shops, so thanks for forcing me to be creative, haha. However, being a child, I did not articulate this well and described it as "My Daddy hides in the closet when I want him to play with me." lmao

LOL!!

Are you an only child?

I used to make up stories with my toys too, especially Barbies and American Girl dolls.  I would also direct my sister and the neighbor kids in acting out my little stories.  We called it "making movies," although we never filmed them - it was just endless "rehearsal" LOL.  But looking back, that was the beginning of my fiction "writing," even though it was all made up on the spot and never written down.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 10:34:43 PM
I used to write outside on occasion when I lived in my apartment.  The apartment complex was built around a lake with a lighted fountain in the middle, so it was pretty at night.  I would sometimes go write on my patio on late summer nights, if the mosquitoes weren't too bad LOL.  I haven't done that as much since moving into my house because my neighbors' houses are really close, and I can't write if I feel like someone's watching me.

I haven't written outside yet because it's hard enough trying to look at my phone while wearing sunglasses, I can't imagine typing for hours in the sun while listening to trains whiz by, haha. But my husband likes to sit outside in the summer, so maybe I'll sit with him this spring and do some writing.

That lake/fountain set up sounds beautiful!

LOL!!

Are you an only child?

I used to make up stories with my toys too, especially Barbies and American Girl dolls.  I would also direct my sister and the neighbor kids in acting out my little stories.  We called it "making movies," although we never filmed them - it was just endless "rehearsal" LOL.  But looking back, that was the beginning of my fiction "writing," even though it was all made up on the spot and never written down.

Yup, it's just me. Only child of divorced parents. That's probably part of why "THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP" speaks to me so much, haha.

I also loved to "make movies," but my friends hated the endless "rehearsal." It had to be just right! I think we all just had stories in our hearts that wanted out.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 10, 2021, 11:02:41 PM
Someone has subscribed to me on AO3, but it doesn't tell me who. I wish they would just review if they've decided that I'm worthy of an author subscription. The dynamics of that place are so odd. Alas, if only efiction wasn't so wonky. I'd rather just hang out here with my family.

Also, can we play Binog again?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 11, 2021, 02:22:31 AM
It was me who subscribed  :)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 07:21:34 PM
I haven't written outside yet because it's hard enough trying to look at my phone while wearing sunglasses, I can't imagine typing for hours in the sun while listening to trains whiz by, haha. But my husband likes to sit outside in the summer, so maybe I'll sit with him this spring and do some writing.

That lake/fountain set up sounds beautiful!

I don't think I've ever written outside during daylight for the same reason.  (And also because I'm a creature of the night - the sunlight, it burns!)  I used to only go outside to write at like 2 a.m. when all the neighbors were asleep LOL.

The lake/fountain was honestly really pretentious, and the apartment complex would brag about it and use it as their excuse to raise the rent every year.  "But... our majestic fountain!"  I'm glad I don't live there anymore, although I do miss the duck friends I made there LOL.  I had a trio of ducks who would walk right up onto my patio, knock on my sliding glass door with their bills, and eat out of my hand.  They were so cute!


Yup, it's just me. Only child of divorced parents. That's probably part of why "THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP" speaks to me so much, haha.

I also loved to "make movies," but my friends hated the endless "rehearsal." It had to be just right! I think we all just had stories in our hearts that wanted out.

Aww, that makes sense.  You're like AJ!

LOL That was my friends and me too.  Most of the neighbor kids I played with in the summer or after school were younger than me, so I was super bossy and told everyone what to do and say.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 07:22:15 PM
It was me who subscribed  :)

Yay!  :-* See, now that I know, I can say: Thank you!

The anonymity of it all doesn't leave a lot of room for interaction or gratitude.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 07:23:31 PM
Someone has subscribed to me on AO3, but it doesn't tell me who. I wish they would just review if they've decided that I'm worthy of an author subscription. The dynamics of that place are so odd. Alas, if only efiction wasn't so wonky. I'd rather just hang out here with my family.

Also, can we play Binog again?

I thought it was weird too that you can't tell who subscribes to your stories or account.  AC forever!

I would play Binog again if others want to.  It's a much smaller group nowadays!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 11, 2021, 07:25:14 PM
I've mostly written at home or at the break room table at my night job. I tried over the summer to write in the backyard but I never could get much done there. I seem to write the best at night.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 07:26:36 PM
I don't think I've ever written outside during daylight for the same reason.  (And also because I'm a creature of the night - the sunlight, it burns!)  I used to only go outside to write at like 2 a.m. when all the neighbors were asleep LOL.

The lake/fountain was honestly really pretentious, and the apartment complex would brag about it and use it as their excuse to raise the rent every year.  "But... our majestic fountain!"  I'm glad I don't live there anymore, although I do miss the duck friends I made there LOL.  I had a trio of ducks who would walk right up onto my patio, knock on my sliding glass door with their bills, and eat out of my hand.  They were so cute!


Aww, that makes sense.  You're like AJ!

LOL That was my friends and me too.  Most of the neighbor kids I played with in the summer or after school were younger than me, so I was super bossy and told everyone what to do and say.

See I love the sunlight for other things, but it's not great for screen time. I can see why they would use it as an excuse to raise the rent, but also "majestic lake fountain" seems like a perfectly reasonable rent raiser to me. And aww! Duck friends! So cute!

Me and AJ are kindred spirits, except I have never used monologues to pick up boys.

Haha! I'm glad you decided to start bossing around fictional characters instead of neighborhood kids. One fights back a lot less.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 07:27:03 PM
I'm impressed with your ability to write at work, Tracy!  I would be so paranoid about coworkers reading over my shoulder.  Do yours know what you're doing?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 07:27:23 PM
I thought it was weird too that you can't tell who subscribes to your stories or account.  AC forever!

I would play Binog again if others want to.  It's a much smaller group nowadays!

Binog! (Gotta practice).
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 07:28:51 PM
I've mostly written at home or at the break room table at my night job. I tried over the summer to write in the backyard but I never could get much done there. I seem to write the best at night.

I'm impressed with your ability to write at work, Tracy!  I would be so paranoid about coworkers reading over my shoulder.  Do yours know what you're doing?

I don't think I could write in the staff lounge either. Too many prying eyes. I'm impressed that y'all are so productive at night too. If I'm not already inspired, I am worthless at night time. Afternoon. That's my sweet spot for productivity.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 07:29:47 PM
Me and AJ are kindred spirits, except I have never used monologues to pick up boys.

Haha! I'm glad you decided to start bossing around fictional characters instead of neighborhood kids. One fights back a lot less.

LOL Only someone like AJ could get away with that.

See, this is why Nick doesn't give me crap.  He knows I won't back down until I get my way! LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 07:32:52 PM
LOL Only someone like AJ could get away with that.

See, this is why Nick doesn't give me crap.  He knows I won't back down until I get my way! LOL

Right? I'd love to see any other guy try it. I think you just have to go in knowing it's slightly ridiculous, but you're going to shoot your shot anyway. That's when it works.

My eternal mistake. I let him know that not only can he get his way, he can also drive the boat -- and he feels like he's an expert boat driver.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 07:33:08 PM
I don't think I could write in the staff lounge either. Too many prying eyes. I'm impressed that y'all are so productive at night too. If I'm not already inspired, I am worthless at night time. Afternoon. That's my sweet spot for productivity.

Afternoon is usually my least productive time, either because I've already written all morning and am in desperate need of a shower and food, or because I've done nothing all day and am completely unmotivated.  Also, I'm allergic to sunlight.

I've always been a night owl and used to do my best writing late at night, but the last couple years or so, I've gotten into a better routine of writing first thing in the morning.  I guess that means I'm getting old.  I will still stay up all night writing in the summer, but not usually during the school year.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 07:34:13 PM
Right? I'd love to see any other guy try it. I think you just have to go in knowing it's slightly ridiculous, but you're going to shoot your shot anyway. That's when it works.

My eternal mistake. I let him know that not only can he get his way, he can also drive the boat -- and he feels like he's an expert boat driver.

Until he gets caught in the sea grass or the engine dies on his way to propose.  Oh Nick LOL.  You tell him who's boss!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 11, 2021, 07:37:21 PM
I work with mostly older guys at night so they don't disturb me, but I did tell a couple that I write as a hobby. Nobody tries to look at what I'm doing so that's good for me. I sit in the corner of the break room typing away while they bitch about really pointless things lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 07:39:51 PM
Afternoon is usually my least productive time, either because I've already written all morning and am in desperate need of a shower and food, or because I've done nothing all day and am completely unmotivated.  Also, I'm allergic to sunlight.

I've always been a night owl and used to do my best writing late at night, but the last couple years or so, I've gotten into a better routine of writing first thing in the morning.  I guess that means I'm getting old.  I will still stay up all night writing in the summer, but not usually during the school year.

I try to shower right after I get out of bed. Helps me feel like I'm getting on with my day. I also used to be a night owl, but I stopped being so heavily one when I started teaching. Gotta be a productive human for the children.

Until he gets caught in the sea grass or the engine dies on his way to propose.  Oh Nick LOL.  You tell him who's boss!

He's an expert boat driver, not an expert mechanic/naturalist. Sea grass will get you every time at the worst time.

It's too late now. We're ride or die at this point.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 07:41:10 PM
I work with mostly older guys at night so they don't disturb me, but I did tell a couple that I write as a hobby. Nobody tries to look at what I'm doing so that's good for me. I sit in the corner of the break room typing away while they bitch about really pointless things lol

That is good!

My first job in high school was cleaning computers for the school district where my mom teaches in the summer, and I used to read fanfics while I was doing that.  (I had terrible work ethic LOL; I wasted so much time.)  I don't remember writing on the job, but I did do a lot of brainstorming.  Nowadays the only chance I get to even think about fanfic while at work is during bathroom breaks LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 07:42:17 PM
I work with mostly older guys at night so they don't disturb me, but I did tell a couple that I write as a hobby. Nobody tries to look at what I'm doing so that's good for me. I sit in the corner of the break room typing away while they bitch about really pointless things lol

I feel like the older guys get, the more they stay out of other peoples' business. As long as you're not on shared transportation . Then all guys engage with you no matter what you're doing, like "So this air... you enjoying that?"

That is good!

My first job in high school was cleaning computers for the school district where my mom teaches in the summer, and I used to read fanfics while I was doing that.  (I had terrible work ethic LOL; I wasted so much time.)  I don't remember writing on the job, but I did do a lot of brainstorming.  Nowadays the only chance I get to even think about fanfic while at work is during bathroom breaks LOL.

Did you get paid by the hour or by the computer?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 07:44:33 PM
I try to shower right after I get out of bed. Helps me feel like I'm getting on with my day. I also used to be a night owl, but I stopped being so heavily one when I started teaching. Gotta be a productive human for the children.

LOL The struggle is real.  I have to take Melatonin or Benadryl and force myself to go to bed almost every night.  I am definitely better suited to working a second shift job than school hours, but I fake it well, as teachers tend to do.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 07:49:40 PM
Did you get paid by the hour or by the computer?

By the hour.  I always got everything I needed to get done by the end of summer, but I was not the most motivated worker LOL.  I have much better work ethic now that I am doing something I enjoy.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 07:50:40 PM
LOL The struggle is real.  I have to take Melatonin or Benadryl and force myself to go to bed almost every night.  I am definitely better suited to working a second shift job than school hours, but I fake it well, as teachers tend to do.

I just fake it until the coffee does its thing! Even if I ended up staying up stupidly late for no reason scrolling through my phone the night before. Coffee keeps me living.

My pre-Ks used to pretend to have coffee shops in dramatic play and I'd go to play with them and they would say "You serve the coffee. I'm you." "Okay." We go through the whole shebang of them "buying" their coffee and then they'd take long drinks and tell their friends "I'm Ms. Dee today. *slurp*" Well, you're not wrong, team! Ha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 07:51:27 PM
By the hour.  I always got everything I needed to get done by the end of summer, but I was not the most motivated worker LOL.  I have much better work ethic now that I am doing something I enjoy.

Same. So if you read fanfics all day instead of cleaning computers, did you get paid to read fanfics? Because that is a cushy job.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 11, 2021, 07:56:30 PM
I wish I got paid to read fanfiction LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 08:00:41 PM
What's the payscale for that? Is it salary? Hourly? Is it like freelancing where you're paid by the fanfic? Or is it chapter to chapter?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 08:07:26 PM
I just fake it until the coffee does its thing! Even if I ended up staying up stupidly late for no reason scrolling through my phone the night before. Coffee keeps me living.

Same!


Same. So if you read fanfics all day instead of cleaning computers, did you get paid to read fanfics? Because that is a cushy job.

LOL!  I guess technically yes.  I had a good routine worked out where I would take apart all the computers in the classroom, blow out the dust, put them back together, and turn them on to make sure everything worked.  Then, to be real thorough, I would read a chapter or two... you know, just to make sure the internet was hooked up right. ;)  Then I would clear the history and move on to the next one.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 08:08:40 PM
What's the payscale for that? Is it salary? Hourly? Is it like freelancing where you're paid by the fanfic? Or is it chapter to chapter?

I think it should be hourly or by chapter.  Some fanfics are longer than others!  Of course, if I was the one paying for someone to read my stories, I would say a flat rate per fanfic is fine. LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 08:11:37 PM
I actually worked out a system for this (in reverse) for one of my site's April Fools pranks, when I pretended to start making readers pay to access my stories.  http://dreamers-sanctuary.com/af11_files/my_stories.html
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 08:19:12 PM
I think it should be hourly or by chapter.  Some fanfics are longer than others!  Of course, if I was the one paying for someone to read my stories, I would say a flat rate per fanfic is fine. LOL

Maybe a flat rate based on the word count?

I actually worked out a system for this (in reverse) for one of my site's April Fools pranks, when I pretended to start making readers pay to access my stories.  http://dreamers-sanctuary.com/af11_files/my_stories.html

LMAO! "If you want to think about Nick having cancer while you grill your burgers!" And the Braaaains for Breakfast, kudos for this shade. The merchandise and the Broken picturebook making a comeback were the best part.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 08:23:02 PM
Maybe a flat rate based on the word count?

LMAO! "If you want to think about Nick having cancer while you grill your burgers!" And the Braaaains for Breakfast, kudos for this shade. The merchandise and the Broken picturebook making a comeback were the best part.

That seems the fairest way to do it.

LOL Thanks!  There was a lot of shade in the whole concept.  I had to throw the Broken picture book back in there!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 08:25:45 PM
Any ideas for what 2021's April Fool's joke will be? What haven't you done yet over twenty years, basically?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 08:51:18 PM
Any ideas for what 2021's April Fool's joke will be? What haven't you done yet over twenty years, basically?

I have no idea.  It gets harder and harder to come up with something, and the amount of effort I put in is usually more than the reaction it gets from visitors.

If you have any ideas, I'm all ears! LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 09:06:58 PM
I have no idea.  It gets harder and harder to come up with something, and the amount of effort I put in is usually more than the reaction it gets from visitors.

If you have any ideas, I'm all ears! LOL

Have you retired? Started writing fanfic for another fandom? Updated any stories for a new fandom? Turned stories into round robins? Wrote a choose your own adventure story? Broken is now a major motion picture? Given your website to someone else to take over while you're on an extended vacation?

I'm also out of ideas.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 11, 2021, 09:19:05 PM

You're retiring from BSB fanfiction and going to write Titanic fanfiction.


I have no idea.  It gets harder and harder to come up with something, and the amount of effort I put in is usually more than the reaction it gets from visitors.

If you have any ideas, I'm all ears! LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 09:23:49 PM
Have you retired? Started writing fanfic for another fandom? Updated any stories for a new fandom? Turned stories into round robins? Wrote a choose your own adventure story? Broken is now a major motion picture? Given your website to someone else to take over while you're on an extended vacation?

I'm also out of ideas.

I have retired/quit.  I've switched to writing NSync and Dream fanfics.  I've had Tanja take over the site and convert all my stories into Busted fanfics.  I have not done the other ideas, so thanks for the suggestions!


 You're retiring from BSB fanfiction and going to write Titanic fanfiction.

LOL I'll never let go!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 09:35:21 PM
I have retired/quit.  I've switched to writing NSync and Dream fanfics.  I've had Tanja take over the site and convert all my stories into Busted fanfics.  I have not done the other ideas, so thanks for the suggestions!


LOL I'll never let go!

I figured you had done most of that by now. Oh, what about a Backstreet Boy takes over in the process of suing you for character defamation and comments on the stories?

LMAO! Just don't pull a Titanic Rose and physically let go afterward. Of course we all knew it was metaphorical, but I definitely hated that.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 09:37:14 PM
I figured you had done most of that by now. Oh, what about a Backstreet Boy takes over in the process of suing you for character defamation and comments on the stories?

Haha, I've done something similar to that.  http://www.dreamers-sanctuary.com/af09.html

I like the idea of having a Backstreet Boy leave comments though!  I wonder if I could get anyone to notice that...
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 09:40:12 PM
I should start writing Titanic fanfics that are the same medical drama shit I write for BSB.  Jack survives the sinking of the Titanic, only to die of cancer LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 11, 2021, 09:41:07 PM
Ooh I do like that idea haha I'd probably read it. Side note guess what I'm watching now LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 09:43:24 PM
Ooh, or I could write a BSB crossover with something super obscure and weird that doesn't fit with BSB at all.  I came across a Child's Play Chucky/Andy slash a couple years ago on AO3 LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 09:44:03 PM
Haha, I've done something similar to that.  http://www.dreamers-sanctuary.com/af09.html

I like the idea of having a Backstreet Boy leave comments though!  I wonder if I could get anyone to notice that...

Oh yeah, I remember when you were writing that! You showed Rose and I on IM and we laughed and laughed.

Your site is bought out by a media firm and it turns out to be K-BAHN, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 09:44:16 PM
Ooh I do like that idea haha I'd probably read it. Side note guess what I'm watching now LOL

Aww!  I may watch it this weekend.  That's about as romantic as I get for Valentine's Day - watch Titanic with my cats LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 09:45:49 PM
Oh yeah, I remember when you were writing that! You showed Rose and I on IM and we laughed and laughed.

Your site is bought out by a media firm and it turns out to be K-BAHN, haha.

Yep, 2009!  LOL I may have to just start leaving comments as Backstreet Boys on random chapters and see if anyone says anything.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 09:48:38 PM
I should start writing Titanic fanfics that are the same medical drama shit I write for BSB.  Jack survives the sinking of the Titanic, only to die of cancer LOL.


LMAO! I knew it was coming and it was even funnier written down. When was cancer discovered and when did it start getting widely treated? Obviously it's hand cancer. Rose has nothing left to hold on to.

Ooh, or I could write a BSB crossover with something super obscure and weird that doesn't fit with BSB at all.  I came across a Child's Play Chucky/Andy slash a couple years ago on AO3 LOL.

Nick/The creature from the black lagoon.

I'm just going to keep suggesting this Shape of Water fanfic until someone else laughs at it, basically.

The Backstreet Boys in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Backstreet Boys and Dexter. I'm not just looking at our dvds... Yes I am.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 09:51:11 PM
Ooh I do like that idea haha I'd probably read it. Side note guess what I'm watching now LOL

Aww!  I may watch it this weekend.  That's about as romantic as I get for Valentine's Day - watch Titanic with my cats LOL.

Valentine's Day is the worst holiday ever. This isn't personal drama; I've just always hated it. Celebrating with the students is the only thing that makes it marginally better.

I do need to watch Titanic though! Should have done it while hubby was on his work trip.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 09:52:10 PM
Yep, 2009!  LOL I may have to just start leaving comments as Backstreet Boys on random chapters and see if anyone says anything.

But you have to give them good usernames, not just nickcarter. But please make him cryptic.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 09:55:05 PM
LMAO! I knew it was coming and it was even funnier written down. When was cancer discovered and when did it start getting widely treated? Obviously it's hand cancer. Rose has nothing left to hold on to.

LMAO You totally made me look this up!  I watched a PBS documentary about the history of cancer once that was actually really interesting, but I couldn't remember the dates for sure.  Chemo was first used as a cancer treatment in the 1930s.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3759197/

I read in the same article that the first lobectomy (removal of one of the lobes of the lung) was done in 1912, so I could give him lung cancer LOL.  It could start with the Incurable Cough of Death as he's recovering from his hypothermia post-sinking.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 09:56:35 PM
Nick/The creature from the black lagoon.

I'm just going to keep suggesting this Shape of Water fanfic until someone else laughs at it, basically.

The Backstreet Boys in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Backstreet Boys and Dexter. I'm not just looking at our dvds... Yes I am.

I love the Shape of Water idea!  You should write that for real, whether it's a comedy or a cool sci-fi romance.  I liked that movie.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 09:57:34 PM
LMAO You totally made me look this up!  I watched a PBS documentary about the history of cancer once that was actually really interesting, but I couldn't remember the dates for sure.  Chemo was first used as a cancer treatment in the 1930s.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3759197/

I read in the same article that the first lobectomy (removal of one of the lobes of the lung) was done in 1912, so I could give him lung cancer LOL.  It could start with the Incurable Cough of Death as he's recovering from his hypothermia post-sinking.

Yes! I love when I get you to look up things for me out of curiosity.

Oh noes! Not the incurable cough of death! What a vague illness! LMAO!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 09:58:10 PM
Valentine's Day is the worst holiday ever. This isn't personal drama; I've just always hated it. Celebrating with the students is the only thing that makes it marginally better.

I do need to watch Titanic though! Should have done it while hubby was on his work trip.

Same!  I enjoy celebrating it with my students.  It was sad this year because they weren't allowed to exchange physical cards, so we didn't do fun boxes or anything. :(  We did digital cards on Google Slides instead... not the same.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 11, 2021, 09:58:51 PM
Side note... So for the story I'm going to be posting after this weekend and If I Knew Then is done... I am not sure if I want to keep the title as it is or if I want to change the title. I'm undecided. It's called History like the song by One Direction. The song kind of fits the theme. But I am not sure.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 09:59:01 PM
But you have to give them good usernames, not just nickcarter. But please make him cryptic.

Yes!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 10:00:30 PM
Side note... So for the story I'm going to be posting after this weekend and If I Knew Then is done... I am not sure if I want to keep the title as it is or if I want to change the title. I'm undecided. It's called History like the song by One Direction. The song kind of fits the theme. But I am not sure.

I like one-word titles.  Are there any other titles you're considering?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 10:00:41 PM
I love the Shape of Water idea!  You should write that for real, whether it's a comedy or a cool sci-fi romance.  I liked that movie.

Beauty and the Beast, but the beast is the creature from the black lagoon. That's the whole premise.

Didn't Nick originally want to be the creature from the black lagoon in the Everybody video? I think that's where this "weirdest fanfic you can think of" came from. Why do you love all my joke ideas? That's two now that you said should be legitimate fanfics. haha (Death by snail doesn't count as a "legitimate" fanfic even though it will be beautiful.)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 10:01:27 PM
Same!  I enjoy celebrating it with my students.  It was sad this year because they weren't allowed to exchange physical cards, so we didn't do fun boxes or anything. :(  We did digital cards on Google Slides instead... not the same.

Aw, some of my kids did that in their classes too and hated making them. It's not the same.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 11, 2021, 10:02:18 PM
I like one-word titles.  Are there any other titles you're considering?

Not at the moment. I think I might stick with it but we'll see if another one doesn't jump at me before the weekend is over.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 10:02:48 PM
Side note... So for the story I'm going to be posting after this weekend and If I Knew Then is done... I am not sure if I want to keep the title as it is or if I want to change the title. I'm undecided. It's called History like the song by One Direction. The song kind of fits the theme. But I am not sure.


I like one-word titles.  Are there any other titles you're considering?

I've never heard the song. I'd also like a list of other potential titles and a summary to fully weigh in.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 10:03:59 PM
Beauty and the Beast, but the beast is the creature from the black lagoon. That's the whole premise.

Didn't Nick originally want to be the creature from the black lagoon in the Everybody video? I think that's where this "weirdest fanfic you can think of" came from. Why do you love all my joke ideas? That's two now that you said should be legitimate fanfics. haha (Death by snail doesn't count as a "legitimate" fanfic even though it will be beautiful.)

Yeah, I think so.  Nick made a hot mummy, but Creature of the Black Lagoon is more him, with his love of water.  They should have let him be the Creature and made Kevin the mummy instead of his weird Jekyll/Hyde thing.

Some of the best ideas start as jokes!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 10:06:18 PM
Aw, some of my kids did that in their classes too and hated making them. It's not the same.

I bought a Google Slides from TPT that had a bunch of cute animated stickers and punny sayings with trendy themes, including Among Us and Fortnite, so they were excited about that.  But I will miss seeing their fun boxes.  I'm sure the parents are thrilled they don't have to help make them though! LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 11, 2021, 10:06:45 PM
I always hated valentines day. I never got cards from the other kids cause I was picked on a lot for being the weird kid. Then as an adult. I've only had a date twice. Once wasy ex Joe who took me to the olive garden and got me a fake rose since I said I didn't like getting real flowers due to the fact they die.

Then the other one wasn't really a date but this guy I was talking to at the time named Will stopped by my job and gave me flowers and brought me chocolate, and sushi for lunch since I had to work. We were only together a month, I dumped him cause he tried to control me. I also found out he tried to pick up my cousin when we were together. Valentines day for me is a day to get excited only cause chocolate on the 15th is on sale 50 percent off. I'm now a diabetic so I can't even fully enjoy that. I'll live through my characters instead xD
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 11, 2021, 10:07:46 PM
Yeah, I think so.  Nick made a hot mummy, but Creature of the Black Lagoon is more him, with his love of water.  They should have let him be the Creature and made Kevin the mummy instead of his weird Jekyll/Hyde thing.

Some of the best ideas start as jokes!

If I remember right nick said the reason they didn't do creature from the black lagoon was cause you wouldn't be able to tell it was him with the makeup so they went with the mummy.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 10:08:46 PM
I always hated valentines day. I never got cards from the other kids cause I was picked on a lot for being the weird kid. Then as an adult. I've only had a date twice. Once wasy ex Joe who took me to the olive garden and got me a fake rose since I said I didn't like getting real flowers due to the fact they die.

Then the other one wasn't really a date but this guy I was talking to at the time named Will stopped by my job and gave me flowers and brought me chocolate, and sushi for lunch since I had to work. We were only together a month, I dumped him cause he tried to control me. I also found out he tried to pick up my cousin when we were together. Valentines day for me is a day to get excited only cause chocolate on the 15th is on sale 50 percent off. I'm now a diabetic so I can't even fully enjoy that. I'll live through my characters instead xD

Aww, that is sad.  We've always had a rule that if the kids are going to bring Valentines (which is not required), they have to have one for everyone in the class.  It's definitely more fun in elementary school than junior high and high school.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 10:09:45 PM
If I remember right nick said the reason they didn't do creature from the black lagoon was cause you wouldn't be able to tell it was him with the makeup so they went with the mummy.

I feel like they could have taken some creative license and figured the makeup out like they did with the other guys.  He made a good mummy though.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 10:12:11 PM
If I remember right nick said the reason they didn't do creature from the black lagoon was cause you wouldn't be able to tell it was him with the makeup so they went with the mummy.

Yeah, I think so.  Nick made a hot mummy, but Creature of the Black Lagoon is more him, with his love of water.  They should have let him be the Creature and made Kevin the mummy instead of his weird Jekyll/Hyde thing.

Some of the best ideas start as jokes!

I feel like they could have taken some creative license and figured the makeup out like they did with the other guys.  He made a good mummy though.

I think that's right, that you wouldn't be able to see his face in the makeup (though I agree, of all directors to have the creative vision to do it, that one would be it... Joseph Kahn sound right?). However, as it was in the peak of his transition from "the cute tiny one" to "teen heartthrob," seeing his face was very important.

Oh, I know. That's how all of our minds work. Obscure jokes that turn into fanfics are always the best!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 10:14:34 PM
I always hated valentines day. I never got cards from the other kids cause I was picked on a lot for being the weird kid. Then as an adult. I've only had a date twice. Once wasy ex Joe who took me to the olive garden and got me a fake rose since I said I didn't like getting real flowers due to the fact they die.

Then the other one wasn't really a date but this guy I was talking to at the time named Will stopped by my job and gave me flowers and brought me chocolate, and sushi for lunch since I had to work. We were only together a month, I dumped him cause he tried to control me. I also found out he tried to pick up my cousin when we were together. Valentines day for me is a day to get excited only cause chocolate on the 15th is on sale 50 percent off. I'm now a diabetic so I can't even fully enjoy that. I'll live through my characters instead xD

The not being able to enjoy chocolate half off is the icing on that disappointing cake. You're awesome! :) Mean-spirited people are not worth the time.

Aww, that is sad.  We've always had a rule that if the kids are going to bring Valentines (which is not required), they have to have one for everyone in the class.  It's definitely more fun in elementary school than junior high and high school.

Yup, that's the rule we have as well. All or none.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 10:26:45 PM
I also have a side note... Back on our sex topic: what's the least stupid way to write "If you keep looking at me like you want me, I'll have sex with you again right now." Because I have been trying different things for months and they all sound so stupid... (including that)


I've given up, basically, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 11, 2021, 10:41:59 PM
Honestly, I like it the way you originally phrased it best: "If you keep looking at me like you want me, I'll have sex with you again right now."  It's direct, no cheesy innuendos.  I would maybe shorten it to "If you keep looking at me like that, I'll have sex with you again right now."  Or "Keep looking at me like that, and I'll fuck your brains out," depending on how crude the character is LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 11, 2021, 10:45:22 PM
Idk I kinda like the second one LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 10:51:04 PM
You're probably right, Julie. I looked at it again while writing it for context for y'all and thought that it actually wasn't half bad. I'll probably go pop it in and see how I feel about it in a week.

Seconds, haha. It was that way for two weeks and it just looked so stupid every time I looked at it.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 10:58:24 PM
I also have a side note... Back on our sex topic: what's the least stupid way to write "If you keep looking at me like you want me, I'll have sex with you again right now." Because I have been trying different things for months and they all sound so stupid... (including that)

  • "I’ll do it again if you keep looking at me like that."
  • "Keep looking at me like that if you want seconds."
  • "Keep looking at me like that and I'll have you again."
  • "$&@%!"

I've given up, basically, haha.

I forgot to include "Keep looking at me that way and I'll impale you with my throbbing member." LMAO. (Not one I'd written, but let's all laugh about it together.)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 11, 2021, 11:39:05 PM
You guys! This is not writing related, but I am so excited! I just got scheduled for my first dose of the COVID vaccine! YAY!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 12, 2021, 12:10:50 AM
Hooray!!!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 12, 2021, 07:18:48 PM
You guys! This is not writing related, but I am so excited! I just got scheduled for my first dose of the COVID vaccine! YAY!

Yay!!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 03:27:30 PM
It's been twenty pages, so we are due for a question recap thread!

The Questions:

1. While writing, if you had to give up snacks and drinks or music, which would be harder to give up and why?

2. Which is your favorite season to write in and why?

3. If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a full year while writing a book, but your book had to take place there, where would you choose?

4. What is your favorite word and why?

5. What book from your childhood has shaped you most as a writer?

6. Do you believe in the concept of a muse? What is yours like?

7. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

8. Do you guys tend to read or watch things that are similar to what you're writing (in terms of genre or subject matter) to inspire you, or do you stay away from things that seem similar to avoid inadvertently copying ideas?

9. What has been your strangest or most unexpected source of inspiration?

10. How's everyone's day going (for writing)? or How's everyone's writing life going this week? or Anyone else trying to do some serious writing today?

11. If I were to write an AU about the Boys working in a school, what would their roles be?

12. Which is better:  finishing a story you've been working on for awhile, or getting a really good piece of feedback?

13. Favorite punctuation mark?

14. Has anyone ever forced themselves to finish a story they didn't enjoy writing just to please their readers?

15. Is it "Chapter One" or "Chapter 1"?

16. If you have more than one scene in a chapter, what kind of scene break do you use to split them up?

17. If you want to designate that something is a flashback or happened in the past, how do you designate it?

18. Bold, italics, or underlining?

19. Anyone else tend to gravitate towards writing what's comfortable, even if it's not as interesting?

20. What story or chapter were you most nervous about posting?

21. For those of you who have written a series, which do you think was the strongest and weakest story?  Do you think any stories were unnecessary?

22. What do we feel works to make a series strong overall even if we personally say "I guess x is the worst?" Clearly "contractually obligated to write x amount of books" is a good indicator that they may decline over time.

23. At what point you really have to decide something is a series for the whole thing to feel satisfying?

24. Do you guys define a series just more than one story/book?

25. What about creative rights for movies? Or multi-parter movies for one book?

25. To Write or Not to Write! What do you do during those times when you feel like you have motivation or inspiration, but know that you'll have to stop writing to do something else at a specific time? Do you write with the time that you do have or do you wait until the thing you have to do is over and hope the inspiration/motivation sticks?

26. What are some other odd places we all write in our homes?

From the "Characters" Discussion:

1. How do you come up with character names for your stories? (Other than the obvious, "Well, Nick is "Nick.")

2. What are the essential characteristic s of a hero you can root for? Are there certain aspects of the Boys you play up if they're in the hero role?

3. What do you do to get inside your characters' heads?

4. If you could be a character from one of your stories, who would it be and why?

5. What's the trickiest thing about writing characters of the opposite gender?

6. Does one of your characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?

7. Now describe that character in three words.

8. Which of your characters do you relate to the most?

9. Do you often put aspects of yourself into your characters?

10. And just for fun: Go back to that character you said holds a special place in your heart and think about the other characters in their story. They can only use each character once, so which character from their story would they pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?

c. have for a boss? Why?

d. pull off a heist with? Why?

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?

11. And because these are fun anyway, just answer for yourself with the Boys. You can only use each one once.  :D Which Boy would you pick to:

a. be trapped in the wilderness with? (can be frigid or tropical wilderness) Why?

b. spend the night in a haunted house with? Why?

c. have for a boss? Why?

d. pull off a heist with? Why?

e. be on the Amazing Race with? Why?

From the "Beginnings, Middles, and Endings" Discussion:

1. Beginnings, Middles, or Endings: What is your favorite part to write in a story and why?

2. Same question, but least favorite?

3. When you're writing a beginning, how much time do you like to devote to backstory or do you intersperse it throughout the story?

4. What are backstory elements you know, but don't include? Are these conscious choices or more along the lines of "We're BSB fans reading BSB fanfics"?

5. Do you always know your main character's (or characters') motivation when you start a story or does it come up later?

6. "I won't start the beginning of the story until I know: ____________."

7. What's the easiest thing about beginnings and the most challenging?

8. "In the middle of the story, I often: ______________ ."

9. What's something overrated about middles? What's something underrated about middles?

11. What's the easiest thing about middles and the most challenging?

12. What's the easiest thing about endings and the most challenging?

13. "I won't end the story until I know: ____________."

14. Do you always know the end of a story when you start it? If not, when's the last possible point you must decide the ending?

15. Do your stories always have an ending or do you leave them open-ended just in case?

16. What types of endings leave you feeling most satisfied with your story? (Interpret that as you will.)

17. Do you ever leave noodle incidents in your story without a resolution for fun?

Questions Posed in the Context of a Conversation:

1. To Tracy (re: Boxcar Children and Goosebumps): Do you remember your favorite book from each series?

2. To Dee (re: Babysitters Club): Which girl did you most identify with?

3. What is it you enjoy about writing parodies?

4. Do you find that having parodied something makes you see the original a little differently?

5. To Julie: How does it feel officially starting a new thing?

6. re: the Boys being teachers in an AU: Is this a high school, an elementary school, or a middle school?

7. To Julie (re: fanfic dreams): What don't you like about fanfic related dreams? Is it that yours are less "interesting plot elements" and more "I forgot table 34's ranch!!"?

8. To Dee (re: word choice): What word did you go with?

9. Do you often find you project your stronger characteristic s onto your characters or do you tend to give them characteristic s you wish you had?

10. re: characters with a soft spot in our hearts: It is like they take up residence in our brains next to a nice, cozy synapse, isn't it?

11. Can anyone remember alternate names they considered for original characters?

12. I wonder if all the "Mary Sue" characteristic s are the same or if they've changed over the years?

13. I never stumbled on any, but now I'm wondering if there were ever any "sixth Backstreet Boy" Gary Stu stories?

14. Does [fanfic writing and posting] still get busier when the guys get busier or is it just increasingly quiet?

15. I wonder if [decline of fanfic writing] happens more in the RPF fanfic circles than the fictional ones? Like are NKOTB fans still writing fanfic? What about NSYNC fans? Also now I want to know how many NSYNC fanfics have BSB as villains? I assume so many. Was it more or less than the ones where Lou Perlman was the villain?

16. How did the ER fans feel about the BSB crossover? (Or, in equal weight crossovers, how did the other fandom feel about the Boys being crossed over with their fandom?)

17. To Tracy (re: naming characters): How does it feel writing the story with characters named after people you know? Do you put aspects of those people into them or is it just a name for the sake of a name?

18: To Tracy (re: characters connected with): I noticed that you said your Nicks end up most like you. Why would you say that is over other characters?

19. You wanna talk burn out? I am an expert in burn out!

20. How is it working on two stories at once?

21. To Tracy: How close are you to finishing?

22. To Julie: How's that feel, starting a new novel during a busy time?

23. Do people really have demanding readers like that?

24. To Julie: How do your regular readers react when you go from weekly to nothing?

25. To Mare: How was updating multiple stories at a time with specific days? Did that make it easier to keep up with writing? More difficult?

26. To Tracy: Did you feel like the multiple developing drafts were helpful in your planning process and do you find them preferable to an outline? Or do you consider the timeline to be your outline? Did you have the Finding Carter outline from the beginning or just once you got to the point where you figured it out?

27. Is [not designating a thought with formatting] bad? Should I start doing that?

28. To Julie: So do middles lean more toward like or dislike for you?

29. How many times could we all read about Nick talking about the first time he met Brian [if every fanfic had to start with BSB backstory information]?

30. To Julie: Would you say, in general, you write more plot-driven stories or more character-driven stories? Or different types at different periods in your body of work?

31. To Julie: Do you set writing goals for yourself once you've reached an ending or does it just kind of happen that you're writing all the time? (You mean once I've reached the beginning of the ending? LOL)

32. Deciding on an end for a story at the last chapter sounds stressful! How would you properly build up to it?

33. Would you be opposed to a sequel if you ever had an idea for a story that did seem like it had more story than the current arc your were working on? Or do you try to avoid those ideas?

34. To Dee: So with PBox, do you remember what your original idea was?  My ideas tend to come about like, "I want to write a survival story," or "Maybe the Boys quarantine together in some remote location to work on the Christmas album, and something bad happens."  What does that sound like for a character-driven idea?

35. Does everyone feel [like they would rather someone else was writing their stories that they really like so they could reread them and be surprised]?

36. To Julie (re: being 1/4 of the way through BMS): How did you stay so motivated?

37: To Dee: What about the stuff that isn't interesting, but necessary?  Do you ever find yourself stuck on the scenes that are needed to fill in the gaps between what you've already written?

38: To Dee: Have you ever had that happen, where you want to change your ending before you write it but feel like you can't?

39. To Dee: Do you ever find that when you're busy and have no time to write or other obligations you need to fulfill before you can write, all you want to do is write... but then when you finally find yourself with free time to write, you waste it?

40. To Tracy (re: writing in odd places): I would be so paranoid about coworkers reading over my shoulder.  Do yours know what you're doing?

41. What's the payscale for [getting paid to read fanfics]? Is it salary? Hourly? Is it like freelancing where you're paid by the fanfic? Or is it chapter to chapter? Maybe a flat rate based on the word count?

42. To Julie: Any ideas for what 2021's April Fool's joke will be? What haven't you done yet over twenty years, basically?

43. To Tracy: Are there any other titles you're considering?

44. Back on our sex topic: what's the least stupid way to write "If you keep looking at me like you want me, I'll have sex with you again right now."?

Off-Topic Questions:

1. Did you watch the new Netflix series that came out last summer?

2. You're offered $10million today. Catch is you now have a killer snail out to get you -- if it touches you, you die. It always knows your location, cannot die, and its sole mission in life is to find you and kill you. Do you take the money? Why?

3. I wonder if that happens to other fandoms? Like, do Harry Potter fanfic writers just stop writing fanfic now that it's been finished for however many years?

4. To Julie (re: characters ER fans write about): I would think it would be the original cast, but I'm guessing it's not?

5. OMG!  ??? How many people are actually reading it and how many are clicking on it just for the tags?!?!

6. Oh noes, where did the nostalgia thread go??

7. Also, can we play Binog again?

8. When was cancer discovered and when did it start getting widely treated?

9. Didn't Nick originally want to be the creature from the black lagoon in the Everybody video?

Back to the Joke Fanfic Challenge:

1. Mare writes a story about Leighanne or any of the Backstreet wives.

2. But why did Nick ask so anxiously? Unless... he killed her?!? It's "How To Get Away With Murder" Backstreet style! Fanfic Nick: It's easy because Mare wrote the story and doesn't write about wives. No one would suspect a thing...

3. Nick totally killed her cause he wants Brian to himself. Obviously.  Nick has never liked Leighanne because she stole Brian away from him.  That's motive.

4. However, I also noticed that "Took the money, stalked by snail intent on killing him" was not listed as a death Nick has experienced yet. So maybe instead of telling you all what I think, I should save it and add it to 1,000 Ways instead? [A note from me, Dee: I am planning on writing/adding this, but it felt wrong to not include it in a comprehensive list of joke ideas.)

5. The Shape of Water, but every character is Nick.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 03:28:31 PM
Sending good writing vibes to everyone today! I think I figured out why Kevin was feeling so grumpy (finally) and it's 3* outside, so it feels like a good day for writing (and then I took a stupidly long time recapping the questions in the thread).

I'm trying to ponder on a topic for this weekend. We've chatted characters, beginnings/middles/endings... I know we've discussed genres many times over the years, but that feels like it may be the next place to take our discussions since these broader ones or the "just for fun" ones seem to get more people involved in chatting.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 03:52:43 PM
I decided I wanted to listen to a couple more songs at a blaring volume, so here are some genre questions:

1. What genre do you consider your wheelhouse?

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!)

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?

4. Outside of your "wheelhouse" genre, which others do you write most often?

5. What is easy about your "wheelhouse" genre? What is difficult or challenging?

6. Which genre(s) do you write the least or not at all? Is that because they don't interest you personally or because you find them challenging to write? (Feel free to answer both if you have a different answer for both of those reasons.)

7. Are there genres that you thought you wouldn't like that ended up surprising you?

8. Do you feel like there are genres BSB lend themselves better to than others?

9. Are there genres that used to be more prevalent than they are now or vice versa?

10. Have you ever tried to write a main plot in a genre because that genre was trendy?

11. Do you feel like genre determines the readership of your work?

12. Give a compliment to your "wheelhouse" genre and to your least written or never written genre.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 05:38:11 PM
Sending good writing vibes to everyone today! I think I figured out why Kevin was feeling so grumpy (finally) and it's 3* outside, so it feels like a good day for writing (and then I took a stupidly long time recapping the questions in the thread).

I'm trying to ponder on a topic for this weekend. We've chatted characters, beginnings/middles/endings... I know we've discussed genres many times over the years, but that feels like it may be the next place to take our discussions since these broader ones or the "just for fun" ones seem to get more people involved in chatting.

Thanks!  It's gonna be a good weekend to write here too, weather-wise.  I will be hibernating in my house all weekend!  Sending good writing vibes your way too.

I wrote a little bit last night.  Then I got back to my weekend routine of getting up first thing this, making coffee, and going back to bed to write.  It sort of worked, in that I spent a few hours working on my story.  Only some of that was actual writing, and the rest was researching, but hey, I'll take it if it keeps me inspired.

I keep going back and forth on whether I need to revise my last two chapters of My Brother's Keeper.  As of this morning, I thought I was good to go keeping it as is, and now I'm back to thinking I need to change it.  I probably just need to make myself rewrite some of it and see which version I like best.  This story is going to take forever LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 05:52:25 PM
Thanks!  It's gonna be a good weekend to write here too, weather-wise.  I will be hibernating in my house all weekend!  Sending good writing vibes your way too.

I showered when I got up this morning and asked my husband how sexy my Backstreet Boys shirt (perfect clothing to inspire some super productive fanfic writing) and messy bun were; he told me "You look like a sexy conehead hermit." So... that's where we're at!  I wrote 695 words so far, did a tiny bit of research as I settled on a "plant used for medicine that grows at sea level," and did a little rereading inspiration to get back into this chapter and not the upcoming chapters. I think I'll finish it today (and possibly in the next hour as I already have parts of the next scene written).

Also a fun game. I wrote this line, who is "you": “You and Nick are really similar sometimes. Really stubborn, but really devoted to everyone you care about.”

I wrote a little bit last night.  Then I got back to my weekend routine of getting up first thing this, making coffee, and going back to bed to write.  It sort of worked, in that I spent a few hours working on my story.  Only some of that was actual writing, and the rest was researching, but hey, I'll take it if it keeps me inspired.

I keep going back and forth on whether I need to revise my last two chapters of My Brother's Keeper.  As of this morning, I thought I was good to go keeping it as is, and now I'm back to thinking I need to change it.  I probably just need to make myself rewrite some of it and see which version I like best.  This story is going to take forever LOL.

I still say as long as your research is productive and inspiring, keep researching! If I'm really going back and forth on something, I will write two different versions and compare them. If there's too many varying ideas, I'll try to narrow it down without multiple drafts, but just two it's almost better to get both of them out of your head and onto paper so you can really see the difference. Stay motivated! Length of time spent doesn't matter.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 07:12:49 PM
1. What genre do you consider your wheelhouse?

Medical drama!


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...

"Billy Needs an Organ" - Replace "Billy" with any Backstreet Boy's name.  I find the whole concept of transplants fascinating, so I have used that quite a few times in fanfics.  I've done heart transplants, liver transplants, bone marrow transplants, and stem cell transplants.

"CPR: Clean, Pretty, Reliable"/"Flatline"/"Magical Defibrillator" - I'm lumping these three together for obvious reasons. I would like to think I am better than these tropes because I have researched this and tried to make my resuscitation scenes more realistic than "clean, pretty, and reliable."  No shocking flatlines in my stories!  My overall success rate is still much higher than reality, but I have also written stories where the resuscitation efforts don't work, even though the characters spent more than two minutes trying.

"Convenient Coma" - Can you even call yourself a medical drama writer if you've never put a character in a coma?  And yes, mine usually do wake up from their coma and go on to make a full recovery, but not always.  And yes, I have had the Boys sing one out of a coma too. LOL

"Definitely Just a Cold"/"Incurable Cough of Death"/"Radiograph of Doom" - Definitely used these in my cancer/disease stories LOL.

"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.  


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?

Usually romance and/or suspense/horror.  I don't think these would seem surprising to people who have read several of my stories, but sometimes I do like to make stories seem like one main genre and then twist them into another genre.  Romance into medical drama... medical drama into horror...  I don't think I've done horror into romance, but maybe someday! LOL


4. Outside of your "wheelhouse" genre, which others do you write most often?

I guess it would be the same genres I mentioned in the last question.  I used to write more romance, and now I'm more into the horror/suspense realm.  I also enjoy writing comedy on occasion.


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.


6. Which genre(s) do you write the least or not at all? Is that because they don't interest you personally or because you find them challenging to write? (Feel free to answer both if you have a different answer for both of those reasons.)

Fantasy and sci-fi.  I have written both before and enjoyed the experience, but they will never be my favorite genres to read or write.  From a reading perspective, I have always preferred realistic fiction.  (Harry Potter and horror that also contain elements of fantasy or sci-fi are the exceptions.)  From a writing perspective, I'm not creative enough to come up with many traditional fantasy or sci-fi ideas, let alone pull off writing them, even if I wanted to.  Kudos to those of you who do!


7. Are there genres that you thought you wouldn't like that ended up surprising you?

Slash!  As I've said here before, I wrote Unsuspecting Sunday and Sick as My Secrets as a challenge to myself to see if I could write a slash and take it seriously, and I loved the experience!  I may never write another because I feel like I put everything I had into those stories, but I wouldn't say no if I had a good enough (and different enough) idea.

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.


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!


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 would never have made that decision or dedicated that much time to writing it solely based on what was trendy, but I read a really good Nick romance around that time ("Cover Me With Dreams," which is still one of my all-time favorite fanfics) that inspired me to want to write a story with romance as the main plot rather than just a subplot.  Making it a sequel to a cancer story that came with two characters I already loved and a bunch of built-in drama was probably the best way for me to pull that off.  I think I would have gotten bored writing romance otherwise.

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.


11. Do you feel like genre determines the readership of your work?

To an extent, yes.  I'm known for writing medical drama, so my work tends to attract readers who like that kind of thing too.  But I also have a small base of loyal readers who will try just about anything I post, even if it's outside my wheelhouse.


12. Give a compliment to your "wheelhouse" genre and to your least written or never written genre.

Medical drama is compelling and offers a lot of opportunities for sweet, brotherly moments between the boys.

Fantasy is creative and can put the boys in cool, unique places and situations.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 07:26:56 PM
I showered when I got up this morning and asked my husband how sexy my Backstreet Boys shirt (perfect clothing to inspire some super productive fanfic writing) and messy bun were; he told me "You look like a sexy conehead hermit." So... that's where we're at!  I wrote 695 words so far, did a tiny bit of research as I settled on a "plant used for medicine that grows at sea level," and did a little rereading inspiration to get back into this chapter and not the upcoming chapters. I think I'll finish it today (and possibly in the next hour as I already have parts of the next scene written).

A BSB shirt is the best fanfic-writing hermit uniform!  I am wearing a Harry Potter sweatshirt that says "I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I don't exist," which is my favorite "Leave me alone and let me write" winter wardrobe item.

Sounds like you had a good blend of researching, rereading, and actual writing!


Also a fun game. I wrote this line, who is "you": “You and Nick are really similar sometimes. Really stubborn, but really devoted to everyone you care about.”

Hm... the description sounds like Brian, but I don't feel like someone would say he and Nick are really similar sometimes, being that they are/were Frick & Frack.  So my guess is Kevin!


I still say as long as your research is productive and inspiring, keep researching! If I'm really going back and forth on something, I will write two different versions and compare them. If there's too many varying ideas, I'll try to narrow it down without multiple drafts, but just two it's almost better to get both of them out of your head and onto paper so you can really see the difference. Stay motivated! Length of time spent doesn't matter.

Thanks!  That's my thought too.  This story is going to require a lot of research, so the more I can get out of the way early, the less likely I am to get derailed going down a rabbit hole when I actually get on a roll with the writing.  It really is like world-building with this one.

I am gonna try rewriting some without getting rid of the original so I can compare.  I think if I can get going on a new version, I will like it better, but the mere idea of having to scrap at least half of two chapters and rewrite them has kept me from working on this damn story in three years.  I just need to get over this hurdle, and then I think I'll be back on track with it.  I really like the idea; I just hate rewriting.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 07:34:30 PM
Here are a couple of questions related to our last posts:

How much do you have to write in a day/session to consider it a successful one?  Are you happy if you write anything, or do you have a certain number of words/pages/scenes you have to write before you feel productive?

Do you think researching, outlining, rereading, revising/editing, and similar parts of the process count as "writing," or do you only consider it "writing" when you actually add new words to where you left off in a story?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 08:01:59 PM
A BSB shirt is the best fanfic-writing hermit uniform!  I am wearing a Harry Potter sweatshirt that says "I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I don't exist," which is my favorite "Leave me alone and let me write" winter wardrobe item.

Sounds like you had a good blend of researching, rereading, and actual writing!

Haha, that Harry quote always makes me laugh, also perfect for writing in the winter. I think I'm going to wear my BSB holiday shirt tomorrow since it's going to be sub zero and it's a surprisingly warm shirt.

Hm... the description sounds like Brian, but I don't feel like someone would say he and Nick are really similar sometimes, being that they are/were Frick & Frack.  So my guess is Kevin!

Interesting that you thought it was Brian! But you're correct, the "sometimes" is important in the sentence; it is Kevin.

Thanks!  That's my thought too.  This story is going to require a lot of research, so the more I can get out of the way early, the less likely I am to get derailed going down a rabbit hole when I actually get on a roll with the writing.  It really is like world-building with this one.

I am gonna try rewriting some without getting rid of the original so I can compare.  I think if I can get going on a new version, I will like it better, but the mere idea of having to scrap at least half of two chapters and rewrite them has kept me from working on this damn story in three years.  I just need to get over this hurdle, and then I think I'll be back on track with it.  I really like the idea; I just hate rewriting.

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.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 08:26:16 PM
How much do you have to write in a day/session to consider it a successful one?  Are you happy if you write anything, or do you have a certain number of words/pages/scenes you have to write before you feel productive?

I guess it depends on what my goal is that day. In some ways, I miss NaNo where my goal was "write something every day," because it didn't matter how many words, scenes, pages, or chapters as long as I wrote something down. Here where my goal has been "finish ch. 22" since last weekend, it does feel kind of unproductive that it's been a week and the chapter still isn't finished (nevermind that I wrote the entirety of ch. 24 during that same time). I guess I have been getting a little down on myself as my hoarding lead dwindles away, especially since I started writing this chapter on January 30th; I would probably feel more comfortable being twenty chapters ahead of whatever I'm posting. And no matter how far ahead of this chapter I write, if it's not done, it could be really derailing. That being said, it is almost done. So I will call this day productive and then probably make my goal for February to continue building back my hoarding lead.

Do you think researching, outlining, rereading, revising/editing, and similar parts of the process count as "writing," or do you only consider it "writing" when you actually add new words to where you left off in a story?

I would like to meet a writer who writes without any researching, outlining, rereading, revising/editing, etcetera. Because I can't think of anyone (here, famous, whatever) who doesn't do those things and they're often necessary to either write new words on the page or get a story ready for publication/posting. I think it's all writing as long as you're actively engaging with the story in some way (unless you're rereading your own work for fun?). If you're scrolling twitter or instagram and saying "I should probably write instead," that's not writing. Sometimes y'all inspire me, so I'll call here a fine line. Depends on how focused we are on discussing writing and how long the break to chat here is from the actual writing related work. Obviously several hours here is not writing popping in for twenty minutes: maybe.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 08:43:47 PM
How much do you have to write in a day/session to consider it a successful one?  Are you happy if you write anything, or do you have a certain number of words/pages/scenes you have to write before you feel productive?

I guess it depends on what my goal is that day. In some ways, I miss NaNo where my goal was "write something every day," because it didn't matter how many words, scenes, pages, or chapters as long as I wrote something down. Here where my goal has been "finish ch. 22" since last weekend, it does feel kind of unproductive that it's been a week and the chapter still isn't finished (nevermind that I wrote the entirety of ch. 24 during that same time). I guess I have been getting a little down on myself as my hoarding lead dwindles away, especially since I started writing this chapter on January 30th; I would probably feel more comfortable being twenty chapters ahead of whatever I'm posting. And no matter how far ahead of this chapter I write, if it's not done, it could be really derailing. That being said, it is almost done. So I will call this day productive and then probably make my goal for February to continue building back my hoarding lead.

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.


Do you think researching, outlining, rereading, revising/editing, and similar parts of the process count as "writing," or do you only consider it "writing" when you actually add new words to where you left off in a story?

I would like to meet a writer who writes without any researching, outlining, rereading, revising/editing, etcetera. Because I can't think of anyone (here, famous, whatever) who doesn't do those things and they're often necessary to either write new words on the page or get a story ready for publication/posting. I think it's all writing as long as you're actively engaging with the story in some way (unless you're rereading your own work for fun?). If you're scrolling twitter or instagram and saying "I should probably write instead," that's not writing. Sometimes y'all inspire me, so I'll call here a fine line. Depends on how focused we are on discussing writing and how long the break to chat here is from the actual writing related work. Obviously several hours here is not writing popping in for twenty minutes: maybe.

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.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 08:48:08 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.

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.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 08:54:14 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.

Love all your favorite tropes; they're definitely you! In regard to this last one, I believe you're looking for "Handicapped Bad*** (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HandicappedBadass)" since "Inspirationally Disadvantaged (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/InspirationallyDisadvantaged)" is a little more exploitative/objectifying than I feel like you do.

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

I hear someone keeps suggesting Backstreet Boys/movie monsters stories. Perhaps it's time.

4. Outside of your "wheelhouse" genre, which others do you write most often?

I also enjoy writing comedy on occasion.

Have you ever written a straight comedy or is it always "comedy and..."?

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.

Do you find that you have a harder time keeping it fresh for yourself or keeping it fresh for the readers?

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.

AUs are awesome. It's fun to put known characters into new situations.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

Taking this compliment and storing it in my personal compliments folder.  ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 09:10:26 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.

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.


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.

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. :)  :-*

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.

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.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 09:19:31 PM
Love all your favorite tropes; they're definitely you! In regard to this last one, I believe you're looking for "Handicapped Bad*** (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HandicappedBadass)" since "Inspirationally Disadvantaged (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/InspirationallyDisadvantaged)" is a little more exploitative/objectifying than I feel like you do.

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.


I hear someone keeps suggesting Backstreet Boys/movie monsters stories. Perhaps it's time.

Do it!  Start a trend!


Have you ever written a straight comedy or is it always "comedy and..."?

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.


But maybe everyone here just enjoys the gruesome. Keep that medical drama genre alive, Julie! I'll keep supernatural alive too!

Haha, I do!  And yes... we need variety in this fandom!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 09:23:49 PM
Do you find that you have a harder time keeping it fresh for yourself or keeping it fresh for the readers?

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.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 09:34:30 PM
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?

Well... turns out I don't really enjoy researching things like milking cows and Amish culture.  I thought I would get into that more, but... not so much.  I am weird in that I love history, but don't love historical fiction.  Writing about the Amish is almost like writing historical fiction, and I don't like it.  I don't think it's a waste of time, just not as interesting as I thought it would be.  That's all I can think of offhand though; I generally love looking up stuff too.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 09:34:49 PM
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.

LMFAO!!! I'm just picturing Nick with a gun for a leg. He would get into so many unintended accidents because he would be too stoked to have a gun for a leg! You can be ba without having literal machinery attached to your body.

Do it!  Start a trend!


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.

Haha, I do!  And yes... we need variety in this fandom!

Me? A trendsetter in BSB fanfic fandom? Never thought that would happen. Perhaps it's time.

I guess "comedy with elements of x, y, z other genres" I would consider a straight comedy. Unless one of those other genres is drama and the story leans heavier into the drama than any of the elements. That fine line between dramedy and comedy, I guess.

I've always been here bringing variety. Why would I change now?

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.

Do you think you could write a full medical drama without a hospital scene? It seems kind of inevitable if you have medical drama as a main genre, but I'm much less well researched in it.

I can't think of the last time I read a medical drama that wasn't written by you, so at this point, maybe it's more of a "hospital scenes are a necessary part of a Julie medical drama" thing for me. Other people probably have better answers.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 09:39:26 PM
Well... turns out I don't really enjoy researching things like milking cows and Amish culture.  I thought I would get into that more, but... not so much.  I am weird in that I love history, but don't love historical fiction.  Writing about the Amish is almost like writing historical fiction, and I don't like it.  I don't think it's a waste of time, just not as interesting as I thought it would be.  That's all I can think of offhand though; I generally love looking up stuff too.

Next time you have to research milking a cow, just go to a creamery instead. Learning about milking cows in the context of producing and eating cheese, then getting to eat tasty cheese, was awesome! Plus, I learned that the sports team of the local high school was the "Cheesemakers" and what's not to love about that? Nothing.

I think it depends on the historical fiction for me and whether those pieces of day to day life are the focus or just kind of there. Or maybe if it wasn't historical fiction when it was written, but now it kind of is. Those ones are fine. I'm looking at you Jane Austen and Victor Hugo.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 10:11:17 PM
LMFAO!!! I'm just picturing Nick with a gun for a leg. He would get into so many unintended accidents because he would be too stoked to have a gun for a leg! You can be ba without having literal machinery attached to your body.

If he ever loses a limb in 00Carter, you know Professor Pearl would make him a gun leg or arm!  Or this could be a new entry in 1000 Ways to Kill Nick Carter.  Survives choppage... shoots self with gun leg.


Me? A trendsetter in BSB fanfic fandom? Never thought that would happen. Perhaps it's time.

It's time!  Nick falls in love with a sea monster... go!


I guess "comedy with elements of x, y, z other genres" I would consider a straight comedy. Unless one of those other genres is drama and the story leans heavier into the drama than any of the elements. That fine line between dramedy and comedy, I guess.

Yeah, mine are more comedy than dramedy, to me anyway.  They're a lot different from my dramas that contain comic relief.  I have a twisted sense of humor, so some of them still contain death and dismemberment, but played for laughs, not meant to be taken seriously.  Nick in 1000 Ways is basically Kenny in South Park, and I think that same South Park-inspired sense of humor comes across in my other comedies as well.


Do you think you could write a full medical drama without a hospital scene? It seems kind of inevitable if you have medical drama as a main genre, but I'm much less well researched in it.

I can't think of the last time I read a medical drama that wasn't written by you, so at this point, maybe it's more of a "hospital scenes are a necessary part of a Julie medical drama" thing for me. Other people probably have better answers.

Probably not the kind I like to write.  I guess if I spun herpes on the Wheel of Misfortune, that wouldn't require a hospitalizatio n... but knowing me, I would give him some kind of herpes complication that would land him in the hospital anyway because if it's not potentially life-threatening, is it even worth writing? LOL  (Also, I just looked up the potential complications of genital herpes, which include bladder problems, rectal inflammation, spinal cord inflammation, meningitis, encephalitis, and blindness.  Hm, maybe I will write a herpes story after all!  Haha!)

I'm almost positive the only novel I've ever written that doesn't include a hospital scene is my unfinished Harry Potter crossover.  Even the ones that aren't medical drama usually have a character wind up in the hospital at some point LOL.


Next time you have to research milking a cow, just go to a creamery instead. Learning about milking cows in the context of producing and eating cheese, then getting to eat tasty cheese, was awesome! Plus, I learned that the sports team of the local high school was the "Cheesemakers" and what's not to love about that? Nothing.

Good idea!  Also the Cheesemakers is definitely a more fun mascot name than the Packers.  Sorry, not sorry, Rose.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 10:22:10 PM
If he ever loses a limb in 00Carter, you know Professor Pearl would make him a gun leg or arm!  Or this could be a new entry in 1000 Ways to Kill Nick Carter.  Survives choppage... shoots self with gun leg.

Professor Pearl would! But 00Carter Nick is suave enough to figure it out. I need to stop filling in comments in the middle of your sentences, because I saw "survives" and thought "but Nick has to die, that's the point of the story." And then he tragically accidentally shoots himself. lmao!

It's time!  Nick falls in love with a sea monster... go!

How am I going to have time to write all of these things? The story I'm currently writing, Nick is Brian's guardian angel, Nick falls in love with a sea monster, death by snail?

Yeah, mine are more comedy than dramedy, to me anyway.  They're a lot different from my dramas that contain comic relief.  I have a twisted sense of humor, so some of them still contain death and dismemberment, but played for laughs, not meant to be taken seriously.  Nick in 1000 Ways is basically Kenny in South Park, and I think that same South Park-inspired sense of humor comes across in my other comedies as well.

Black comedy is still valid comedy! As long as it's mostly meant for laughs! Oh South Park... I gotta take you to Casa Bonita someday if it survives the pandemic.

Probably not the kind I like to write.  I guess if I spun herpes on the Wheel of Misfortune, that wouldn't require a hospitalizatio n... but knowing me, I would give him some kind of herpes complication that would land him in the hospital anyway because if it's not potentially life-threatening, is it even worth writing? LOL  (Also, I just looked up the potential complications of genital herpes, which include bladder problems, rectal inflammation, spinal cord inflammation, meningitis, encephalitis, and blindness.  Hm, maybe I will write a herpes story after all!  Haha!)

I'm almost positive the only novel I've ever written that doesn't include a hospital scene is my unfinished Harry Potter crossover.  Even the ones that aren't medical drama usually have a character wind up in the hospital at some point LOL.


Good idea!  Also the Cheesemakers is definitely a more fun mascot name than the Packers.  Sorry, not sorry, Rose.

Poor Nick, going blind from herpes. LMAO at "if it's not potentially life-threatening, then is it even worth writing?"

Maybe that's why you never finished it? It was a crossover and had no medical drama, let alone hospitals. Now try to write a HP crossover with a hospital scene.

You tell her! (I have nothing to contribute to this assumed Packers/Cubs rivalry.)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 10:33:36 PM
How am I going to have time to write all of these things? The story I'm currently writing, Nick is Brian's guardian angel, Nick falls in love with a sea monster, death by snail?

Hm... I know you have another idea for the guardian angel story, but perhaps Nick becomes an angel after being murdered by the snail... and then falls in love with a sea monster?  Because if angels exist, why not sea monsters?  Also, then he could hang out underwater without having to surface for air.  Then, after helping Brian solve his problems, Nick would have to decide whether to go to the afterlife or live under the sea with his monster wife.


Oh South Park... I gotta take you to Casa Bonita someday if it survives the pandemic.

Yes!!!  A must-do in Denver!


Poor Nick, going blind from herpes. LMAO at "if it's not potentially life-threatening, then is it even worth writing?"

Maybe that's why you never finished it? It was a crossover and had no medical drama, let alone hospitals. Now try to write a HP crossover with a hospital scene.

I've never done a blindness fanfic, and that was the very first kind of fanfic I ever read!  Although to be fair, it was the girl who was blind, not the Backstreet Boy.

I think the main reason I didn't finish it was because Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cam e out and ruined my idea... although technically I haven't given up on finishing it; I just haven't tried to work on it  in several years...  But yeah, the lack of medical drama may have become a problem at some point.  Hm, maybe Nick infects Hermione with his herpes...
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 10:38:35 PM
Hm... I know you have another idea for the guardian angel story, but perhaps Nick becomes an angel after being murdered by the snail... and then falls in love with a sea monster?  Because if angels exist, why not sea monsters?  Also, then he could hang out underwater without having to surface for air.  Then, after helping Brian solve his problems, Nick would have to decide whether to go to the afterlife or live under the sea with his monster wife.

LMFAO!!!! The best of the jokiest fanfics combined. What a dilemma guardian angel Nick has all because he was murdered by a snail! LMAO! Of course sea monsters exist. Why wouldn't they?

I've never done a blindness fanfic, and that was the very first kind of fanfic I ever read!  Although to be fair, it was the girl who was blind, not the Backstreet Boy.

I think the main reason I didn't finish it was because Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cam e out and ruined my idea... although technically I haven't given up on finishing it; I just haven't tried to work on it  in several years...  But yeah, the lack of medical drama may have become a problem at some point.  Hm, maybe Nick infects Hermione with his herpes...

Time to twist it and make the Backstreet Boy blind.

lol, I wonder if STDs exist in the HPverse.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 13, 2021, 10:44:45 PM
LMFAO!!!! The best of the jokiest fanfics combined. What a dilemma guardian angel Nick has all because he was murdered by a snail! LMAO! Of course sea monsters exist. Why wouldn't they?

Time to twist it and make the Backstreet Boy blind.

lol, I wonder if STDs exist in the HPverse.

I can't stop laughing at "What a dilemma guardian angel Nick has all because he was murdered by a snail!"  In all seriousness, you must write death by snail as one of the 1000 Ways.

I desperately want the Loch Ness Monster to be real!

I'm pretty sure I've come across at least one story about a blind Backstreet Boy.  Deafness would be worse for a singer though; that would be so tragic.

I'm sure STDs do exist in the Wizarding World, but they probably have a spell or potion to magic them away.  Herpesio evanesco!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 13, 2021, 10:56:21 PM
I can't stop laughing at "What a dilemma guardian angel Nick has all because he was murdered by a snail!"  In all seriousness, you must write death by snail as one of the 1000 Ways.

I desperately want the Loch Ness Monster to be real!

I'm pretty sure I've come across at least one story about a blind Backstreet Boy.  Deafness would be worse for a singer though; that would be so tragic.

I'm sure STDs do exist in the Wizarding World, but they probably have a spell or potion to magic them away.  Herpesio evanesco!

 ;D Well, I have a beginning and an end, plus bits of middle, in my head. Maybe I'll start trying to put it to paper once I finish ch. 22. What's the typical word count of these things?

I would also love if Nessie was real.

I wonder if you could still sing if deafness developed later in life because of an illness or something? Like muscle memory?

I was going to ask, are hospitals really a thing in the Wizarding World?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 12:51:56 AM
1. What genre do you consider your wheelhouse?

Fantasy, of course! Mundane is boring, you gotta have people with wings and magic powers!

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!)

Obviously. I'd call what I do more akin to a cross between Heroic Fantasy (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HeroicFantasy) and High Fantasy (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HighFantasy) with a lot of Asian influence (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Wuxia). Favorites to use (and these are just the non-spoilery ones!):


Basically... Fantasy has a lot of "Omnipresent Tropes (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OmnipresentTropes)" (oh hey, that's a trope too...) and I love all of them! Realistically, I could keep you here for days telling you all of the ones I love to use. Ask me some time to tell you all of the "hero (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Heroes)" tropes Nick takes on, especially if you love rabbit holes and being kept busy for days.

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?

Oh man... Maybe it's easier to tell you genres I don't include... First, AU and how! It's usually both a fantasy and also a "in a world where the Backstreet Boys are also x, unlike in real life." Other ones that seem obvious based on tropes I listed above would be supernatural elements, action, and adventure. There's usually also elements of romance, angst, some comedy to balance out the angst, some drama to add to the angst, horrific worlds of horror... What with Kevin having healing powers in PBox and Nick's propensity to getting stabbed, there's also some medical drama in there!

4. Outside of your "wheelhouse" genre, which others do you write most often?

I realize I did not clarify this question well. I think I meant as a main genre if you're not writing a story in your wheelhouse genre. I think I go for comedies, but I think this is because if it's not an epic fantasy, it's very short. That's pretty much what you'll get from me that gets completed: epic fantasies or very short comedies/dramedies.

5. What is easy about your "wheelhouse" genre? What is difficult or challenging?

I think it lends itself well to character development over the plot, which I love. World building is probably the most challenging because there's a lot of things you should have absolutely figured out before you start writing. Basically, I failed you all by being "wibbly" on demonic powers in the beginning of PBox.

6. Which genre(s) do you write the least or not at all? Is that because they don't interest you personally or because you find them challenging to write? (Feel free to answer both if you have a different answer for both of those reasons.)

Seems surprising, but I would say science fiction! I think technology is way less interesting than magic, so I hardly ever write science fiction. The other one would probably be suspense or mysteries. I think they're really interesting, I just don't think I'm very good at keeping things secret! Or building up a bunch of stuff only to reveal it all at the end; I'd rather tell you what you need to know along the way.

7. Are there genres that you thought you wouldn't like that ended up surprising you?

I never say never, I'll try anything once. And by trying everything once, I guess I keep going back to my wheelhouse. So maybe the most surprising thing to me was just finally accepting "this is Dee" and that's cool.

8. Do you feel like there are genres BSB lend themselves better to than others?

Not necessarily. I think there's different trends at different points and like Julie said, it's harder to write "canon" romances these days if you keep your stories more on the realistic side. But, as long as you capitalize on the strong characters of the Boys, they can do pretty much anything -- the real Boys just happen to be best at singing, dancing, and entertaining.

9. Are there genres that used to be more prevalent than they are now or vice versa?

I see a lot more slash and not much else I guess? But also... not as much as there used to be in general? This is a challenge to us all, I suppose. Keep writing and keep writing lots of different things, whether that's slash or medical dramas or fantasy or something completely different. :)

10. Have you ever tried to write a main plot in a genre because that genre was trendy?

*Looks at all the unfinished Nick romances on her AC page* Yup. I don't know if I decided to write them because they were trendy, but those are definitely the ones I was less invested in.

11. Do you feel like genre determines the readership of your work?

Sure. I know how to manipulate all of you into reading my things. However, I know that what I really like to write has a smaller demographic of fanfic fans. And at this point, I'm just happy anyone wants to read anything I write, I could have come back to a readership of zero (which it was for many years).

12. Give a compliment to your "wheelhouse" genre and to your least written or never written genre.

Oh fantasy, the epic genre. You're fun, creative, and give great characters the opportunity to do the impossible. Plus magic is awesome!

Oh science fiction, you take a level of semi-realistic creativity that I don't have! So kudos to anyone who wants to write fantastical based in realism. Oh mysteries and suspense, your authors are excellent at keeping me on the edge of my seat with so many twists and turns! Their level of planning is so intricate!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 14, 2021, 03:30:03 PM
;D Well, I have a beginning and an end, plus bits of middle, in my head. Maybe I'll start trying to put it to paper once I finish ch. 22. What's the typical word count of these things?

I would also love if Nessie was real.

I wonder if you could still sing if deafness developed later in life because of an illness or something? Like muscle memory?

I was going to ask, are hospitals really a thing in the Wizarding World?

Any word count is fine!  The shorter ones are under 1000 words, while the longer ones are several thousand.

I bet you could still sing to some extent, but unless you had perfect pitch, I think it would be a lot harder to stay on key and harmonize with the others.  I know Beethoven continued composing music when he was deaf, and in some ways that sounds harder than singing, but it's also different.

Okay, after writing that paragraph, I had to Google and see if there are any noteworthy deaf singers, and I found a girl named Mandy Harvey who was on America's Got Talent a few years ago.  She went deaf at 18 while in college for vocal music education, so she was already an experienced singer before she lost her hearing.  She uses a visual tuner that helps her tune her ukulele to match the pitch of her voice, and she takes off her shoes onstage so she can feel the vibrations of the music through the floor.  Here's a video: https://youtu.be/oHUuCLgfMpo  Impressive!!

Hospitals are a thing in the Wizarding World.  They skip over this part in the movie, but Order of the Phoenix has a whole chapter set at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries in London.  They call the doctors "healers."
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 14, 2021, 03:43:05 PM
Seems surprising, but I would say science fiction! I think technology is way less interesting than magic, so I hardly ever write science fiction. The other one would probably be suspense or mysteries. I think they're really interesting, I just don't think I'm very good at keeping things secret! Or building up a bunch of stuff only to reveal it all at the end; I'd rather tell you what you need to know along the way.

Sci-fi seems more restrictive than fantasy because you're still bound to the laws of science in some respects.  Sure, you can include technology that does not exist (yet), but it still needs to be somewhat believable within that world.  There are fewer limitations with fantasy because you can incorporate magic, etc.  You still have to follow the rules you establish when world-building though, which I think is challenge for either genre.

I'm with you on mysteries.  I like reading them, but I'm terrible at coming up with a creative and intricate enough plot that readers won't figure it all out before the end.  I shied away from suspense for a long time because I felt like I wasn't good at writing believable villains.

Your compliments to these genres are spot on!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 05:26:49 PM
I bet you could still sing to some extent, but unless you had perfect pitch, I think it would be a lot harder to stay on key and harmonize with the others.  I know Beethoven continued composing music when he was deaf, and in some ways that sounds harder than singing, but it's also different.

Okay, after writing that paragraph, I had to Google and see if there are any noteworthy deaf singers, and I found a girl named Mandy Harvey who was on America's Got Talent a few years ago.  She went deaf at 18 while in college for vocal music education, so she was already an experienced singer before she lost her hearing.  She uses a visual tuner that helps her tune her ukulele to match the pitch of her voice, and she takes off her shoes onstage so she can feel the vibrations of the music through the floor.  Here's a video: https://youtu.be/oHUuCLgfMpo  Impressive!!

Hospitals are a thing in the Wizarding World.  They skip over this part in the movie, but Order of the Phoenix has a whole chapter set at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries in London.  They call the doctors "healers."

That's interesting that she uses a visual tuner and the vibrations to help! Very impressive! I think people who are already experienced in what they're doing, whether it's composing or performing would figure it out and still be badasses.

I wonder what special training magical doctors get to be better at magical healing than a regular magical person.

Sci-fi seems more restrictive than fantasy because you're still bound to the laws of science in some respects.  Sure, you can include technology that does not exist (yet), but it still needs to be somewhat believable within that world.  There are fewer limitations with fantasy because you can incorporate magic, etc.  You still have to follow the rules you establish when world-building though, which I think is challenge for either genre.

I'm with you on mysteries.  I like reading them, but I'm terrible at coming up with a creative and intricate enough plot that readers won't figure it all out before the end.  I shied away from suspense for a long time because I felt like I wasn't good at writing believable villains.

Your compliments to these genres are spot on!

Exactly, those laws of science will get you. I've said it a few times that the physics of flying I hand wave in PBox are all wrong. Nothing that big could just basketball leap and be flying. And in science fiction, it would definitely get questioned. "It's magic" is a great excuse.I think you just have to make sure that you keep track of your rules, so you can call yourself out. It's good to have a list somewhere.

Same! You want it to be intricate, but still have that "if you payed attention to all the clues, you'll have the answer" feeling. And I am just not good at that. I'd rather read it and be surprised.

I like villains. They're basically a foil to your hero, and I think easier done when they're a smaller scale villain and not a "big bad with the good and evil of the universe in the balance" type thing. Realistically, they could have the same motivations as your hero, but different morals for achieving them; they're basically just another character with their own goals. As long as their motivations are believable and their character is diametrically opposed to the hero, then you're golden! :)

It feels nice to give out compliments!  ;D
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 05:35:38 PM
Apparently tomorrow is International Fanworks Day! How are we celebrating?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 14, 2021, 05:57:25 PM
I like villains. They're basically a foil to your hero, and I think easier done when they're a smaller scale villain and not a "big bad with the good and evil of the universe in the balance" type thing. Realistically, they could have the same motivations as your hero, but different morals for achieving them; they're basically just another character with their own goals. As long as their motivations are believable and their character is diametrically opposed to the hero, then you're golden! :)

I agree about the smaller scale.  Otherwise they turn out like Dr. Rough, who I love as a character, but he is definitely a parody/caricature of a cliched supervillain, not a believable one.  I think it's important to develop them as characters in their own right and make sure they have clear motives that make sense, rather than just focusing on their villainous acts.  That's harder for a plot-driven writer, but still doable.


Apparently tomorrow is International Fanworks Day! How are we celebrating?

Day off school/work to listen to BSB music and write!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 06:21:48 PM
I agree about the smaller scale.  Otherwise they turn out like Dr. Rough, who I love as a character, but he is definitely a parody/caricature of a cliched supervillain, not a believable one.  I think it's important to develop them as characters in their own right and make sure they have clear motives that make sense, rather than just focusing on their villainous acts.  That's harder for a plot-driven writer, but still doable.

Sure, but Dr. Rough is a parody/caricature of a cliched super villain in a semi-serious parody of James Bond movies. He's doing exactly what he's supposed to do in that story, so he's fine. Put him into... I don't know... a kidnapping story and yeah, he's a little over the top, haha. Even as a plot-driven writer, you have to ask the same question. "This needs to happen for the plot. What was the villain's plotline until this moment that made them do the thing?" And if the answer is, "Nothing, it's for the evulz," then you should probably go back and figure out what happened that made the villain decide that that thing should happen for the plot. Or a good alternative is to write stories where the villain isn't a person, it's nature or circumstance or what have you. You don't need to give nature character development, haha.

Day off school/work to listen to BSB music and write!

I gotta work tomorrow, so keep sending snow day vibes!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 14, 2021, 06:52:20 PM
Sure, but Dr. Rough is a parody/caricature of a cliched super villain in a semi-serious parody of James Bond movies. He's doing exactly what he's supposed to do in that story, so he's fine. Put him into... I don't know... a kidnapping story and yeah, he's a little over the top, haha. Even as a plot-driven writer, you have to ask the same question. "This needs to happen for the plot. What was the villain's plotline until this moment that made them do the thing?" And if the answer is, "Nothing, it's for the evulz," then you should probably go back and figure out what happened that made the villain decide that that thing should happen for the plot. Or a good alternative is to write stories where the villain isn't a person, it's nature or circumstance or what have you. You don't need to give nature character development, haha.

About Dr. Rough - absolutely!  He works for that story because it's basically one big over-the-top parody anyway.  But he's way too silly for a serious suspense story.

That's one reason I prefer to write medical drama and stuff like The Road to Bethlehem.  The villain isn't human; it's disease and weather and animals and AJ's appendix LOL.

(Side note:  I was super freaked out by AJ posting a video of himself singing Shape of My Heart after my reply to your comment on AO3 LOL.  Maybe that's his subliminal way of telling me he wants to live.  Is AJ going to fight me on this??  I haven't tortured him into submission like Nick.)


I gotta work tomorrow, so keep sending snow day vibes!

Oh noes!  But it's International Fanworks Day!  And Presidents' Day!  Sending those snow day/polar vortex vibes your way.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 07:01:38 PM
That's one reason I prefer to write medical drama and stuff like The Road to Bethlehem.  The villain isn't human; it's disease and weather and animals and AJ's appendix LOL.

(Side note:  I was super freaked out by AJ posting a video of himself singing Shape of My Heart after my reply to your comment on AO3 LOL.  Maybe that's his subliminal way of telling me he wants to live.  Is AJ going to fight me on this??  I haven't tortured him into submission like Nick.)


Oh noes!  But it's International Fanworks Day!  And Presidents' Day!  Sending those snow day/polar vortex vibes your way.

"AJ's appendix, why did you decide to burst right now?" "For the evulz! Muahahahahah!"  LMAO

LMFAO! The timing of that is impeccable! He wants a Code Black & Blue! Maybe he heard me hoping for a Code Black & Blue and tried to make it happen himself; let the Boy live!

Also, see, this is what happens when we focus all of our torture efforts on Nick, the others get wise and fight back while we're busy. ;)

I'm bummed too, but private schools do what they want and the staff chose MLK Day this year over President's Day. (Which is crazy. President's Day gives you a nice break halfway between winter break and spring break.) Can you imagine me taking a day off work for International Fanworks Day and saying that was the reason? It would sound so silly. Yes, polar vortex! Maybe if it's cold enough, even without snow, that'll do it!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 14, 2021, 07:12:56 PM
LMAO Code Black & Blue definitely needs to be the name of that BSB fanfic trope.  Did we already try starting a list of BSB tropes?

Darn private schools!  They should celebrate MLK and Lincoln and Washington just like public schools do!  LOL I would love to hear you admit you took the day off for International Fanworks Day.

C'mon, polar vortex!  Drop that wind chill!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 07:19:58 PM
We did not try starting a list of BSB fanfic tropes yet! We did try starting a list of BSB fanfic rules of the internet, but tropes might be the funnier way to go. In general, Nick is the fandom "Woobie" for sure. And Code Black & Blue is the perfect name for that trope for BSB fanfics.

I hear you, they definitely should. I keep hoping, but it's still one or the other and I've worked at this school since 2016.

"I took it off for International Fanworks Day." "What?" "It's a day celebrating the creative genius that is fanfics." "Uhhh... how do you participate in that?" "Spend the day writing or reading fanfics mostly." "Right..."Meanwhile, we have party hats here.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 14, 2021, 08:14:22 PM
We did not try starting a list of BSB fanfic tropes yet! We did try starting a list of BSB fanfic rules of the internet, but tropes might be the funnier way to go. In general, Nick is the fandom "Woobie" for sure. And Code Black & Blue is the perfect name for that trope for BSB fanfics.

Ah, that's what it was!  I knew there was something we tried to start, and then I couldn't think of anything to add to it LOL.  Tropes might be easier.

Nick is definitely our Woobie.  What's the name for the character who nothing interesting happens to and is usually just kind of there?  Cause that would be Howie in most stories LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 09:37:24 PM
Ah, that's what it was!  I knew there was something we tried to start, and then I couldn't think of anything to add to it LOL.  Tropes might be easier.

Nick is definitely our Woobie.  What's the name for the character who nothing interesting happens to and is usually just kind of there?  Cause that would be Howie in most stories LOL.

A poorly developed character? haha

Let me think for a minute.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 09:38:18 PM
Also, good news everyone! Two weeks later and I finally finished that chapter! Now just rereading to get back on track with where I was skipped ahead to instead.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 09:54:35 PM
What's the name for the character who nothing interesting happens to and is usually just kind of there?  Cause that would be Howie in most stories LOL.

A poorly developed character? haha

Let me think for a minute.

I'd say that either makes Howie "Out of Focus (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OutOfFocus)," "Demoted to Extra (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DemotedtoExtra)," or "Advertised Extra (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AdvertisedExtra)" depending on the severity of the Howie doing nothing interesting or nothing at all. Possibly "Chuck Cunningham Syndrome (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChuckCunninghamSyndrome)" if he starts out important then vanishes.

Realistically, we should just name this BSB trope "The Winking Effect" (wink and you'll miss him) or something and note that of all the Boys, this is most likely to happen to Howie and least likely to happen to Nick.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 14, 2021, 10:58:46 PM
Also, good news everyone! Two weeks later and I finally finished that chapter! Now just rereading to get back on track with where I was skipped ahead to instead.

Yay!!  Congrats!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 14, 2021, 10:59:51 PM
I'd say that either makes Howie "Out of Focus (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OutOfFocus)," "Demoted to Extra (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DemotedtoExtra)," or "Advertised Extra (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AdvertisedExtra)" depending on the severity of the Howie doing nothing interesting or nothing at all. Possibly "Chuck Cunningham Syndrome (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChuckCunninghamSyndrome)" if he starts out important then vanishes.

Realistically, we should just name this BSB trope "The Winking Effect" (wink and you'll miss him) or something and note that of all the Boys, this is most likely to happen to Howie and least likely to happen to Nick.

Yes!!  The Winking Effect!  You're good at coming up with names for these.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 11:01:11 PM
Yay!!  Congrats!

Thanks, now we're back to our skip ahead and Nick gets to beat up another door, haha. I always get stuck on word choice. I spent such a long time looking up different "hit" verbs to finally settle on "bash."
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 11:03:22 PM
Yes!!  The Winking Effect!  You're good at coming up with names for these.

My comedic brevity and expertise in tropes join together into a naming superpower, haha. Having the list of tropes would be funny, but looking for works that utilize them would be time consuming. We'd probably have to have authors self-submit or readers recommend works be added to a page.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 11:08:03 PM
Can we call over-expressive eyebrows "Caterpillars on Parade"? lmao
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 14, 2021, 11:12:19 PM
My comedic brevity and expertise in tropes join together into a naming superpower, haha. Having the list of tropes would be funny, but looking for works that utilize them would be time consuming. We'd probably have to have authors self-submit or readers recommend works be added to a page.

Oh definitely.  I'm not looking to start a whole wiki for this.  Just a funny list would be good!


Can we call over-expressive eyebrows "Caterpillars on Parade"? lmao

LOL Yes!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 14, 2021, 11:21:12 PM
Oh definitely.  I'm not looking to start a whole wiki for this.  Just a funny list would be good!

We would have loved a whole wiki back in the day. Except it probably would have ended up like a bunch of our other great, but abandoned ideas: the detailed review site... chatrooms... I can't think of others right now, but I know there were others.

Something about fluffy, dark, whatever the middle is... What is the middle of fluffy and dark? Is anyone a middle of the road author?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 12:01:02 AM
We would have loved a whole wiki back in the day. Except it probably would have ended up like a bunch of our other great, but abandoned ideas: the detailed review site... chatrooms... I can't think of others right now, but I know there were others.

Something about fluffy, dark, whatever the middle is... What is the middle of fluffy and dark? Is anyone a middle of the road author?

LOL Very true.  We dream big, but don't always deliver.

Hm... I guess the middle between light/fluffy and dark would be some shade of gray.  I would not know because I am definitely not a middle of the road author LOL.  Even my comedies are dark.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 15, 2021, 08:03:56 PM
LOL Very true.  We dream big, but don't always deliver.

Hm... I guess the middle between light/fluffy and dark would be some shade of gray.  I would not know because I am definitely not a middle of the road author LOL.  Even my comedies are dark.

You gotta dream big! Doing big can come later, haha.

I'm not either. There's a question for today:

Where do you fall on the fluffy to dark scale? How do you determine that? And do you think a middle of the road exists?

Also, happy official international fanworks day, y'all! Hope you celebrated!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 08:58:07 PM
I'm assuming you did not get your snow day today. :(  The snow day vibes must have worked on me instead because my district is having its first ever remote learning-style snow day tomorrow!  And they actually called it tonight instead of waiting til morning, which means I can actually go to bed tonight feeling prepared and not worried about getting up early extra to make sure I can make it to work safely on time.  Such a relief.

I celebrated International Fanworks Day by writing most of the day!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 15, 2021, 09:12:02 PM
I did not, alas. But there's hope for Wednesday! Ooh, I snow day! Are you going to be live teaching or will it be similar to the days when your students are remote week to week? I'm glad you don't have to deal with the anxiety of getting to work safely! That's always the worst!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 09:13:08 PM
Where do you fall on the fluffy to dark scale? How do you determine that? And do you think a middle of the road exists?

If fluffy is 1 and dark is 10, I'm anywhere from a 6 to 10 depending on the story, but always on the dark side of the scale.  I do include fluffy sweet or funny moments in most stories, but they are heavier on the drama - disease, death, and other depressing stuff.

I definitely think there can be a middle ground.  Some stories fall more in the dramedy realm, where they're a mix of dark and light.  And some writers write both pure fluff and darker stories.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 09:15:04 PM
I did not, alas. But there's hope for Wednesday! Ooh, I snow day! Are you going to be live teaching or will it be similar to the days when your students are remote week to week? I'm glad you don't have to deal with the anxiety of getting to work safely! That's always the worst!

We have to schedule one Google Meet, and the rest of the day can be independent assignments.  So we're going to have a fun little morning meeting on Google Meet, and then they have a few easy activities to do on their own that involve games, videos, and books.  I still think we should all still get to enjoy a snow day. ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 15, 2021, 09:27:17 PM
We have to schedule one Google Meet, and the rest of the day can be independent assignments.  So we're going to have a fun little morning meeting on Google Meet, and then they have a few easy activities to do on their own that involve games, videos, and books.  I still think we should all still get to enjoy a snow day. ;)

That sounds nice for everyone! I think that means you get another day to work on writing. What a lucky week!  ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 15, 2021, 09:29:41 PM
If fluffy is 1 and dark is 10, I'm anywhere from a 6 to 10 depending on the story, but always on the dark side of the scale.  I do include fluffy sweet or funny moments in most stories, but they are heavier on the drama - disease, death, and other depressing stuff.

I definitely think there can be a middle ground.  Some stories fall more in the dramedy realm, where they're a mix of dark and light.  And some writers write both pure fluff and darker stories.

I'm going to call myself a solid 7. I just like to torture my characters too much to be be anything less.

I wonder what most people here consider themselves. Do you think overall AC had more fluffy or more dark?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 09:33:27 PM
That sounds nice for everyone! I think that means you get another day to work on writing. What a lucky week!  ;)

Yes!  The timing couldn't be better because I was actually pretty focused and productive today.  Hopefully that can continue tomorrow after my Google Meet LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 15, 2021, 09:35:30 PM
Yes!  The timing couldn't be better because I was actually pretty focused and productive today.  Hopefully that can continue tomorrow after my Google Meet LOL.

I believe in you!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 09:36:32 PM
I'm going to call myself a solid 7. I just like to torture my characters too much to be be anything less.

I wonder what most people here consider themselves. Do you think overall AC had more fluffy or more dark?

I think AC had a good mix.  I would say most of us who still post here are definitely on the dark side, but in the beginning AC had a lot more romance writers.  Not that all romance is fluffy because obviously it can be dark and filled with drama too, but it doesn't tend to be as dark as other genres.  There also used to be a lot of cutesy stories about BSB kids here.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 09:37:57 PM
I believe in you!

Thanks!  It's hard when I have to burst my fanfic bubble and then try to get back into it after school, even if the school day is shorter.  I'm hoping the extra time I have to spend on the computer anyway in case the kids have questions (which they shouldn't because I made it so easy for them!) will help.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 09:44:29 PM
Our conversation in Tracy's update thread gave me another idea for a question.

That is true; those years [2006-2012 when Kevin was gone] were when AC was at its peak!  I guess we found solace in fanfic.  I think fanfic is also what helped get through the hiatus between Black & Blue/Chapter 1 and Never Gone.  Other than Nick's solo album, there wasn't much BSB stuff happening, but there were a lot of great fanfics being written.

Looking back on your own experience reading and writing fanfic, were you more active and involved when the Boys were also active, or did you tend to read and write more when there was nothing happening in the real world of BSB?  Why do you think that is?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 15, 2021, 09:46:51 PM
I think AC had a good mix.  I would say most of us who still post here are definitely on the dark side, but in the beginning AC had a lot more romance writers.  Not that all romance is fluffy because obviously it can be dark and filled with drama too, but it doesn't tend to be as dark as other genres.  There also used to be a lot of cutesy stories about BSB kids here.

All fair points. I wonder why it's "team dark" that's stuck around more. Is it just the "harder to write romance about married dudes" issue? I don't think I could write about the kids... Too much.

Thanks!  It's hard when I have to burst my fanfic bubble and then try to get back into it after school, even if the school day is shorter.  I'm hoping the extra time I have to spend on the computer anyway in case the kids have questions (which they shouldn't because I made it so easy for them!) will help.

I mean, if you have to be on the computer anyway, you may as well do something fun while you're waiting for them to have questions.  ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 09:50:40 PM
All fair points. I wonder why it's "team dark" that's stuck around more. Is it just the "harder to write romance about married dudes" issue? I don't think I could write about the kids... Too much.

Maybe?  Or maybe it's because the more "normal" people who wrote light, fluffy stuff have moved on from the fandom and are either writing other things or not writing at all anymore.  Meanwhile, the weirdos like me are still skulking inside our fanfic bubbles, writing depressing stories about the Backstreet Boys. LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 15, 2021, 09:59:37 PM
Our conversation in Tracy's update thread gave me another idea for a question.

We gotta stop having great discussions in Tracy's update thread. lol

That is true; those years were when AC was at its peak!  I guess we found solace in fanfic.  I think fanfic is also what helped get through the hiatus between Black & Blue/Chapter 1 and Never Gone.  Other than Nick's solo album, there wasn't much BSB stuff happening, but there were a lot of great fanfics being written.

They weren't doing things, but they could do things in fanfic! That's probably why: ktbspa by keeping them busy in our hearts.

Looking back on your own experience reading and writing fanfic, were you more active and involved when the Boys were also active, or did you tend to read and write more when there was nothing happening in the real world of BSB?  Why do you think that is?

:shrug: I want to say that them doing things is inspiring, but then I didn't open any writing after the residency or the first DNA tour concert or even back in 2010 for the TIU tour. But Never Gone was really inspiring and... what was going on in 2006? House of Carters... Nick on DWTS... AJ on DWTS when Nick was on Masked Singer... The perfect storm I needed to come back, really.

I think maybe I feel more drawn to it when they seem omnipresent like the good old days of 90's BSB. Social media isn't quite the same for me even though they're accessible all the time in small pieces.

But then sticking to writing, I think that happened in the times they haven't been busy. Again, maybe it's a way to make them feel omnipresent. I'm not really sure.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 15, 2021, 10:02:35 PM
Maybe?  Or maybe it's because the more "normal" people who wrote light, fluffy stuff have moved on from the fandom and are either writing other things or not writing at all anymore.  Meanwhile, the weirdos like me are still skulking inside our fanfic bubbles, writing depressing stories about the Backstreet Boys. LOL

Did that make me more "normal" while I was gone because I "moved on"? Perish the thought! Team Dark forever! You're not skulking, you're thriving -- a Team Dark Queen!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 10:20:25 PM
They weren't doing things, but they could do things in fanfic! That's probably why: ktbspa by keeping them busy in our hearts.

:shrug: I want to say that them doing things is inspiring, but then I didn't open any writing after the residency or the first DNA tour concert or even back in 2010 for the TIU tour. But Never Gone was really inspiring and... what was going on in 2006? House of Carters... Nick on DWTS... AJ on DWTS when Nick was on Masked Singer... The perfect storm I needed to come back, really.

I think maybe I feel more drawn to it when they seem omnipresent like the good old days of 90's BSB. Social media isn't quite the same for me even though they're accessible all the time in small pieces.

But then sticking to writing, I think that happened in the times they haven't been busy. Again, maybe it's a way to make them feel omnipresent. I'm not really sure.

That all makes sense!

Personally, I think my level of involvement with fanfic and the fandom in general has more to do with what's going on in my personal life than what's going on with the Boys.  There are only a couple of times when I've taken an extended break from writing.  The first was when I was getting my master's, fall of 2013 to summer of 2016.  I still wrote and updated during that time, but I was only really productive during winter and summer break, and then I would go weeks or even months without writing or updating while I was busy with work and class.

The second time was a shorter hiatus in 2018.  My laptop died like a day into the new year, which derailed me because it made it much less convenient to write.  Then my cat died unexpectedly a few days later, which absolutely destroyed me because my pets are like my babies.  I don't think I wrote much of anything until summer.  By then, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" had come out, and that got me inspired to try my third attempt at starting the story that would become A Heart That Isn't Mine.  Weirdly enough, what really got me going on that one was my grandpa dying in November of that year.  I decided to channel my grief into writing the most depressing, depraved thing I have ever written, and it worked!  But I didn't stat posting that story until 2019.  The only thing I posted in 2018 was a sneak peek of My Brother's Keeper (which I then promptly stopped working on until a week ago LOL) and a death for 1000 Ways to Kill Nick Carter.

As far as the Boys go, I have written through good times and bad.  The pre-Never Gone hiatus was the Broken era for me, which is one of my personal favorite eras of fanfic.  The summer Kevin left was in the middle of the BMS era, and then this forum and 00Carter came about, so that was a good time for fanfic too.  But then I also was super productive during the summer of sadness, 2010, when the This is Us tour was in full swing, and the Boys had been really busy releasing two albums two years apart.  So I guess it doesn't really matter what they're doing; I'll write either way if I have the time and am in the right state of mind to do it.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 10:22:51 PM
Did that make me more "normal" while I was gone because I "moved on"? Perish the thought! Team Dark forever! You're not skulking, you're thriving -- a Team Dark Queen!

LOL Probably!  Welcome back to the land of the fanfic freaks!  I embrace my weirdness the way I embrace my darkness.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 15, 2021, 10:35:08 PM
That all makes sense!

Personally, I think my level of involvement with fanfic and the fandom in general has more to do with what's going on in my personal life than what's going on with the Boys.  There are only a couple of times when I've taken an extended break from writing.  The first was when I was getting my master's, fall of 2013 to summer of 2016.  I still wrote and updated during that time, but I was only really productive during winter and summer break, and then I would go weeks or even months without writing or updating while I was busy with work and class.

The second time was a shorter hiatus in 2018.  My laptop died like a day into the new year, which derailed me because it made it much less convenient to write.  Then my cat died unexpectedly a few days later, which absolutely destroyed me because my pets are like my babies.  I don't think I wrote much of anything until summer.  By then, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" had come out, and that got me inspired to try my third attempt at starting the story that would become A Heart That Isn't Mine.  Weirdly enough, what really got me going on that one was my grandpa dying in November of that year.  I decided to channel my grief into writing the most depressing, depraved thing I have ever written, and it worked!  But I didn't stat posting that story until 2019.  The only thing I posted in 2018 was a sneak peek of My Brother's Keeper (which I then promptly stopped working on until a week ago LOL) and a death for 1000 Ways to Kill Nick Carter.

As far as the Boys go, I have written through good times and bad.  The pre-Never Gone hiatus was the Broken era for me, which is one of my personal favorite eras of fanfic.  The summer Kevin left was in the middle of the BMS era, and then this forum and 00Carter came about, so that was a good time for fanfic too.  But then I also was super productive during the summer of sadness, 2010, when the This is Us tour was in full swing, and the Boys had been really busy releasing two albums two years apart.  So I guess it doesn't really matter what they're doing; I'll write either way if I have the time and am in the right state of mind to do it.


I think this all makes sense too! I actually did have a tiny bit of inspiration in 2013 from IAWLT, but that's also when I started my licensure program, so I did pretty much nothing except practicum and student teaching during that time. Had I not been doing that... who knows? Maybe I would have come back. I always wonder what my fanfic life history would have been if I had been around for all that.

2018 seems like a perfect storm for you, but a real motivator for creativity. Do you find that writing goes better when you have a lot of emotions to channel into it or the opposite?

Pre-Never Gone was fun for fanfic. So was Kevin's hiatus. Maybe over the years, we banded together more when they weren't busy.

LOL Probably!  Welcome back to the land of the fanfic freaks!  I embrace my weirdness the way I embrace my darkness.

Man, what did you all think I was doing while I was away? haha I won't lie to you, I definitely did a search for my name out of morbid curiosity and didn't find a whole lot. You make this sound like a terrible thing, just say "welcome home."  :-*
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 10:55:26 PM
I think this all makes sense too! I actually did have a tiny bit of inspiration in 2013 from IAWLT, but that's also when I started my licensure program, so I did pretty much nothing except practicum and student teaching during that time. Had I not been doing that... who knows? Maybe I would have come back. I always wonder what my fanfic life history would have been if I had been around for all that.

The summer of 2013 was very inspiring!  I wrote a lot that summer, right before I started my master's program.  And actually, the idea for the story I'm writing right now came from IAWLT. 

I think the only reason I managed to write through student teaching and my first year of teaching was because I was in the middle of BMS.  I always managed to stay inspired and make time for Broken Nick and Claire.  Also, social media wasn't as big of a time suck back then.  I had Facebook and maybe MySpace, but it was pre-Twitter.  I waste a lot of time on Twitter LOL.


2018 seems like a perfect storm for you, but a real motivator for creativity. Do you find that writing goes better when you have a lot of emotions to channel into it or the opposite?

It was probably the hardest year of my life, but yeah, I guess some good came out of it.  Ever since I got back on track at the end of that year, I've been plugging away and updating pretty consistently.

I think it goes both ways.  Stress from being busy and having too much on my plate makes it harder for me to write, but I'm better at channeling emotions like grief that come out of situations I can't really do anything about and just need a distraction from.  I once wrote a novel about one of the Boys dealing with a terminal cancer diagnosis, and halfway through that story, a coworker of mine was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  That was the first time I'd ever had to deal with something like that in real life and also the first time one of my stories hit too close to home.  I wasn't sure if I was going to keep writing my story or step away from it for awhile, but I ended up continuing it as planned, and I think it actually helped me deal with my own feelings.  The timing of it was really weird though; she passed away literally a day after I posted the last chapter of that story.  But it's one of my favorite things I've ever written, so in that case, I think my emotions worked in my favor.

How about you?  Do you find yourself channeling your emotions or drawing on real life experiences when writing?  (Anyone can answer this.)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 15, 2021, 11:15:13 PM
The summer of 2013 was very inspiring!  I wrote a lot that summer, right before I started my master's program.  And actually, the idea for the story I'm writing right now came from IAWLT. 

I think the only reason I managed to write through student teaching and my first year of teaching was because I was in the middle of BMS.  I always managed to stay inspired and make time for Broken Nick and Claire.  Also, social media wasn't as big of a time suck back then.  I had Facebook and maybe MySpace, but it was pre-Twitter.  I waste a lot of time on Twitter LOL.

I'm always impressed that you're able to come back to things after so long. I guess we all do come back to the things that truly inspire us, but I feel like you consistently eventually finish everything you start.

I found the inspiration to sleep and get really sick once during student teaching. But I also did the thing they tell you not to do and worked full time to pay my bills in addition to student teaching. I'm glad you had Nick and Claire to keep you going then. Instagram is my time waster, but I still only look at it about once a week.

It was probably the hardest year of my life, but yeah, I guess some good came out of it.  Ever since I got back on track at the end of that year, I've been plugging away and updating pretty consistently.

I think it goes both ways.  Stress from being busy and having too much on my plate makes it harder for me to write, but I'm better at channeling emotions like grief that come out of situations I can't really do anything about and just need a distraction from.  I once wrote a novel about one of the Boys dealing with a terminal cancer diagnosis, and halfway through that story, a coworker of mine was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  That was the first time I'd ever had to deal with something like that in real life and also the first time one of my stories hit too close to home.  I wasn't sure if I was going to keep writing my story or step away from it for awhile, but I ended up continuing it as planned, and I think it actually helped me deal with my own feelings.  The timing of it was really weird though; she passed away literally a day after I posted the last chapter of that story.  But it's one of my favorite things I've ever written, so in that case, I think my emotions worked in my favor.

How about you?  Do you find yourself channeling your emotions or drawing on real life experiences when writing?  (Anyone can answer this.)

I'm glad that you were able to channel all of that into some sort of outlet even though it was a hard year. The timing of all of your story and your co-worker is really weird, but I'm glad it gave you a place to work through your emotions. Writing is like personal therapy in a way. I know I've written many things as different ways to deal with things I was processing, but I usually end up abandoning all of those. I don't know that I've ever trudged through on any of those ones.

I guess this past year was one of a lot of anxiety over a million things and having an anxious Nick trudging through his life has given me a place to discuss anxiety even if it's not mine. Not that anyone's gotten to read most of those chapters quite yet. Maybe that's why the others didn't stick as much, they were too specific with "this is my exact worry" and less like "I feel kind of anxious right now, you wanna be neurotically anxious about things, Nick? Great."
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 15, 2021, 11:39:00 PM
I'm always impressed that you're able to come back to things after so long. I guess we all do come back to the things that truly inspire us, but I feel like you consistently eventually finish everything you start.

LOL Says you, who came back to the PBox series after all these years.  But you're right; we all come back to the things that truly inspire us.  In my case, I also just take so long to finish stories that it feels natural for me to tackle an idea I've been sitting on for years.  I spent 2013-2017 working mostly on one novel, so by the time I finished it, I had all these other ideas waiting for me.  Other than Bethlehem, I've spent the past few years slowly plugging away at them.  I do finish most of what I start, or at least most of what I get far enough on to post (with a few exceptions).


I found the inspiration to sleep and get really sick once during student teaching. But I also did the thing they tell you not to do and worked full time to pay my bills in addition to student teaching. I'm glad you had Nick and Claire to keep you going then. Instagram is my time waster, but I still only look at it about once a week.

I can't imagine working full time while student teaching.  That sounds so stressful!  I definitely wouldn't have been able to write if I had done that.

I only follow the Boys and some of their family members and a few other celebrities on Instagram, and I never post there, so it's not too bad.  Twitter and Facebook are worse for me.  I compartmentali ze my social media, so I use Twitter for fandom stuff and Facebook for personal stuff and real life friends and family.  Which one I spend more time on depends on if I'm in my BSB bubble or real world mode LOL.


Writing is like personal therapy in a way. I know I've written many things as different ways to deal with things I was processing, but I usually end up abandoning all of those. I don't know that I've ever trudged through on any of those ones.

I guess this past year was one of a lot of anxiety over a million things and having an anxious Nick trudging through his life has given me a place to discuss anxiety even if it's not mine. Not that anyone's gotten to read most of those chapters quite yet. Maybe that's why the others didn't stick as much, they were too specific with "this is my exact worry" and less like "I feel kind of anxious right now, you wanna be neurotically anxious about things, Nick? Great."

Writing is definitely therapeutic.  It's interesting that you've abandoned most of the projects you started to help you process things, but that makes sense that maybe they were too specific.

I don't really write a lot of personal stuff.  I probably would have never chosen to start writing another cancer story if my friend's diagnosis had come first, but since I was already halfway through it, I was able to keep writing it.  My stories usually involve situations I hope to never go through, not situations I've actually been through.  But I do think they help me deal with my relatively mundane real life problems by reminding me that things could always be much worse LOL.

This past year was the perfect time to get back into writing because with the pandemic, many of us had more free time at home than we were used to, and writing helped us to fill that time and mentally escape from all the real world drama.  It's a good way to deal with anxiety.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 16, 2021, 08:57:13 PM
LOL Says you, who came back to the PBox series after all these years.  But you're right; we all come back to the things that truly inspire us.  In my case, I also just take so long to finish stories that it feels natural for me to tackle an idea I've been sitting on for years.  I spent 2013-2017 working mostly on one novel, so by the time I finished it, I had all these other ideas waiting for me.  Other than Bethlehem, I've spent the past few years slowly plugging away at them.  I do finish most of what I start, or at least most of what I get far enough on to post (with a few exceptions).

I have admitted that I've only truly cared about three of my individual writing projects!  ;D Truthfully, I was probably just waiting for inspiration to stick in order to finish the juggernaut that is PBox et al; it just happened to be a decade after I wrote the first one. What I envy is your consistency and your commitment to working on only one project, then still being inspired enough to go back to the other ideas you had while working on that project. It was harder back in the day than it is now. I have a few ideas (as you know), but it's still a little difficult to commit to sitting them down and telling them it's not their turn yet. Or it would be, except PNecklace is being driven by plucky Nick and he's shouting "IT'S MY TURN, GET OUT OF THE WAY!" haha.


I can't imagine working full time while student teaching.  That sounds so stressful!  I definitely wouldn't have been able to write if I had done that.

I only follow the Boys and some of their family members and a few other celebrities on Instagram, and I never post there, so it's not too bad.  Twitter and Facebook are worse for me.  I compartmentali ze my social media, so I use Twitter for fandom stuff and Facebook for personal stuff and real life friends and family.  Which one I spend more time on depends on if I'm in my BSB bubble or real world mode LOL.

Well, I'm glad you didn't because that's when we became friends!  :biggrin:

How is it compartmentali zing your social media? I feel like it's easier to be more anonymous on twitter than instagram. Everything I have, I'm just me.


Writing is definitely therapeutic.  It's interesting that you've abandoned most of the projects you started to help you process things, but that makes sense that maybe they were too specific.

I don't really write a lot of personal stuff.  I probably would have never chosen to start writing another cancer story if my friend's diagnosis had come first, but since I was already halfway through it, I was able to keep writing it.  My stories usually involve situations I hope to never go through, not situations I've actually been through.  But I do think they help me deal with my relatively mundane real life problems by reminding me that things could always be much worse LOL.

This past year was the perfect time to get back into writing because with the pandemic, many of us had more free time at home than we were used to, and writing helped us to fill that time and mentally escape from all the real world drama.  It's a good way to deal with anxiety.

I even started trying to write them down as OF when it didn't seem like BSB fanfic was the right avenue. And even those didn't stick! That's part of why I started writing Beta Sigma Beta; I thought, maybe if I step out of me for all this and tell college from Nick's POV, I'll actually be able to unjumble it. Who knows, maybe I would have.  :shrug:

I know you said you weren't going to write another cancer story. Is having experienced it a little more personally part of the reason? I think that "things could always be worse" is what drives enjoyment of media. We're over here like, "Yeah, my only friend right now is my dog, but at least I'm not dying and eating my friend's heart!"

It's really been the best outlet. It gave me something to do besides binge watching tv to escape (except during 31 Nights of Halloween, I will always binge watch tv for that). And the mental stimulation makes me feel productive even though I'm just sitting at a computer. I feel less worried over all compared to the "oh well, what else terrible could happen this year.. everything..." feeling that I was at when AJ first popped up on TV. Then I was like, "Well, this all still sucks, but at least AJ is on TV." And then Nick. "Oh, AJ and Nick! This is helping." And then PBox Nick slides in and says, "Heeeeyyyy..." But I've discussed that already, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 16, 2021, 09:07:54 PM
OMG, some of these tags on AO3! "Character Development." Does this need to be a tag? I hope there's character development in a story.

I also see a Bowie (nice to see a broader range of main characters) and a Nick/self insert. Did I start an AO3 trend on Nick/Original Female Characters again? Because, yay?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 16, 2021, 11:04:58 PM
I have admitted that I've only truly cared about three of my individual writing projects!  ;D Truthfully, I was probably just waiting for inspiration to stick in order to finish the juggernaut that is PBox et al; it just happened to be a decade after I wrote the first one. What I envy is your consistency and your commitment to working on only one project, then still being inspired enough to go back to the other ideas you had while working on that project. It was harder back in the day than it is now. I have a few ideas (as you know), but it's still a little difficult to commit to sitting them down and telling them it's not their turn yet. Or it would be, except PNecklace is being driven by plucky Nick and he's shouting "IT'S MY TURN, GET OUT OF THE WAY!" haha.

That's awesome that your inspiration came back after that long though!  That's what I keep hoping will happen for the unfinished stories I haven't even attempted to work on in years... heh, we'll see.

I have a better track record for finishing stories when I just focus on one at a time.  If I jumped on every idea I had and started writing it right away, I would have lots of beginnings and not many endings.  So instead, I write down the idea, maybe even do some research and outlining, and save it for when the time is right.  I figure if it's meant to be written, I'll get around to writing it someday.  And if it's not, it's probably because I came up with something better.


Well, I'm glad you didn't because that's when we became friends!  :biggrin:

How is it compartmentali zing your social media? I feel like it's easier to be more anonymous on twitter than instagram. Everything I have, I'm just me.

Very true!

It's definitely easier to be more anonymous on Twitter than Instagram because you don't have to have a picture for every post.  I am not a picture person, so I don't like that about Instagram.  I am pretty private in general, which is the main reason I compartmentali ze and show different parts of myself on different social media platforms.  I don't want my real life friends, coworkers, or students finding my site or stories, so it's easier to use one platform to talk about that stuff and a different platform for personal or professional stuff.  I could have just created multiple accounts, but I'm not big on having to switch back and forth.  I'd be paranoid I would accidentally post from the wrong account LOL.


I even started trying to write them down as OF when it didn't seem like BSB fanfic was the right avenue. And even those didn't stick! That's part of why I started writing Beta Sigma Beta; I thought, maybe if I step out of me for all this and tell college from Nick's POV, I'll actually be able to unjumble it. Who knows, maybe I would have.  :shrug:

I still love the name of that story (Beta Sigma Beta)!  Do you think it would be harder now that you're further removed from college to go back to writing about that experience?


I know you said you weren't going to write another cancer story. Is having experienced it a little more personally part of the reason? I think that "things could always be worse" is what drives enjoyment of media. We're over here like, "Yeah, my only friend right now is my dog, but at least I'm not dying and eating my friend's heart!"

Honestly, no, I don't think the personal experience has anything to do with me not wanting to write another cancer story.  It's more that I've already written two of them (technically three if you count the Brian one I wrote way back in the day, which was terrible) with different takes on it, and I don't think I could do it any better than I've already done.  Never say never though.

Does anyone else have any storylines that they're like, "Okay, that ship has sailed.  I won't be writing anything like that again"?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 16, 2021, 11:17:09 PM
OMG, some of these tags on AO3! "Character Development." Does this need to be a tag? I hope there's character development in a story.

I also see a Bowie (nice to see a broader range of main characters) and a Nick/self insert. Did I start an AO3 trend on Nick/Original Female Characters again? Because, yay?

LOL I would hope, but I'm not sure how much character development exists in those stories whose tags are nothing but different sexual acts.  But to each their own.  No one watches porn for the character development either.

Sometimes I wonder if authors on AO3 just try to use as many tags as possible to get more views.  That includes tagging other fandoms too.  Crossovers are fine if they're legit, but I question the ones that have like 10+ different fandoms tagged.  I guess technically if we posted 00Carter there, we could tag every boyband that has a member in FANS, but to me that doesn't really count.  No Westlife fan is going to read 00Carter because two of its members appear in like one scene, where they are promptly killed off.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 16, 2021, 11:25:44 PM
That's awesome that your inspiration came back after that long though!  That's what I keep hoping will happen for the unfinished stories I haven't even attempted to work on in years... heh, we'll see.

I have a better track record for finishing stories when I just focus on one at a time.  If I jumped on every idea I had and started writing it right away, I would have lots of beginnings and not many endings.  So instead, I write down the idea, maybe even do some research and outlining, and save it for when the time is right.  I figure if it's meant to be written, I'll get around to writing it someday.  And if it's not, it's probably because I came up with something better.

Even though I hoped, I'm still a little baffled by it to be honest. However, I will take it! I'll keep sending some your way.

Oh, but beginnings are the most fun! Everyone loves a good beginning! ;) How often do you get other ideas while you're in the middle of something? I know you have several stories in various stages of planning.


It's definitely easier to be more anonymous on Twitter than Instagram because you don't have to have a picture for every post.  I am not a picture person, so I don't like that about Instagram.  I am pretty private in general, which is the main reason I compartmentali ze and show different parts of myself on different social media platforms.  I don't want my real life friends, coworkers, or students finding my site or stories, so it's easier to use one platform to talk about that stuff and a different platform for personal or professional stuff.  I could have just created multiple accounts, but I'm not big on having to switch back and forth.  I'd be paranoid I would accidentally post from the wrong account LOL.

It's also easier to disappear from instagram. No pictures, not posting, ha. I would worry so much about posting the wrong thing on the wrong account. What a nightmare to talk about silly fanfic jokes on the wrong account! Everyone in your personal life would think, "So this is what she does on the internet... Huh..."


I still love the name of that story (Beta Sigma Beta)!  Do you think it would be harder now that you're further removed from college to go back to writing about that experience?

It was all very serendipitous. I don't know; I have a pretty vivid memory about life at the time, but I think it would lack the earnestness of "being nineteen/twenty/twenty-one" that it had then. I guess, like you, I'm not willing to discount anything, but I have a sneaking suspicion that what's there is it. Rereading it didn't give me the "aww, I miss this" feeling that Gobosei does. Although, you know I love a good nostalgic Backstreet fic and a good AU... so those are points in its favor. I think I end up talking about it more often just because it was the last thing I was doing before my hiatus, other than collaborations .


Honestly, no, I don't think the personal experience has anything to do with me not wanting to write another cancer story.  It's more that I've already written two of them (technically three if you count the Brian one I wrote way back in the day, which was terrible) with different takes on it, and I don't think I could do it any better than I've already done.  Never say never though.

Does anyone else have any storylines that they're like, "Okay, that ship has sailed.  I won't be writing anything like that again"?

But writing the Brian one helped you perfect the other two! Anything besides cancer stories where you don't think you could do it better than you already have? You said that about your Nowie story too, right?

Uhhhh... I mean not in the more positive way that you do. More in the "These things are unfinished for a reason" stance.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 16, 2021, 11:30:27 PM
LOL I would hope, but I'm not sure how much character development exists in those stories whose tags are nothing but different sexual acts.  But to each their own.  No one watches porn for the character development either.

Sometimes I wonder if authors on AO3 just try to use as many tags as possible to get more views.  That includes tagging other fandoms too.  Crossovers are fine if they're legit, but I question the ones that have like 10+ different fandoms tagged.  I guess technically if we posted 00Carter there, we could tag every boyband that has a member in FANS, but to me that doesn't really count.  No Westlife fan is going to read 00Carter because two of its members appear in like one scene, where they are promptly killed off.

Haha, you're right. Let me go tag PBox as "Character Development," just in case the fifty chapters and 180,000 words didn't tip anyone off.

I would be impressed if people had those huge crossovers and they were legitimately balanced between all the fandoms. I'm always curious, especially when the summaries don't list any of the Boys specifically. That's why I was fine tagging PBox as a BSB and NSYNC story here on AC, obviously they're both in it. But at a place where an NSYNC fan could read it and say, "OMG, this BSB fanfic writer has made my fandom her villains and they are horrible and OOC!" Why would I do that? I think 00Carter is the same way.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 17, 2021, 08:08:59 PM
Even though I hoped, I'm still a little baffled by it to be honest. However, I will take it! I'll keep sending some your way.

Oh, but beginnings are the most fun! Everyone loves a good beginning! ;) How often do you get other ideas while you're in the middle of something? I know you have several stories in various stages of planning.

Thanks!  I am pleasantly surprised by how inspired I am for My Brother's Keeper all of a sudden, after not working on it at all for three years.  I always felt this was a story I would come back to at some point, but I didn't think it would be right after Bethlehem.  Maybe someday that will happen for one of the others.

I really don't get ideas all that often.  That's another reason why I'll end up writing one I've had in the works for years, because it's the best thing I've got LOL.  I think I've added four new files to my folder of future story ideas in the past year, which is pretty good for me.  Most of those will probably never get written, but there are a couple that seem like they could be contenders at some point down the road.


But writing the Brian one helped you perfect the other two! Anything besides cancer stories where you don't think you could do it better than you already have? You said that about your Nowie story too, right?

I wouldn't rule out writing another slash if I came up with a completely different storyline with a different couple.  I would probably do Frick/Frack before I did another Nowie one, just to add a different dynamic.

As far as medical drama goes, I don't see myself writing any more stories involving heart transplants or HIV either.  Bus crashes are probably out too.  Those are all topics I wrote about (not very well) as a teenybopper and have revisited in more recent years.  Eventually I will run out of maladies I haven't used and be forced to write that herpes story LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 17, 2021, 08:16:05 PM
Some questions for everyone, inspired by last night's discussion:

Have you ever come back to a story you took a really long break from writing?  If so, how long was that break, and did you end up finishing the story?  What made you stop writing it in the first place, and what made you come back to it?

What's the longest you've worked on a story that was eventually finished?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 17, 2021, 09:28:08 PM
Thanks!  I am pleasantly surprised by how inspired I am for My Brother's Keeper all of a sudden, after not working on it at all for three years.  I always felt this was a story I would come back to at some point, but I didn't think it would be right after Bethlehem.  Maybe someday that will happen for one of the others.

I really don't get ideas all that often.  That's another reason why I'll end up writing one I've had in the works for years, because it's the best thing I've got LOL.  I think I've added four new files to my folder of future story ideas in the past year, which is pretty good for me.  Most of those will probably never get written, but there are a couple that seem like they could be contenders at some point down the road.

That would be so nice if you could go back to everything you let sit! Is My Brother's Keeper similar to Bethlehem or really different? I wonder why now seemed like the right time.

Four is a lot for one year! One for every season. I'd love to have that many contenders in my arsenal.

I wouldn't rule out writing another slash if I came up with a completely different storyline with a different couple.  I would probably do Frick/Frack before I did another Nowie one, just to add a different dynamic.

As far as medical drama goes, I don't see myself writing any more stories involving heart transplants or HIV either.  Bus crashes are probably out too.  Those are all topics I wrote about (not very well) as a teenybopper and have revisited in more recent years.  Eventually I will run out of maladies I haven't used and be forced to write that herpes story LOL.

Just promise me you'll think long and hard before you try coming up with a country cousins one, haha.

Bus crashes! Aw. :( Everyone loves a good bus crash. Do you keep a running list of maladies so you know what's still available? haha. I'd say you've had a pretty good run if you've written about everything except herpes.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 17, 2021, 09:40:04 PM
Have you ever come back to a story you took a really long break from writing?  If so, how long was that break, and did you end up finishing the story?  What made you stop writing it in the first place, and what made you come back to it?

Does the whole of PBox et al. count? PNecklace is technically a new story as a novel, but part of that longer story. If it counts, then twelve years total, with some tiny notes in 2013 and some pieces of writing in 2015, but never enough to post or call a complete chapter. I'll let you all know if I ever finish the whole thing, but it's looking good. Probably exhaustion from writing an epic and an annoyingly persistent and loud character. I guess PNecklace with those bits from 2015 would be a five year break.

Otherwise, ask me about Gobosei eventually? That's probably the only other one that would qualify. But again, never say never about anything else.

What's the longest you've worked on a story that was eventually finished?

I started writing PBox in the fall of 2005 (right around Thanksgiving Break seems right... November 25th or so sticks out in my mind as a PBox date) and finished it in early Spring of 2008 (right around March 28th or so seems right... though I think I held on to the last chapter for a week before posting). So about two and half years.

Other than those little bits in 2013 and 2015, being about halfway done with PNecklace in about five to six months seems like lightning speed more befitting teenybopper Dee. Unless you're counting those five years between the first written words of PNecklace and now... Let's not and pretend that this is lightning speed, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 17, 2021, 10:37:07 PM
That would be so nice if you could go back to everything you let sit! Is My Brother's Keeper similar to Bethlehem or really different? I wonder why now seemed like the right time.

Yeah, I wish!  It is similar in one way, which is the reason I thought I would wait awhile on it, but mostly different.  Sorry for that vague answer LOL; you'll see what I mean if you read it when I'm ready to post it.  I've been thinking it would be my next project for three years, and it kept getting pushed to the side for other stories, so maybe it's finally time.


Four is a lot for one year! One for every season. I'd love to have that many contenders in my arsenal.

That is actually comforting to hear.  It seems like some writers get story ideas all the time, but that has never been the norm for me either.  But I guess that's okay because the more ideas I have, the more WADD I have to deal with as I try to decide which one to tackle first.  It's easier if I have limited options LOL.

What I've found myself doing more often lately is combining ideas into one.  Bethlehem was one of those; I had been wanting to write a survival story and an A-Rok story, but didn't have a solid enough idea for either, so when I came up with the idea of the Boys quarantining in a cabin to work on the Christmas album, I ended up combining those ideas and making them work with that premise.


Just promise me you'll think long and hard before you try coming up with a country cousins one, haha.

Bus crashes! Aw. :( Everyone loves a good bus crash. Do you keep a running list of maladies so you know what's still available? haha. I'd say you've had a pretty good run if you've written about everything except herpes.

LMAO!  I don't like to use the word "never" because when I say I'll never write something, I usually end up writing it eventually... but I'm 99.99999% sure I won't ever write a Kentucky cousincest story LOL.

I love bus crashes!  But that was the premise of the ER crossover I finished last year, so I probably won't be writing another one of those.

LOL I should keep a running list so I don't run out of ideas and have to resort to herpes.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 17, 2021, 10:41:54 PM
Have you ever come back to a story you took a really long break from writing?  If so, how long was that break, and did you end up finishing the story?  What made you stop writing it in the first place, and what made you come back to it?

Does the whole of PBox et al. count? PNecklace is technically a new story as a novel, but part of that longer story. If it counts, then twelve years total, with some tiny notes in 2013 and some pieces of writing in 2015, but never enough to post or call a complete chapter. I'll let you all know if I ever finish the whole thing, but it's looking good. Probably exhaustion from writing an epic and an annoyingly persistent and loud character. I guess PNecklace with those bits from 2015 would be a five year break.

Otherwise, ask me about Gobosei eventually? That's probably the only other one that would qualify. But again, never say never about anything else.

Sure, it counts!  I feel the same way about Broken and BMS - two separate novels, but really one long story, so I tend to lump them together too.  Twelve years is impressive!!  I'm glad you're feeling good about your odds of finishing it.  What an amazing accomplishment that will be!


What's the longest you've worked on a story that was eventually finished?

I started writing PBox in the fall of 2005 (right around Thanksgiving Break seems right... November 25th or so sticks out in my mind as a PBox date) and finished it in early Spring of 2008 (right around March 28th or so seems right... though I think I held on to the last chapter for a week before posting). So about two and half years.

Other than those little bits in 2013 and 2015, being about halfway done with PNecklace in about five to six months seems like lightning speed more befitting teenybopper Dee. Unless you're counting those five years between the first written words of PNecklace and now... Let's not and pretend that this is lightning speed, haha.

That is pretty fast for an epic story!  I probably wouldn't count those five years either.  Count the time when you were actually working on it consistently.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 17, 2021, 11:00:12 PM
Yeah, I wish!  It is similar in one way, which is the reason I thought I would wait awhile on it, but mostly different.  Sorry for that vague answer LOL; you'll see what I mean if you read it when I'm ready to post it.  I've been thinking it would be my next project for three years, and it kept getting pushed to the side for other stories, so maybe it's finally time.


I love vague answers, they're the best! I'm glad it finally decided it was tired of being pushed to the side because it sounds like you're pretty excited about it.


That is actually comforting to hear.  It seems like some writers get story ideas all the time, but that has never been the norm for me either.  But I guess that's okay because the more ideas I have, the more WADD I have to deal with as I try to decide which one to tackle first.  It's easier if I have limited options LOL.

What I've found myself doing more often lately is combining ideas into one.  Bethlehem was one of those; I had been wanting to write a survival story and an A-Rok story, but didn't have a solid enough idea for either, so when I came up with the idea of the Boys quarantining in a cabin to work on the Christmas album, I ended up combining those ideas and making them work with that premise.


I call 2006 my year of trying to start a bunch of different things and none of those worked well. I think the times I've actually focused on something is when I committed to the one thing, no matter how long it took. Looking back, that's really what I did with PBox and said "everything else is on hold until this is done." I should have known better and just said, "Yo, just PBox," haha. It's part of why I've tried not to focus on anything else that's popped up unless it felt like it would be a quick, short, and finite thing, like the holiday story or death by snail. But hopefully I'll still feel inspired on the others after everything is said and done! I'm a little worried about the WADD, since there's probably three things I could work on after finishing PNecklace. We'll see how I'm feeling at that time.

I think combining ideas is a great way to find inspiration for all of them, especially if there's not a strong novel-length idea for the plot of any of them yet. I thought Bethlehem was a beautiful combination of A-Rok bromance, survival, and Christmas in quarantine! I hope some of your other ideas can combine in such a serendipidous way as well.


LMAO!  I don't like to use the word "never" because when I say I'll never write something, I usually end up writing it eventually... but I'm 99.99999% sure I won't ever write a Kentucky cousincest story LOL.

I love bus crashes!  But that was the premise of the ER crossover I finished last year, so I probably won't be writing another one of those.

LOL I should keep a running list so I don't run out of ideas and have to resort to herpes.

That's why I didn't tell you to not write it, I said think long and hard, haha. Also, "won't ever" is very different from "never."

Aw, I know, but bus crashes are just so iconic. I would read 1,000 of them if they were still being written.

Add it to your ideas folder! Maybe a google sheet would be best, then you could list the stories and years you wrote any of them.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 17, 2021, 11:06:34 PM
Sure, it counts!  I feel the same way about Broken and BMS - two separate novels, but really one long story, so I tend to lump them together too.  Twelve years is impressive!!  I'm glad you're feeling good about your odds of finishing it.  What an amazing accomplishment that will be!


That is pretty fast for an epic story!  I probably wouldn't count those five years either.  Count the time when you were actually working on it consistently.

Thanks, me too. I don't know if it's the speed or what, but in general it seems pretty good. I'd feel really excited to finish my magnum opus finally. I think this past week was the only time I felt frustrated between that sixteen days to write chapter and three days to edit chapter. I was a bit of a wreck! haha But in the grand scheme of things, sixteen days isn't even that long. And maybe that 16 days had more to do with the month long break than anything else, but then I wrote that other chapter in two days like normal, so who knows.

And great, if you agree that I shouldn't count those five years, then I won't. ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 17, 2021, 11:12:44 PM
Have you ever come back to a story you took a really long break from writing?  If so, how long was that break, and did you end up finishing the story?  What made you stop writing it in the first place, and what made you come back to it?

I think the longest break I've ever taken on a story that I eventually went on to finish was 4-5 years.  That was with Heroic Measures, my ER crossover.  I can't remember when exactly I started writing it; it was sometime in 2012 or 2013.  I know I had the idea and an outline going in early 2012 because I posted about it here.  I wrote the first two chapters really fast, started Chapter 3, and then didn't write any more of it until the summer of 2017, when I finally finished the third chapter.  I wrote Chapter 4 a year later, and then finally got into a groove with it and wrote the rest last spring and summer.  It was always more of a side project, which is why I didn't even bother to start posting it until last summer, but still, it's crazy that a ten-chapter story took me 7-8 years to write, especially one that was so in my wheelhouse.

The chapter that gave me the most trouble was the most action-packed one in the whole story, a Frick & Frack one where Nick got to be a hero, so again, not sure why it took me so long.  I actually think what derailed me every time I tried to work on it was that I would inevitably start watching ER for "inspiration" and get sucked into an ER marathon instead of writing.

I always knew I would come back to it and finish it eventually because BSB + ER = the perfect story for me.  It was just a matter of when.  The pandemic hit at the perfect time when I wasn't in the middle of another novel, so I was finally able to focus on this one and get into a groove with it.  It was actually a lot harder to write than I thought it would be - kudos to the ER writers, who always made it seem so easy to seamlessly blend the medical stuff into the action of an appropriately-paced scene.


What's the longest you've worked on a story that was eventually finished?

If it's not Heroic Measures, it would be Song for the Undead, which took 7 years to finish.  In terms of actual time spent consistently writing, it would definitely be Undead.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 17, 2021, 11:26:37 PM
It was always more of a side project, which is why I didn't even bother to start posting it until last summer, but still, it's crazy that a ten-chapter story took me 7-8 years to write, especially one that was so in my wheelhouse.

The chapter that gave me the most trouble was the most action-packed one in the whole story, a Frick & Frack one where Nick got to be a hero, so again, not sure why it took me so long.  I actually think what derailed me every time I tried to work on it was that I would inevitably start watching ER for "inspiration" and get sucked into an ER marathon instead of writing.

I always knew I would come back to it and finish it eventually because BSB + ER = the perfect story for me.  It was just a matter of when.  The pandemic hit at the perfect time when I wasn't in the middle of another novel, so I was finally able to focus on this one and get into a groove with it.  It was actually a lot harder to write than I thought it would be - kudos to the ER writers, who always made it seem so easy to seamlessly blend the medical stuff into the action of an appropriately-paced scene.

I didn't realize it was only 10 chapters! That's an action packed crossover! I can see why it would be hard to get into the groove because it doesn't seem like a story that would have a lot of rising action and falling action, just catalyst fast-paced action then end. It's not like real life medical dramas are a lot of waiting around in the fast-paced hospital part, you know?

How many ER marathons did you let yourself get sucked into?

I'm guessing you mean the writers of the actual show, but do you think ER fanfic writers have that same skillset to seamlessly blend the medical stuff into appropriately paced action scenes?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 18, 2021, 06:37:55 PM
Found an interesting, but old, article that touches on why Nicks might be so picky: "How Do Some Authors 'Lose Control' of Their Characters?" (https://lithub.com/how-do-some-authors-lose-control-of-their-characters/)

I read it and thought, well I suppose this all makes sense... but it's also more fun to pretend Nick is screaming at me when he's displeased.  :D

Anybody else have thoughts?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 18, 2021, 06:39:37 PM
I call 2006 my year of trying to start a bunch of different things and none of those worked well. I think the times I've actually focused on something is when I committed to the one thing, no matter how long it took. Looking back, that's really what I did with PBox and said "everything else is on hold until this is done." I should have known better and just said, "Yo, just PBox," haha. It's part of why I've tried not to focus on anything else that's popped up unless it felt like it would be a quick, short, and finite thing, like the holiday story or death by snail. But hopefully I'll still feel inspired on the others after everything is said and done! I'm a little worried about the WADD, since there's probably three things I could work on after finishing PNecklace. We'll see how I'm feeling at that time.

It's hard to set ideas to the side and hope you'll still be inspired when you have time for them.  But it's also hard to finish stories when you try working on a million different things at once.  Either way, it takes a certain level of discipline.  I think writing the occasional short story while working on a novel is okay, though - sometimes it helps to take a break and write something different for a change.


I think combining ideas is a great way to find inspiration for all of them, especially if there's not a strong novel-length idea for the plot of any of them yet. I thought Bethlehem was a beautiful combination of A-Rok bromance, survival, and Christmas in quarantine! I hope some of your other ideas can combine in such a serendipidous way as well.

Thanks!


Aw, I know, but bus crashes are just so iconic. I would read 1,000 of them if they were still being written.

I love bus crash stories too.  Every BSB fanfic author should write at least one!  Who here has and hasn't written a bus crash story?


Add it to your ideas folder! Maybe a google sheet would be best, then you could list the stories and years you wrote any of them.

I do have a database of my stories on Google Sheets.  Maybe I should add a column for sort of malady each one featured.

For those of you who enjoy medical drama, what's an illness or injury you would like to have fictionally inflicted upon one of the Boys?  Give me some ideas! LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 18, 2021, 06:42:15 PM
Thanks, me too. I don't know if it's the speed or what, but in general it seems pretty good. I'd feel really excited to finish my magnum opus finally. I think this past week was the only time I felt frustrated between that sixteen days to write chapter and three days to edit chapter. I was a bit of a wreck! haha But in the grand scheme of things, sixteen days isn't even that long. And maybe that 16 days had more to do with the month long break than anything else, but then I wrote that other chapter in two days like normal, so who knows.

And great, if you agree that I shouldn't count those five years, then I won't. ;)

Sixteen days really isn't bad, but I get the frustration.  When you've been writing consistently and clipping right along, and then it takes you over two weeks to finish a chapter... ugh!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 18, 2021, 06:58:25 PM
It's hard to set ideas to the side and hope you'll still be inspired when you have time for them.  But it's also hard to finish stories when you try working on a million different things at once.  Either way, it takes a certain level of discipline.  I think writing the occasional short story while working on a novel is okay, though - sometimes it helps to take a break and write something different for a change.

I agree, I think short things let out bursts of creativity that don't necessarily go with whatever you're currently working on, but also don't detract from it in the same way that a full novel would do.

What does everyone consider a short story? Is it word count or amount of chapters that make it short?


I love bus crash stories too.  Every BSB fanfic author should write at least one!  Who here has and hasn't written a bus crash story?

Guilty as charged. A bus crash is the catalyst in Gobosei. Who wants to be my one phone call?  ;)

I do have a database of my stories on Google Sheets.  Maybe I should add a column for sort of malady each one featured.

For those of you who enjoy medical drama, what's an illness or injury you would like to have fictionally inflicted upon one of the Boys?  Give me some ideas! LOL

Ooh, what kinds of things do you track in there?

I'm just going to keep challenging you to make something mundane interesting. A cold? Herpes? A stubbed toe? Whatever. ;D

Sixteen days really isn't bad, but I get the frustration.  When you've been writing consistently and clipping right along, and then it takes you over two weeks to finish a chapter... ugh!

Oh I know, it sounds so silly saying "And then it took me 16 days! What a long time!" when I know that it's taken me far, far, far longer to write a scene, let alone a chapter. But I think it was that consistency getting derailed that threw me. And now I'm right back to almost finishing the next chapter over a few days, so if this only happens once every twenty chapters or so for the rest of this epic, then I'll call it a win.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 18, 2021, 07:01:05 PM
I didn't realize it was only 10 chapters! That's an action packed crossover! I can see why it would be hard to get into the groove because it doesn't seem like a story that would have a lot of rising action and falling action, just catalyst fast-paced action then end. It's not like real life medical dramas are a lot of waiting around in the fast-paced hospital part, you know?

How many ER marathons did you let yourself get sucked into?

I'm guessing you mean the writers of the actual show, but do you think ER fanfic writers have that same skillset to seamlessly blend the medical stuff into appropriately paced action scenes?

LOL I know!  I tried to follow the pace and structure of an episode of ER, so there's a little bit of character introduction, but then the action rises quickly, builds to a climax, and then falls to a resolution.  I always planned it as a ten-chapter novella, with each chapter centering on a different character (half BSB, half ER characters).

OMG, I must have watched the first seven episodes of Season 2 (when the story takes place) at least five times while working on that story.  Usually I would end up finishing Season 2 and going on to Season 3... 4... 5... 6... 7...  I think the last marathon I had, I made it most of the way through Season 10 before I stopped.

Yeah, I was talking about the actual show writers.  I have never actually read an ER fanfic, so I don't know.  I'm assuming that most people dedicated enough to write fanfic for ER at this point in time are older and familiar enough with ER jargon to be able to write a semi-believable medical scene, but that may be overly optimistic of me LOL.  That reminds me of this funny post I came across when I was researching:  "I'm Worried My Doctor May Have Watched Episodes of ER Instead of Going to Medical School" (https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/im-worried-my-doctor-may-have-watched-episodes-of-er-instead-of-going-to-medical-school)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 18, 2021, 07:11:19 PM
LOL I know!  I tried to follow the pace and structure of an episode of ER, so there's a little bit of character introduction, but then the action rises quickly, builds to a climax, and then falls to a resolution.  I always planned it as a ten-chapter novella, with each chapter centering on a different character (half BSB, half ER characters).

Ooh, I like that it follows typical episode structure. I always feel like it would be harder to write a tv show than a novel or a movie. I know in theory they're about that same, but I feel like a tv show is like a bunch of interconnected novellas... It just seems like a lot.


OMG, I must have watched the first seven episodes of Season 2 (when the story takes place) at least five times while working on that story.  Usually I would end up finishing Season 2 and going on to Season 3... 4... 5... 6... 7...  I think the last marathon I had, I made it most of the way through Season 10 before I stopped.

Poor season one gets no love. How often do you marathon ER now that you're no longer writing it?


Yeah, I was talking about the actual show writers.  I have never actually read an ER fanfic, so I don't know.  I'm assuming that most people dedicated enough to write fanfic for ER at this point in time are older and familiar enough with ER jargon to be able to write a semi-believable medical scene, but that may be overly optimistic of me LOL.  That reminds me of this funny post I came across when I was researching:  "I'm Worried My Doctor May Have Watched Episodes of ER Instead of Going to Medical School" (https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/im-worried-my-doctor-may-have-watched-episodes-of-er-instead-of-going-to-medical-school")

I feel like I've read that article before (or a similar one), but the link isn't working. :( I always think about that scene in Catch Me If You Can. "Do you concur?" "I should have concurred!" haha
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 18, 2021, 07:12:57 PM
Found an interesting, but old article, that touches on why Nicks might be so picky: "How Do Some Authors 'Lose Control' of Their Characters?" (https://lithub.com/how-do-some-authors-lose-control-of-their-characters/)

I read it and thought, well I suppose this all makes sense... but it's also more fun to pretend Nick is screaming at me when he's displeased.  :D

Anybody else have thoughts?

That was an interesting article!  I don't really hear my characters arguing with me in my head, but I can imagine what they would or wouldn't do or say.  The Boys are obviously easier to imagine because we already know their voices, patterns of speech, mannerisms, and other idiosyncrasies .  But I have also created fictional characters that I get to know well enough to have a good sense of what they're like.  So I get that automatization the article talked about.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 18, 2021, 07:16:11 PM
I feel like I've read that article before (or a similar one), but the link isn't working. :( I always think about that scene in Catch Me If You Can. "Do you concur?" "I should have concurred!" haha

Try it now: "I'm Worried My Doctor May Have Watched Episodes of ER Instead of Going to Medical School" (https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/im-worried-my-doctor-may-have-watched-episodes-of-er-instead-of-going-to-medical-school)  I think I had a quotation mark or something in there.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 18, 2021, 07:30:24 PM
What does everyone consider a short story? Is it word count or amount of chapters that make it short?

I think of a short story as being under 10 chapters or 20,000 words.  More than that, and it's at least a novella.


Guilty as charged. A bus crash is the catalyst in Gobosei. Who wants to be my one phone call?  ;)

Bus crashes make great catalysts!  Plane crashes too.


Ooh, what kinds of things do you track in there?

LOL Right now it's just a list of titles and publication dates.  I made it mostly to keep track of how many stories I've posted online, since they're not all posted in one place.  I had an older version on my site back when I still hosted stories that had other info, like genres and main characters.


I'm just going to keep challenging you to make something mundane interesting. A cold? Herpes? A stubbed toe? Whatever. ;D

Hm, the stubbed toe could become infected and turn gangrenous - oh noes!!  A cold almost always leads to a cancer diagnosis or something equally serious in a fanfic LOL.  See "Definitely Just a Cold." (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DefinitelyJustACold)  Of course, it would be funny if I wrote a story where it really was just a cold.  Maybe that's what I'll do for April Fool's Day LOL.  That or herpes.


Oh I know, it sounds so silly saying "And then it took me 16 days! What a long time!" when I know that it's taken me far, far, far longer to write a scene, let alone a chapter. But I think it was that consistency getting derailed that threw me. And now I'm right back to almost finishing the next chapter over a few days, so if this only happens once every twenty chapters or so for the rest of this epic, then I'll call it a win.

Glad you're back on track!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 18, 2021, 07:37:12 PM
Ooh, I like that it follows typical episode structure. I always feel like it would be harder to write a tv show than a novel or a movie. I know in theory they're about that same, but I feel like a tv show is like a bunch of interconnected novellas... It just seems like a lot.

Poor season one gets no love. How often do you marathon ER now that you're no longer writing it?

I think it would be hard too.  Especially when you have a ton of characters and different storylines, some that arc across multiple episodes and others that are resolved in one episode.  That's a lot to keep track of!  I guess that's why most TV shows are written by teams of writers, not just one.

I did end up going back to watch Season 1 before Season 2 during one of my last ER marathons just because I had skipped it all the other times.  Season 1 is great too!

I think I got to the beginning of Season 6 last time I marathoned ER, which was last spring/summer when I was writing the bulk of the story, and I haven't watched any since.  But at least I've gotten my money's worth out of owning all 15 seasons on DVD LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 18, 2021, 07:40:04 PM
That was an interesting article!  I don't really hear my characters arguing with me in my head, but I can imagine what they would or wouldn't do or say.  The Boys are obviously easier to imagine because we already know their voices, patterns of speech, mannerisms, and other idiosyncrasies .  But I have also created fictional characters that I get to know well enough to have a good sense of what they're like.  So I get that automatization the article talked about.

Although, if it is just automatization, than I'm impressed it's still chugging along a decade later. I mentioned something like that in my little author's note from yesterday's update where I mentioned my other thought to take the story, but didn't and commented "Nick would hate [the other version] so much." I like getting to the point where I know all their little idiosyncrasies . I think it makes it easier to write.

Try it now: "I'm Worried My Doctor May Have Watched Episodes of ER Instead of Going to Medical School" (https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/im-worried-my-doctor-may-have-watched-episodes-of-er-instead-of-going-to-medical-school)  I think I had a quotation mark or something in there.

 :D I have read that before! Still funny. I think I'd be more worried that in that scenario, the doctor and the nurse watched ER instead of med school. As long as your nurse calls your doctor out, I don't know that it matters if the doctor watched more ER than legitimate med school.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 18, 2021, 07:55:57 PM
I think of a short story as being under 10 chapters or 20,000 words.  More than that, and it's at least a novella.

I would call ten chapters a novella. Twenty a novel. Fifty an epic. More than fifty... a labor of love. :)


LOL Right now it's just a list of titles and publication dates.  I made it mostly to keep track of how many stories I've posted online, since they're not all posted in one place.  I had an older version on my site back when I still hosted stories that had other info, like genres and main characters.

You don't have all your stories on your website? Or you keep track of where they're all posted even if it's more than one place?

Genre and main Boy would probably be easy enough to add, then add an "if, then" clause so you could further sort main Boy by genre, then further sort the medical dramas by malady/injury. Then you would know for sure that you couldn't have Nick stung by anymore jellyfish (or whatever).


Hm, the stubbed toe could become infected and turn gangrenous - oh noes!!  A cold almost always leads to a cancer diagnosis or something equally serious in a fanfic LOL.  See "Definitely Just a Cold." (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DefinitelyJustACold)  Of course, it would be funny if I wrote a story where it really was just a cold.  Maybe that's what I'll do for April Fool's Day LOL.  That or herpes.

A gangrenous stubbed toe! Oh noes!

Oh, I know, it's never just a cold... A perfect April Fool's Day joke. Or herpes. Get it out of the way now. Realistically, Nick's the woobie, he can have both at the same time. ;)


Glad you're back on track!

Thanks! ;D
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 18, 2021, 08:16:39 PM
You don't have all your stories on your website? Or you keep track of where they're all posted even if it's more than one place?

Genre and main Boy would probably be easy enough to add, then add an "if, then" clause so you could further sort main Boy by genre, then further sort the medical dramas by malady/injury. Then you would know for sure that you couldn't have Nick stung by anymore jellyfish (or whatever).

Yes and no.  They're all on my site, but not all on the main site.  Everything written before 2003 (pre-Broken) is posted on my archive site, which has all the old content I didn't want to move when I redid the site on Wordpress.  Most of those aren't on AC either.

LOL I did compile a list of every horrible thing I've done to each boy for my April Fool's joke a couple years ago.  There are obviously spoilers if you read the whole list closely, but here it is: http://dreamers-sanctuary.com/2019-04-01/  The video is my favorite part LOL.

Also, thanks for the jellyfish idea - that is one I've never done!


Oh, I know, it's never just a cold... A perfect April Fool's Day joke. Or herpes. Get it out of the way now. Realistically, Nick's the woobie, he can have both at the same time. ;)

Realistically, he's probably been living with herpes since 2004 from having sex with Paris Hilton, so he could definitely have both at the same time.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 18, 2021, 08:33:36 PM
Yes and no.  They're all on my site, but not all on the main site.  Everything written before 2003 (pre-Broken) is posted on my archive site, which has all the old content I didn't want to move when I redid the site on Wordpress.  Most of those aren't on AC either.

LOL I did compile a list of every horrible thing I've done to each boy for my April Fool's joke a couple years ago.  There are obviously spoilers if you read the whole list closely, but here it is: http://dreamers-sanctuary.com/2019-04-01/  The video is my favorite part LOL.

Also, thanks for the jellyfish idea - that is one I've never done!

I figured it was something like that. Glad that 2003 is the cutoff because you couldn't not move Broken over.

LMAO, Angstaholics Anonymous. I'm guessing you relapsed and never made it to step nine. I think "Crashing your car for a fifth time" and "giving you a sixth TBI for..." were my favorite parts so far. I do not have headphones, but I will watch the video soon. It looks promising.

But a jellyfish sting... So simple. I'll just keep suggesting simple and mundane things to you and find a bunch you haven't done yet, apparently.


Realistically, he's probably been living with herpes since 2004 from having sex with Paris Hilton, so he could definitely have both at the same time.

Definitely then, if not earlier. Doesn't something like 80% of the population have it? Am I over-inflating this statistic?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 18, 2021, 08:37:01 PM
I think it would be hard too.  Especially when you have a ton of characters and different storylines, some that arc across multiple episodes and others that are resolved in one episode.  That's a lot to keep track of!  I guess that's why most TV shows are written by teams of writers, not just one.

I did end up going back to watch Season 1 before Season 2 during one of my last ER marathons just because I had skipped it all the other times.  Season 1 is great too!

I think I got to the beginning of Season 6 last time I marathoned ER, which was last spring/summer when I was writing the bulk of the story, and I haven't watched any since.  But at least I've gotten my money's worth out of owning all 15 seasons on DVD LOL.

And I'm sure it's easier if you're all getting paid to only think about those character and plot arcs. I think this goes back to our "getting paid to write fanfic would be the dream" conversation.

I'm glad you watched it. I was getting worried about it.

Right? That's several marathons! Makes me want to rewatch Gilmore Girls or How I Met Your Mother. My DVDs need more love in the streaming world we live in.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 18, 2021, 08:56:49 PM
I figured it was something like that. Glad that 2003 is the cutoff because you couldn't not move Broken over.

LOL Nah, I would never banish Broken to the archive.  There's a big difference in quality between Broken (at least by the choppage portion) and everything that came before it.  You can see my transformation from teenybopper to adult writer within those 150 chapters, so that's my cutoff.


LMAO, Angstaholics Anonymous. I'm guessing you relapsed and never made it to step nine. I think "Crashing your car for a fifth time" and "giving you a sixth TBI for..." were my favorite parts so far. I do not have headphones, but I will watch the video soon. It looks promising.

But a jellyfish sting... So simple. I'll just keep suggesting simple and mundane things to you and find a bunch you haven't done yet, apparently.

Oh, I probably fell off the wagon on April 2!  A Heart That Isn't Mine, Heroic Measures, and The Road to Bethlehem alone would have added quite a bit to those lists LOL.  I did not realize just how many accidents and TBIs I had written until I started skimming through old stories and making lists LOL.  Maybe I do need to add to the database.

My problem is I don't like mundane.  A jellyfish sting makes total sense, but a platypus sting is more interesting.  Just like a cold is okay for some fluffy hurt-comfort, but bubonic plague is way more fun.


Definitely then, if not earlier. Doesn't something like 80% of the population have it? Am I over-inflating this statistic?

LOL I looked it up.  About 67% of the population has herpes simplex virus type 1, which is the cold sore kind.  Only 13.2% of the population (aged 15-49) has type 2, which is genital herpes.  (Source: https://www.who.int/news/item/01-05-2020-massive-proportion-world-population-living-with-herpes-infection)  I was thinking genital herpes is what he would have gotten from Paris, but he definitely could have already had the other kind.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 18, 2021, 09:00:31 PM
And I'm sure it's easier if you're all getting paid to only think about those character and plot arcs. I think this goes back to our "getting paid to write fanfic would be the dream" conversation.

I always used to say I wanted to become an M.D. so I could serve as a medical consultant for a show like ER.  That would be my dream job!


Right? That's several marathons! Makes me want to rewatch Gilmore Girls or How I Met Your Mother. My DVDs need more love in the streaming world we live in.

I must confess that I subscribed to Hulu again last spring as a pandemic gift to myself and started watching ER on there instead just because I was too lazy to switch the DVDs every four episodes LOL.  Streaming is much more convenient.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 18, 2021, 09:24:11 PM
LOL Nah, I would never banish Broken to the archive.  There's a big difference in quality between Broken (at least by the choppage portion) and everything that came before it.  You can see my transformation from teenybopper to adult writer within those 150 chapters, so that's my cutoff.

Good. I don't think you can; it's so quintessential ly you!

I don't think there's anything from me that really shows my growth as a progression because I made the life choice to adjust it out of PBox. And I don't even think PBox was that teenybopperish, even in its more teenybopper parts. That is why I left my earliest things up on AC, I guess. So you could see how much of a teenybopper I used to be. I miss teenybopper Dee's brevity; she really got to the point. Adult writer Dee likes to spend too much time on what a panic attack feels like for a POV character or thousands of words about Nick's smile. At least teenybopper Dee only had hundreds of words to say about his smile (and several high pitched squees that did not translate well into a written narrative).

I won't lie to you, I really did want to make that "The Sequel to Pandora's Box" tag on PNecklace say "The Squeequel to Pandora's Box" and triumphed over that urge.


Oh, I probably fell off the wagon on April 2!  A Heart That Isn't Mine, Heroic Measures, and The Road to Bethlehem alone would have added quite a bit to those lists LOL.  I did not realize just how many accidents and TBIs I had written until I started skimming through old stories and making lists LOL.  Maybe I do need to add to the database.

My problem is I don't like mundane.  A jellyfish sting makes total sense, but a platypus sting is more interesting.  Just like a cold is okay for some fluffy hurt-comfort, but bubonic plague is way more fun.

Impressive that you made it up to step eight in one day! ;) Gotta get Howie and Kevin's counts up. They're a little low!

I mean, a TBI seems like a logical conclusion if you have enough minor head injuries coupled with a major one. I'm willing to bet they've all fallen off a stage at least once, if not at least ten times.

Oh I know, this is just my challenge to you. Mundane once. Just make a Murphy's Law story of only mundane things. When they all add up, they get interesting. Like Nick gets a cold and then falls in a man hole because he sneezes. LMAO


LOL I looked it up.  About 67% of the population has herpes simplex virus type 1, which is the cold sore kind.  Only 13.2% of the population (aged 15-49) has type 2, which is genital herpes.  (Source: https://www.who.int/news/item/01-05-2020-massive-proportion-world-population-living-with-herpes-infection)  I was thinking genital herpes is what he would have gotten from Paris, but he definitely could have already had the other kind.

I've had many conversations about why so many people have HSV1, the current conclusion is adults kissing children on the lips. :shrug: I meant genital as well (so I was grossly over-inflating the statistic...). He for sure some kind of STD from Paris; poor Nick. If he has HSV1, he's very good at hiding it.


I always used to say I wanted to become an M.D. so I could serve as a medical consultant for a show like ER.  That would be my dream job!

I must confess that I subscribed to Hulu again last spring as a pandemic gift to myself and started watching ER on there instead just because I was too lazy to switch the DVDs every four episodes LOL.  Streaming is much more convenient.

That would be a fun job! Any kind of consultant for a tv show would be great. I wonder if Ken Jeong does any of that.

Streaming is more convenient. That's part of why I've been fighting the urge to fall into HBO Max. I'd never get anything done again. Whenever they offered Hulu with Spotify, I got it again. Plus Netflix, Amazon Prime, Peacock, HBO Max, ESPN... All in addition to cable; we have a real streaming problem in this house, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 18, 2021, 09:42:25 PM
Good. I don't think you can; it's so quintessential ly you!

I don't think there's anything from me that really shows my growth as a progression because I made the life choice to adjust it out of PBox. And I don't even think PBox was that teenybopperish, even in its more teenybopper parts. That is why I left my earliest things up on AC, I guess. So you could see how much of a teenybopper I used to be. I miss teenybopper Dee's brevity; she really got to the point. Adult writer Dee likes to spend too much time on what a panic attack feels like for a POV character or thousands of words about Nick's smile. At least teenybopper Dee only had hundreds of words to say about his smile (and several high pitched squees that did not translate well into a written narrative).

I won't lie to you, I really did want to make that "The Sequel to Pandora's Box" tag on PNecklace say "The Squeequel to Pandora's Box" and triumphed over that urge.

I think it's good to leave old stuff up for that reason, but I can understand you wanting to edit your magnum opus to reflect yourself as a writer now.  There are definitely parts of Broken that make me cringe.

LOL The Squeequel!  That reminds me of Alvin and the Chipmunks.


Impressive that you made it up to step eight in one day! ;) Gotta get Howie and Kevin's counts up. They're a little low!

I know!  And like half of Howie's are from one story LOL.  My Brother's Keeper will up my Kevin count.  Sorry, Kevin.


I mean, a TBI seems like a logical conclusion if you have enough minor head injuries coupled with a major one. I'm willing to bet they've all fallen off a stage at least once, if not at least ten times.

Oh I know, this is just my challenge to you. Mundane once. Just make a Murphy's Law story of only mundane things. When they all add up, they get interesting. Like Nick gets a cold and then falls in a man hole because he sneezes. LMAO

Very true!

LMAO That sounds like another good idea for 1000 Ways to Kill Nick Carter.


I've had many conversations about why so many people have HSV1, the current conclusion is adults kissing children on the lips. :shrug: I meant genital as well (so I was grossly over-inflating the statistic...). He for sure some kind of STD from Paris; poor Nick. If he has HSV1, he's very good at hiding it.

Ewww.  LOL Poor Nick nothing; he should have known what he was getting into!  Let's hope it was a curable STD and not the herp.


That would be a fun job! Any kind of consultant for a tv show would be great. I wonder if Ken Jeong does any of that.

Streaming is more convenient. That's part of why I've been fighting the urge to fall into HBO Max. I'd never get anything done again. Whenever they offered Hulu with Spotify, I got it again. Plus Netflix, Amazon Prime, Peacock, HBO Max, ESPN... All in addition to cable; we have a real streaming problem in this house, haha.

That would be a good thing for Ken Jeong to do!

Ugh, I still have cable too, in addition to most of the streaming services.  I pay too much for it, but besides my internet addition, watching TV is something I do a lot.  I just can't cut the cord; I like being able to flip channels, and I love my DVR.  I have not caved to HBO Max yet though.  They pissed me off for getting rid of their free trial right before Christmas.  I was going to sign up, binge-watch what I wanted to watch over break, and then cancel before they charged me, but no such luck.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 18, 2021, 10:10:39 PM
I think it's good to leave old stuff up for that reason, but I can understand you wanting to edit your magnum opus to reflect yourself as a writer now.  There are definitely parts of Broken that make me cringe.

LOL The Squeequel!  That reminds me of Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Oh the cringe. Chapter 10, you were the last remnant of "how a high school teenybopper thinks a romance works." Or most of the last remnant. I've also gotten better at writing about amnesiacs with PTSD over the years than I was back then. However, at least I could look at PBox and cringe. The older things, I hated every second of looking at it when I went to find something for you all because we were all pulling out old things.

A crossover where the Boys are the Chipmunks! Except their movie was a "Squeakquel," this is a "Teeny SQUEEEEEEEEEEq uel," but you're right, I do love puns as much as the Chipmunks. ;)


I know!  And like half of Howie's are from one story LOL.  My Brother's Keeper will up my Kevin count.  Sorry, Kevin.

LMAO That sounds like another good idea for 1000 Ways to Kill Nick Carter.

Ewww.  LOL Poor Nick nothing; he should have known what he was getting into!  Let's hope it was a curable STD and not the herp.

At least you were making up for lost Howie time with that one story. And good, Kevin needs some angst in his life too. He's got it way too easy.

I said he fell in it. I didn't say he died from it. Obviously he cuts his hand on a rusty nail while he's in the sewer system, duh.

SEX! He knew. I'll still sympathize with him. But we can probably add this to our list of things not to talk to Nick about because I can't imagine that conversation would go over well... "So we've been having a discussion about STDs you got from Paris. Care to confirm or deny any?"


Ugh, I still have cable too, in addition to most of the streaming services.  I pay too much for it, but besides my internet addition, watching TV is something I do a lot.  I just can't cut the cord; I like being able to flip channels, and I love my DVR.  I have not caved to HBO Max yet though.  They pissed me off for getting rid of their free trial right before Christmas.  I was going to sign up, binge-watch what I wanted to watch over break, and then cancel before they charged me, but no such luck.

I think we just have it because we subscribe to HBO already? We have the bigger cable package for all the obscure sports channels. And I brought the streaming services into our lives. Aw, it's like how they take all the Halloween movies off of Netflix for October. Sorry you couldn't get it to work in your favor.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 11:23:00 AM
Oh the cringe. Chapter 10, you were the last remnant of "how a high school teenybopper thinks a romance works." Or most of the last remnant. I've also gotten better at writing about amnesiacs with PTSD over the years than I was back then. However, at least I could look at PBox and cringe. The older things, I hated every second of looking at it when I went to find something for you all because we were all pulling out old things.

Yep, that's exactly how I feel about Broken compared to most of the stories that came before it.  But we all had to get those cringey teenybopper fanfics under our belt before we could write anything better.  Would you ever consider going back to one of those older stories and rewrite or revise it the way you did Pbox?


I said he fell in it. I didn't say he died from it. Obviously he cuts his hand on a rusty nail while he's in the sewer system, duh.

Then he'll get tetanus, oh noes!!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 04:25:17 PM
Yep, that's exactly how I feel about Broken compared to most of the stories that came before it.  But we all had to get those cringey teenybopper fanfics under our belt before we could write anything better.  Would you ever consider going back to one of those older stories and rewrite or revise it the way you did Pbox?

It's true. Cringey teenybopper fanfics were good practice for developing all the things we would need to become better writers in the future. Thank goodness I learned how to do good character development! LMAO

Honestly, probably not! I know I could definitely write any of them better now than I did back then, but I think I'm lacking the desire to do so. And while I would say seeing how I could improve an early story with all my years of knowledge would be a good editing exercise, I think care is a big aspect of it. I care about PBox, so I was willing to sit through the cringey parts, figure out what needed to be better, then hack and slash them as needed. Those other ones, I would just sit and scream at, haha. But as you know, I never say never, so if I suddenly had an idea for a decent rewrite of an early fanfic, then I would do it. But I can't say that I have any desire to revisit Backstreet is Romeo & Juliet with battles of the bands or whatever the plots of any of those other things were.


Then he'll get tetanus, oh noes!!

Hope he's up on his boosters!  :-*
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 04:40:36 PM
How's everyone's writing going this weekend? I sat down to write around 10ish and wrote pretty solidly until 2pm when I realized I hadn't showered or eaten yet today, oops.

It's also only February and I completed my new year's writing goal of attempting to write a sex scene, but I think I hate it and I'm pretty sure I can tell the story as planned without physically including it in the narrative. I'd say I spent a good chunk of my time laughing and googling synonyms when I hated what was visually on the page. There's only one part I think would be funny to keep and it's more for the "funny demon biology" than anything substantial. Ugh, I don't know. I have a long time to decide what to do with it, I suppose. Oh, Julie, that article you resurfaced when we discussed this late last week (or early this week) was right: "cock" is just more appealing than "dick." I think it's all the /c/ sounds.

I did also write an intentionally funny scene where Nick is horrible at pretending clouds are shaped like things, so that was fun.

What's my next writing goal and/or challenge for this year? Other than to write something that's not PBox related?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 04:59:45 PM
It's true. Cringey teenybopper fanfics were good practice for developing all the things we would need to become better writers in the future. Thank goodness I learned how to do good character development! LMAO

Honestly, probably not! I know I could definitely write any of them better now than I did back then, but I think I'm lacking the desire to do so. And while I would say seeing how I could improve an early story with all my years of knowledge would be a good editing exercise, I think care is a big aspect of it. I care about PBox, so I was willing to sit through the cringey parts, figure out what needed to be better, then hack and slash them as needed. Those other ones, I would just sit and scream at, haha. But as you know, I never say never, so if I suddenly had an idea for a decent rewrite of an early fanfic, then I would do it. But I can't say that I have any desire to revisit Backstreet is Romeo & Juliet with battles of the bands or whatever the plots of any of those other things were.

Makes sense!  I don't think I would be able to go back and revise or rewrite any of my old stories either.  What I've found myself subconsciously doing instead of recycling old storylines.  This has not happened intentionally and may just be the result of my lack of creativity LOL, but I've realized that almost every novel I've written in the last ten years or so has elements in common with a story I wrote as a teenybopper.  That's how I've ended up with multiple stories with similar premises, at least in terms of whatever misfortune I curse my characters with.  I always twist it or take it in a new direction so it's never the same plot, but it's still a way to resurrect ideas that had potential, but were poorly executed because of how young and inexperienced I was when I wrote them.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 05:05:48 PM
Makes sense!  I don't think I would be able to go back and revise or rewrite any of my old stories either.  What I've found myself subconsciously doing instead of recycling old storylines.  This has not happened intentionally and may just be the result of my lack of creativity LOL, but I've realized that almost every novel I've written in the last ten years or so has elements in common with a story I wrote as a teenybopper.  That's how I've ended up with multiple stories with similar premises, at least in terms of whatever misfortune I curse my characters with.  I always twist it or take it in a new direction so it's never the same plot, but it's still a way to resurrect ideas that had potential, but were poorly executed because of how young and inexperienced I was when I wrote them.

I say that you're allowed to recycle your own plots! I think you're subconsciously trying to improve on them without outright rewriting something that's over and done with. You just want to present the best body of work that you can. ;D

An even better reason to get your malady spreadsheet going. If the malady is in something pre-2003, then it's fair game to inflict on the same Boy again!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 05:18:50 PM
The little birthday bar at the bottom says that it's also happy birthday to our fearless leader! Happy birthday, Ash! Thanks for putting up with us all these years and keeping our musings safe. :)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 05:34:22 PM
How's everyone's writing going this weekend? I sat down to write around 10ish and wrote pretty solidly until 2pm when I realized I hadn't showered or eaten yet today, oops.

LOL I "wrote" for about the same hours.  I put that in quotations because although I did start Chapter 5 and spent four hours staring at my computer, I only wrote 309 words.  But hey, it's something, and now that the chapter is started, hopefully I'll add more to it later.  I got distracted.


It's also only February and I completed my new year's writing goal of attempting to write a sex scene, but I think I hate it and I'm pretty sure I can tell the story as planned without physically including it in the narrative. I'd say I spent a good chunk of my time laughing and googling synonyms when I hated what was visually on the page. There's only one part I think would be funny to keep and it's more for the "funny demon biology" than anything substantial. Ugh, I don't know. I have a long time to decide what to do with it, I suppose. Oh, Julie, that article you resurfaced when we discussed this late last week (or early this week) was right: "cock" is just more appealing than "dick." I think it's all the /c/ sounds.

I did also write an intentionally funny scene where Nick is horrible at pretending clouds are shaped like things, so that was fun.

What's my next writing goal and/or challenge for this year? Other than to write something that's not PBox related?

Hey, way to go accomplishing your goal!  Even if you don't end up including your sex scene, at least you can say you wrote one.  I'm sure it's not as bad as you think though.  Spending a good chunk of it giggling and googling synonyms sounds exactly like me with the few sex scenes I've written LOL.  I still haven't figured out my favorite synonym for penis, at least from a fiction-writing perspective.  I think I prefer "dick" to "cock," but I've mostly managed to avoid using any of them unless it's in dialogue.

Hm, goals for you...  Definitely write that death-by-snail story!  And the guardian angel story.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 05:37:57 PM
I say that you're allowed to recycle your own plots! I think you're subconsciously trying to improve on them without outright rewriting something that's over and done with. You just want to present the best body of work that you can. ;D

An even better reason to get your malady spreadsheet going. If the malady is in something pre-2003, then it's fair game to inflict on the same Boy again!

That's my thought too.  It's a fresh take on ideas that I liked without feeling like I'm just rewriting something old.  They were all pre-2003, so I guess they were fair game!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 05:38:29 PM
The little birthday bar at the bottom says that it's also happy birthday to our fearless leader! Happy birthday, Ash! Thanks for putting up with us all these years and keeping our musings safe. :)

Happy birthday, Ash!  February 20 is a great day to have a birthday!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 05:53:07 PM
LOL I "wrote" for about the same hours.  I put that in quotations because although I did start Chapter 5 and spent four hours staring at my computer, I only wrote 309 words.  But hey, it's something, and now that the chapter is started, hopefully I'll add more to it later.  I got distracted.

You're on chapter five already! Way to go! There's always time to write, especially if you feel like you probably wouldn't post it until summer anyway.


Hey, way to go accomplishing your goal!  Even if you don't end up including your sex scene, at least you can say you wrote one.  I'm sure it's not as bad as you think though.  Spending a good chunk of it giggling and googling synonyms sounds exactly like me with the few sex scenes I've written LOL.  I still haven't figured out my favorite synonym for penis, at least from a fiction-writing perspective.  I think I prefer "dick" to "cock," but I've mostly managed to avoid using any of them unless it's in dialogue.

Hm, goals for you...  Definitely write that death-by-snail story!  And the guardian angel story.

Now there's nothing left for me to try and hate it after I try it, haha. I've tried everything at least once... unless there's something I'm not thinking of. I'll take your word for it, but I think I'm firmly back in my fade to black camp. I spent most of the time thinking "Do people actually want to read this? I know Tracy said she doesn't care for them and she's the only person I know that's reading." and laughing and googling. It wasn't even racy synonyms, it was mostly verbs and adjectives, haha. As long as they're not impaling anyone, I say everyone use whatever synonym you like.

Death by snail is on my immediate list after this little chunk of chapters. Possibly after the next one, depending on if it smooths into the next interesting bit I have or not. Guardian angel... there's more research to be done.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 05:55:17 PM
That's my thought too.  It's a fresh take on ideas that I liked without feeling like I'm just rewriting something old.  They were all pre-2003, so I guess they were fair game!

How many are left in the arsenal that could benefit from a fresh take?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 06:14:20 PM
You're on chapter five already! Way to go! There's always time to write, especially if you feel like you probably wouldn't post it until summer anyway.

Thanks!  In fairness, I was already on Chapter 4 when I hit a wall with it three years ago.  I had to rewrite part of Chapter 3 and 4, so this is the first brand new chapter I'm starting.  Yeah, there's no pressure at this point, but now that I'm done posting Bethlehem, I do want to have something to update as soon as I can.


Now there's nothing left for me to try and hate it after I try it, haha. I've tried everything at least once... unless there's something I'm not thinking of. I'll take your word for it, but I think I'm firmly back in my fade to black camp. I spent most of the time thinking "Do people actually want to read this? I know Tracy said she doesn't care for them and she's the only person I know that's reading." and laughing and googling. It wasn't even racy synonyms, it was mostly verbs and adjectives, haha. As long as they're not impaling anyone, I say everyone use whatever synonym you like.

I'm a fan of fade to black too.  I was looking back at the few I've written, trying to remember what synonyms I'd used, and they are not graphic at all compared to the stuff on AO3.  The most graphic one I've written was a rape scene, which I guess goes to show my preference for horror over romance LOL.


Death by snail is on my immediate list after this little chunk of chapters. Possibly after the next one, depending on if it smooths into the next interesting bit I have or not. Guardian angel... there's more research to be done.

Yay!!  Hurry up, little death snail!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 06:30:26 PM
How many are left in the arsenal that could benefit from a fresh take?

Here's list of topics I based stories around pre-2003 and have not recycled:

- Child abuse
- Painkiller addiction
- Ghosts
- Tour sabotage
- Girl band
- Suicide attempt
- Vampirism
- Brain tumor
- Giant comet on a collision course with Earth
- Long lost evil twin
- Childhood best friends falling in love
- Angels
- Robbery/hostage situation

I do have ideas written down that include tour sabotage, suicide, and a brain tumor, so I guess those have the potential to be recycled.  I already decided the suicide idea and the brain tumor idea are too depressing even for me, and I don't see myself trying to recycle any of the others, but anything is possible.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 06:44:22 PM
Thanks!  In fairness, I was already on Chapter 4 when I hit a wall with it three years ago.  I had to rewrite part of Chapter 3 and 4, so this is the first brand new chapter I'm starting.  Yeah, there's no pressure at this point, but now that I'm done posting Bethlehem, I do want to have something to update as soon as I can.

How many chapters would you like stocked before you feel like you can post it? If it's ten, you're halfway there!


I'm a fan of fade to black too.  I was looking back at the few I've written, trying to remember what synonyms I'd used, and they are not graphic at all compared to the stuff on AO3.  The most graphic one I've written was a rape scene, which I guess goes to show my preference for horror over romance LOL.

I figured I should write it like I'd write a violence scene if I was bothering to show the violence, so I guess it's decently graphic, but it could be way worse and it could be way less. I don't know! I just kind of decided ahead of time what body part synonyms I planned on using and then struggled with stupider synonyms, like "Is there a better way to say 'ripped his shirt off'? Because there's gotta be something else to say."

Semi-related, I think the only graphically violent thing I opted to avoid was some kid killing. I thought, "You know, I think this is where I draw the line. It's just a little too sad." So I summarized instead, which I hate but, it needed to be said, even if I wasn't going to show it...

I totally believe that due to your preference for horror. Team Dark strikes again!


Yay!!  Hurry up, little death snail!

Haha, post 2020, we all need a little more Nick deaths in our lives, apparently...
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 06:48:14 PM
Here's list of topics I based stories around pre-2003 and have not recycled:

- Painkiller addiction
- Giant comet on a collision course with Earth
- Angels

I do have ideas written down that include tour sabotage, suicide, and a brain tumor, so I guess those have the potential to be recycled.  I already decided the suicide idea and the brain tumor idea are too depressing even for me, and I don't see myself trying to recycle any of the others, but anything is possible.

Painkiller addiction seems on the nose. I am intrigued by tour sabotage, but don't write the others if they seem too depressing.

Giant comet on collision course with earth could be an 1,000 Ways story.

Tag me in for the angels one on your behalf. I mean, realistically, what else would I write about after finishing an epic about demons? ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 07:04:17 PM
How many chapters would you like stocked before you feel like you can post it? If it's ten, you're halfway there!

I've aimed for around ten with the last three stories I've posted, and that worked out so that I was able to update at least weekly the whole way through without running out of chapters, so I guess that's what I'm aiming for again this time.  We'll see how I'm feeling about it when I actually hit Chapter 10, but yeah, that doesn't seem that far away.  If I stay inspired, I may be able to start posting it sometime this spring.


I figured I should write it like I'd write a violence scene if I was bothering to show the violence, so I guess it's decently graphic, but it could be way worse and it could be way less. I don't know! I just kind of decided ahead of time what body part synonyms I planned on using and then struggled with stupider synonyms, like "Is there a better way to say 'ripped his shirt off'? Because there's gotta be something else to say."

Semi-related, I think the only graphically violent thing I opted to avoid was some kid killing. I thought, "You know, I think this is where I draw the line. It's just a little too sad." So I summarized instead, which I hate but, it needed to be said, even if I wasn't going to show it...

I totally believe that due to your preference for horror. Team Dark strikes again!

It sounds like you have a happy medium!  Sit on it and come back to reread it later.  You may like it more than you thought.  (Or you may still hate it, in which case, scrap it.)

I agree about the kid-killing.  I only kill fictional kids, not real Backstreet kids, and even then, I'm usually not as graphic.  Song for the Undead was more on the graphic side, but again, that was for the sake of horror.  Team Dark all the way!


Haha, post 2020, we all need a little more Nick deaths in our lives, apparently...

LOL Killing fic Nick is a good way to relieve stress.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 07:07:03 PM
Painkiller addiction seems on the nose. I am intrigued by tour sabotage, but don't write the others if they seem too depressing.

Giant comet on collision course with earth could be an 1,000 Ways story.

Tag me in for the angels one on your behalf. I mean, realistically, what else would I write about after finishing an epic about demons? ;)

LOL Painkiller addiction is a topic I know I could write way better than I did the first time, which was beyond terrible, but not a topic I find particularly interesting.  That was an idea I wrote because a friend suggested it, not because I came up with it myself, and it shows.

Haha, I just remembered I had a giant asteroid on a collision course with Earth in my first pandaskunk story, so never mind - I did recycle that one (and parodied Armageddon).  But death by comet definitely needs to happen at some point in 1000 Ways.

You can have angels!  It's your destiny!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 07:20:46 PM
I've aimed for around ten with the last three stories I've posted, and that worked out so that I was able to update at least weekly the whole way through without running out of chapters, so I guess that's what I'm aiming for again this time.  We'll see how I'm feeling about it when I actually hit Chapter 10, but yeah, that doesn't seem that far away.  If I stay inspired, I may be able to start posting it sometime this spring.

Have most of your recent stories ended up being about 20 chapters? That seems a lot more brief than Broken/BMS. Maybe you found your gift for brevity over the years after all! Always sending inspiration your way.

It sounds like you have a happy medium!  Sit on it and come back to reread it later.  You may like it more than you thought.  (Or you may still hate it, in which case, scrap it.)

I agree about the kid-killing.  I only kill fictional kids, not real Backstreet kids, and even then, I'm usually not as graphic.  Song for the Undead was more on the graphic side, but again, that was for the sake of horror.  Team Dark all the way!

I'll probably finish up this little section, the before I didn't quite finish before deciding today was the day to write it and any little tweaks I have for the after that I've had finished for a while, and then sit on it. I have until the beginning of June to decide for sure!

I think that was the problem. They weren't Backstreet kids, but they were [spoiler]essentially Nick's siblings circa Nick age eight[/spoiler], and it just seemed ishy what with the ages and all. Plus that whole cursory celebrities thing.

I feel like horror is generally more graphic, so I wouldn't go into a horror expecting otherwise.


LOL Killing fic Nick is a good way to relieve stress.

I haven't had any major stress to vent with a Nick killing yet! Just an interesting snail death story. Am I doing this wrong? lmao
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 07:27:43 PM
LOL Painkiller addiction is a topic I know I could write way better than I did the first time, which was beyond terrible, but not a topic I find particularly interesting.  That was an idea I wrote because a friend suggested it, not because I came up with it myself, and it shows.

Haha, I just remembered I had a giant asteroid on a collision course with Earth in my first pandaskunk story, so never mind - I did recycle that one (and parodied Armageddon).  But death by comet definitely needs to happen at some point in 1000 Ways.

Is it because there's not many weird side effects or life or death hospital scenarios? Aw, yeah, if you didn't come up with it from the beginning, it wouldn't be very interesting to you.

Oh pandaskunk, the best way to do fun parodies and use space danger! I should read those. Maybe that's how you recycle some of these: into pandaskunk.


You can have angels!  It's your destiny!

Oh noes! I didn't realize that when I came up with PBox in 2005 that I was accepting the quest to become a main character! Is it too late to refuse the call? haha I would be a really boring main character; clearly whoever thought me up has had writer's block for the past 10 years after I said "let's not write fantasy anything for a while."

lmao. In all seriousness, I've got demons, angels, elementals... What am I missing?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 07:32:39 PM
Have most of your recent stories ended up being about 20 chapters? That seems a lot more brief than Broken/BMS. Maybe you found your gift for brevity over the years after all! Always sending inspiration your way.

LOL Maybe!  If I plotted the length of my stories over time, I think it would resemble a bell curve.  I got more and more long-winded leading up to BMS, which was 200 chapters (plus an epilogue and post-epilogue), then have progressively been working my way back to more reasonably-lengthed novels.  Undead was 120 chapters, Curtain Call was 90, Sick as My Secrets was 80, A Heart That Isn't Mine was 50, and Bethlehem was only 22.  I also had Secrets of the Heart in there between Curtain Call and SAMS, which was only 25 chapters.  I think My Brother's Keeper will be longer, like maybe 50, but not 100.

Thanks!  Same to you!


I haven't had any major stress to vent with a Nick killing yet! Just an interesting snail death story. Am I doing this wrong? lmao

LOL No, killing Nick can happen for any and all reasons, including pure entertainment purposes!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 07:37:09 PM
Is it because there's not many weird side effects or life or death hospital scenarios? Aw, yeah, if you didn't come up with it from the beginning, it wouldn't be very interesting to you.

I don't know, maybe.  I did manage to work side effects and hospital scenarios into that story, but it still sucked.  I guess I just don't personally find addiction interesting enough to write about as the main plot of a story.  The original painkiller one was a Brian story, but I've never written one about AJ or Nick's substance abuse issues either.  They pop up in back story because that history is part of who they are, but it's never been a focus for me.


lmao. In all seriousness, I've got demons, angels, elementals... What am I missing?

Hm... fairies?  Mermaids?  (Ooh, your sea monster could be a scary mermaid, like in Harry Potter.)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 07:43:32 PM
LOL Maybe!  If I plotted the length of my stories over time, I think it would resemble a bell curve.  I got more and more long-winded leading up to BMS, which was 200 chapters (plus an epilogue and post-epilogue), then have progressively been working my way back to more reasonably-lengthed novels.  Undead was 120 chapters, Curtain Call was 90, Sick as My Secrets was 80, A Heart That Isn't Mine was 50, and Bethlehem was only 22.  I also had Secrets of the Heart in there between Curtain Call and SAMS, which was only 25 chapters.  I think My Brother's Keeper will be longer, like maybe 50, but not 100.

Those are a lot longer than I was thinking, haha. But, you know I like my 50 chapter stories. Do you see yourself finding a story that needs to be BMS length again or no?


LOL No, killing Nick can happen for any and all reasons, including pure entertainment purposes!

I think Nick would say otherwise (and PBox Nick), but that's part of the fun! ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 07:51:01 PM
I don't know, maybe.  I did manage to work side effects and hospital scenarios into that story, but it still sucked.  I guess I just don't personally find addiction interesting enough to write about as the main plot of a story.  The original painkiller one was a Brian story, but I've never written one about AJ or Nick's substance abuse issues either.  They pop up in back story because that history is part of who they are, but it's never been a focus for me.

I think the personal demons bit is more interesting than the medical aspects of it.

Hm... fairies?  Mermaids?  (Ooh, your sea monster could be a scary mermaid, like in Harry Potter.)

You know, mermaid mythology is actually really interesting. At the moment, that joke is still just a joke in my mind, but who knows... Maybe mermaids was what it was missing. ;)

I have no good fairy ideas. Realistically, how the demons in PBox function is more like how fae would function than how demons typically function. So... :shrug:
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 08:52:59 PM
Those are a lot longer than I was thinking, haha. But, you know I like my 50 chapter stories. Do you see yourself finding a story that needs to be BMS length again or no?

LOL No.  But I never thought Broken or BMS would be as long as they were!  However many chapters it takes me to tell the story I want to tell is how long it will be.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 09:00:59 PM
You know, mermaid mythology is actually really interesting. At the moment, that joke is still just a joke in my mind, but who knows... Maybe mermaids was what it was missing. ;)

Did you watch that mermaid "documentary" Animal Planet did a while back?  It was called "Mermaids: The Body Found."  It was fake, but it was so fascinating.  Great science fiction that almost made it seem possible for mermaids to be real.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 09:36:36 PM
Thanks!  Same to you!

I accidentally deleted this. I meant to say thanks as well. We've got this! We'll just keep boosting and inspiring each other and everybody else who joins our fun little discussions.

LOL No.  But I never thought Broken or BMS would be as long as they were!  However many chapters it takes me to tell the story I want to tell is how long it will be.

That's a fair point, but you can bet I'll try my best to cap them at a certain amount if I can, haha.

During my little rewrite, I found that I'd glossed over stuff that seemed like filler, but could have been great additions to the story. Do you ever do that or do you include just about everything in your stories?

Did you watch that mermaid "documentary" Animal Planet did a while back?  It was called "Mermaids: The Body Found."  It was fake, but it was so fascinating.  Great science fiction that almost made it seem possible for mermaids to be real.

I didn't! That does sound interesting! I love stuff like that, but I also like just believing that mermaids could be a possibility. The Smithsonian channel is the one I like watching those little documentaries from the most.

All those legend type things are really fun, because it's fascinating, but also shared cultural history. I'm working on little scene now that talks about the Altair and Vega legend and including it was a happy accident because of one of those "seemed like filler" things I glossed over before, but now it feels like it could be some fun foreshadowing for what's to come.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 20, 2021, 10:22:50 PM
That's a fair point, but you can bet I'll try my best to cap them at a certain amount if I can, haha.

Do you have a certain limit you like to cap them at?  Like 50 chapters?

The only time I try to cap myself is if it would make the difference between ending on a nice round number or not.  Usually that's a matter of either combining shorter chapters or dividing longer chapters more than actually editing myself LOL.


During my little rewrite, I found that I'd glossed over stuff that seemed like filler, but could have been great additions to the story. Do you ever do that or do you include just about everything in your stories?

Broken and BMS have quite a bit of filler, which explains their length.  I went a little subplot crazy with BMS because I was worried I would get bored with the main romantic storyline LOL.  But at the same time, it was nice to have some comic relief and some cute, fluffy scenes amid all the drama, and that was how I worked the other guys into it more so it wasn't just all about Nick and Claire.

That being said, I have learned to cut back on filler and just focus on scenes that move the plot forward.  Every scene should have a purpose, besides just being cute or funny.  That has helped me to be a bit more concise.

I think the biggest thing that affects the length of my stories is the amount of time they cover.  Broken and BMS (350 chapters together) took place over a period of about five years.  SAMS and Curtain Call (80-90 chapters) both covered about a year.  AHTIM (50 chapters) covered about a month.  Bethlehem (22 chapters) covered about a week, and Heroic Measures (10 chapters) covered a few days.  A lot can happen in a few days, but generally, the longer the time period, the more events there are to write about.


I didn't! That does sound interesting! I love stuff like that, but I also like just believing that mermaids could be a possibility. The Smithsonian channel is the one I like watching those little documentaries from the most.

All those legend type things are really fun, because it's fascinating, but also shared cultural history. I'm working on little scene now that talks about the Altair and Vega legend and including it was a happy accident because of one of those "seemed like filler" things I glossed over before, but now it feels like it could be some fun foreshadowing for what's to come.

I bet you would like it.  I looked for it on YouTube, but I only found short clips.  It's probably on Discovery+ if it's streaming anywhere.  It introduced me to the aquatic ape theory, which is a theory (considered pseudoscience) that during our evolution, a group of human ancestors adapted to living in water instead of on land.  That's how the existence of mermaids was explained.  It was a neat theory, even if it's not true.  I love all the cryptozoology stuff.  I know we already talked about the Loch Ness Monster, but I would love for Bigfoot to be real too.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 20, 2021, 10:53:44 PM
Do you have a certain limit you like to cap them at?  Like 50 chapters?

The only time I try to cap myself is if it would make the difference between ending on a nice round number or not.  Usually that's a matter of either combining shorter chapters or dividing longer chapters more than actually editing myself LOL.

Not necessarily. But my life plan is to keep each story in PBox's series around fifty chapters. We'll see what happens the closer I get to the end of this one, haha. I also split the long ones in the initial run of PBox to get to fifty when I realized that I didn't have fifty chapters, I had forty-eight. Of course, then I edited and now have six more ridiculously long chapters at the end. Oh well! This one feels like I'll be able to wrap it up nicely in fifty chapters, at least once I realized that the end of this story wasn't going to get to the actual end of the whole story. When I thought they were the same, I was panicking about how long it would be.


Broken and BMS have quite a bit of filler, which explains their length.  I went a little subplot crazy with BMS because I was worried I would get bored with the main romantic storyline LOL.  But at the same time, it was nice to have some comic relief and some cute, fluffy scenes amid all the drama, and that was how I worked the other guys into it more so it wasn't just all about Nick and Claire.

That being said, I have learned to cut back on filler and just focus on scenes that move the plot forward.  Every scene should have a purpose, besides just being cute or funny.  That has helped me to be a bit more concise.

I think the biggest thing that affects the length of my stories is the amount of time they cover.  Broken and BMS (350 chapters together) took place over a period of about five years.  SAMS and Curtain Call (80-90 chapters) both covered about a year.  AHTIM (50 chapters) covered about a month.  Bethlehem (22 chapters) covered about a week, and Heroic Measures (10 chapters) covered a few days.  A lot can happen in a few days, but generally, the longer the time period, the more events there are to write about.

You know, I think the subplots were fine, especially since you don't consider yourself a main genre romance writer. You wanted to tell their story and you wanted to make sure you finished it. It just took a little longer to get there.

Those purposeful and funny/cute scenes are money. As Team Dark, we get to say "see it's not all bad here, have a cookie." And then it continues to be "all bad here" afterward, sometimes in the same chapter. I'm looking at you Frick&Frack Piggyback!

I think time does play a big part in length! I would say PBox is about the same as AHTIM, a month maybe two, I just never wrote down every waking minute of it. The amount of time the characters spend walking during that time is abysmal (for them); luckily for the reader, I did not expand on it except in snippets where they made sense. I also think there's a difference in days for a Heroic Measures or a Bethlehem versus typical days. No one wants to read a ten chapter story about what I did the past few days, for instance, lmao.


I bet you would like it.  I looked for it on YouTube, but I only found short clips.  It's probably on Discovery+ if it's streaming anywhere.  It introduced me to the aquatic ape theory, which is a theory (considered pseudoscience) that during our evolution, a group of human ancestors adapted to living in water instead of on land.  That's how the existence of mermaids was explained.  It was a neat theory, even if it's not true.  I love all the cryptozoology stuff.  I know we already talked about the Loch Ness Monster, but I would love for Bigfoot to be real too.

Oh, I've heard of that theory! It's really interesting. Nessie would be great, Big Foot, unicorns would be cool, some deep dark cave where dinosaurs still roam... As a member of Team Dark, I feel like I gotta throw out the Chupacabre if for nothing but the chaos.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 21, 2021, 12:50:55 AM
Not necessarily. But my life plan is to keep each story in PBox's series around fifty chapters. We'll see what happens the closer I get to the end of this one, haha. I also split the long ones in the initial run of PBox to get to fifty when I realized that I didn't have fifty chapters, I had forty-eight. Of course, then I edited and now have six more ridiculously long chapters at the end. Oh well! This one feels like I'll be able to wrap it up nicely in fifty chapters, at least once I realized that the end of this story wasn't going to get to the actual end of the whole story. When I thought they were the same, I was panicking about how long it would be.

That makes sense to want to keep stories in the same series around the same number of chapters. 


Those purposeful and funny/cute scenes are money. As Team Dark, we get to say "see it's not all bad here, have a cookie." And then it continues to be "all bad here" afterward, sometimes in the same chapter. I'm looking at you Frick&Frack Piggyback!

Hehe!  Yeah, things can't get too light and fluffy on Team Dark without some horrible happening soon after.  You're just waiting for the other shoe to drop.


I also think there's a difference in days for a Heroic Measures or a Bethlehem versus typical days. No one wants to read a ten chapter story about what I did the past few days, for instance, lmao.

LOL!  Yes, definitely.  When the story takes place across a few days, those days are probably important, whereas when it spans several months or years, you try to capture the highlights and skip through the time in between.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 21, 2021, 12:59:10 AM
Has anyone else seen the new story on AO3 called "A Modest Proposal"?  Some troll tagged like every popular fandom there is and posted the text of "The Great Gatsby" in the tag box so it created a giant wall of tags that takes like a full minute to scroll past.  I clicked on the "story," and it technically does seem to contain a random reference to the various fandoms tagged.  BSB is tagged and mentioned once, which is why it shows up on their page.  Super annoying, but also kind of funny, especially considering the only character tagged is "Original Male Dog."  That cracked me up when I saw it.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 21, 2021, 02:16:40 PM
That makes sense to want to keep stories in the same series around the same number of chapters.

Can't have one ridiculously long one in the middle. Then it might get turned into two movies. ;)


Hehe!  Yeah, things can't get too light and fluffy on Team Dark without some horrible happening soon after.  You're just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I like to lull them into a false sense of security for a chapter or so. It makes it really gut wrenching.

LOL!  Yes, definitely.  When the story takes place across a few days, those days are probably important, whereas when it spans several months or years, you try to capture the highlights and skip through the time in between.

Fiction is an escape from the mundane. It's why no one ever takes a shower or uses the bathroom in literature or media unless it's plot important. I think I would even get bored of a live stream of what the Boys did all day. Maybe I would pay attention if it was "Here's what we do in the hours leading up to a concert" or "portions of creating an album." But, I'm just picturing Nick leaving a webcam on at his house and it being... really mundane.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 21, 2021, 02:24:56 PM
Has anyone else seen the new story on AO3 called "A Modest Proposal"?  Some troll tagged like every popular fandom there is and posted the text of "The Great Gatsby" in the tag box so it created a giant wall of tags that takes like a full minute to scroll past.  I clicked on the "story," and it technically does seem to contain a random reference to the various fandoms tagged.  BSB is tagged and mentioned once, which is why it shows up on their page.  Super annoying, but also kind of funny, especially considering the only character tagged is "Original Male Dog."  That cracked me up when I saw it.

And Mare thought large banners were bad! I'm dying at "Original Male Dog." I would be really upset if I was the person beneath it.

The things people will do to get noticed.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 21, 2021, 02:37:29 PM
But, I'm just picturing Nick leaving a webcam on at his house and it being... really mundane.

LOL It would just be him making pancakes and watching YouTube with the kids like all his Instagram videos.  I love that he gives us glimpses into his life, and it's so cute watching him interact with his kids, but I would not want to watch Daddy Nick all day unless I was his lucky wife.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 21, 2021, 02:38:30 PM
And Mare thought large banners were bad! I'm dying at "Original Male Dog." I would be really upset if I was the person beneath it.

The things people will do to get noticed.

LOL That shit would never fly on AC.  Mare and Julilly would have deleted it right away.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 21, 2021, 02:53:23 PM
LOL It would just be him making pancakes and watching YouTube with the kids like all his Instagram videos.  I love that he gives us glimpses into his life, and it's so cute watching him interact with his kids, but I would not want to watch Daddy Nick all day unless I was his lucky wife.

Don't forget the hour of playing video games and yelling at the screen. Good point, I do enjoy watching my husband do mundane things, so Lauren probably enjoys it. Or, realistically, she's like "You're home, time for some Lauren time, bye!" Which I could not blame her.

LOL That shit would never fly on AC.  Mare and Julilly would have deleted it right away.

So quickly that we would have never even seen it and all we would have is a reminder in the rules about the length of summaries!


What's our next major discussion topic? Any ideas?


Today writing-wise, I've been busy bothering my friends helping me cultivate a list of things because I figured they were too vaguely spoilery to ask here. Unless anyone does not care about my spoilers and likes making lists, haha.

How about everybody else?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 21, 2021, 03:17:39 PM
Don't forget the hour of playing video games and yelling at the screen. Good point, I do enjoy watching my husband do mundane things, so Lauren probably enjoys it. Or, realistically, she's like "You're home, time for some Lauren time, bye!" Which I could not blame her.

LOL How could I forget his video game hour?  Yeah, he and Lauren seem to have a good balance when it comes to personal time versus parenting time.  It's nice that he lets her sleep in while he takes care of the kids in the morning, and I'm guessing she gives him the same me time later in the day.


So quickly that we would have never even seen it and all we would have is a reminder in the rules about the length of summaries!

LOL exactly!


What's our next major discussion topic? Any ideas?

Today writing-wise, I've been busy bothering my friends helping me cultivate a list of things because I figured they were too vaguely spoilery to ask here. Unless anyone does not care about my spoilers and likes making lists, haha.

How about everybody else?

Are they spoilers for PNecklace or a future story?

I've been a little more productive today, which is usually the case on Sundays compared to Saturdays.  Chapter 5 is over 1000 words now.  I got past the descriptive part at the beginning to a part with more dialogue; I feel like dialogue always goes faster.

Here's a question for those of us on Team Dark.  Do you ever worry that what you're writing is too dark or depressing?  If so, what do you do about it?  Do you just keep writing what you planned or try to lighten it up somehow?  I was talking to Tracy last night about her new story, and she said she was worried a scene she was considering writing would be too sad.  My story is also a huge downer, so this seems like a relevant topic right now.

Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 21, 2021, 06:25:04 PM
LOL How could I forget his video game hour?  Yeah, he and Lauren seem to have a good balance when it comes to personal time versus parenting time.  It's nice that he lets her sleep in while he takes care of the kids in the morning, and I'm guessing she gives him the same me time later in the day.

That's the dream! Especially the sleeping in time. I'm trying to be a better morning person in preparation, but it's just not happening.

Are they spoilers for PNecklace or a future story?

PBox/PNecklace/etcetera


I've been a little more productive today, which is usually the case on Sundays compared to Saturdays.  Chapter 5 is over 1000 words now.  I got past the descriptive part at the beginning to a part with more dialogue; I feel like dialogue always goes faster.

I think so too. I think dialogue is more fun is probably why, since it's characters interacting together and not just "There was a tree, but it was a fundamentally important tree and that's why I'm telling you about it."


Here's a question for those of us on Team Dark.  Do you ever worry that what you're writing is too dark or depressing?  If so, what do you do about it?  Do you just keep writing what you planned or try to lighten it up somehow?  I was talking to Tracy last night about her new story, and she said she was worried a scene she was considering writing would be too sad.  My story is also a huge downer, so this seems like a relevant topic right now.

In addition to being a card carrying member of Team Dark, I am also Team Story. If what the story needs is something really dark or depressing and I have decided that I am okay telling that dark or depressing thing, then I will carry on. So I guess that's the first question, are y'all okay telling whatever this dark, depressing, or sad thing will be? If the answer is no, then you have the tough decision of coming up with a way to lighten it up, finding an alternative, or scrapping. If the answer is yes, then you have some options.

First, consider whether your readership is aware that you trend toward Team Dark. If they are aware, then you're probably fine to keep going as planned since it wouldn't be out of left field for you. If they're not and this is your first venture into Team Dark (welcome, it's fun here), I'd try to find a way to ease them into it as you're writing so that they know that in the story you're sharing now, they should expect some dark moments.

I also think it's important to know your lines in general. Do you have anything that's too dark for you? Does this upcoming thing fall over that line? I've mentioned I don't like depicting the death of children in the narrative. So I automatically know that if that's going to happen in a story (or a backstory), I have to either find some other way to say it happened, summarize, find a way around it, or come up with something different.

If you're on the fence... I always start by making lists. I'm not much of an outliner, as I've mentioned, but I love random lists of crud. My list would include my initial idea that may or may not be too dark/depressing/sad/whatever, reasons why I feel it might be that way, and then alternate ways I could either lighten it up or show the same type of thing in a different way entirely that still leads to my desired aftermath. I find it's always important to consider what's coming after the too dark thing. Does the too dark thing need to happen for those things to happen or to solidify something about the character? Or does it just seem like a good way to convey *gestures vaguely* some thing that moves the story along? There's lots of different ways to convey things.

Character deaths are fun, so let's use that as an example. What's the too dark line for a character death? A result of illness? Some rogue accident? Murder? Grisly murder? Self-sacrifice for another character? Suicide? Why does that character need to die? Is there an alternative to death for the same thing to be conveyed in story? What do the other characters do after the death? Is that the important part of the story? How do they grow, change, or make decisions because of it? Is the character death what kicks off the plot? Can the plot work without a death? And so on and so forth...

I could come up with more questions, but I only spent a short time thinking about it and obviously don't know exact details of your too dark/depressing/sad things. But in my experience pausing to consider something means you have some more questions to ask yourself before you start writing that portion. And since you're the author, you should have all the answers when you're presenting a piece of written work. Just my two cents! :)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 21, 2021, 09:03:42 PM
I don't really have a line per se. I've covered death and suicide in my stories. Just about everything... I guess my line would be killing children too. Other than that nothing is off limits. I don't think I've ever killed a BSB in one of my stories except on the round Robin for Nick.

I had to edit this because I did kill off people in my story Take Me Home. I won't say who In case anyone decides to read because hello spoilers.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 21, 2021, 09:08:15 PM
I don't really have a line per se. I've covered death and suicide in my stories. Just about everything... I guess my line would be killing children too. Other than that nothing is off limits. I don't think I've ever killed a BSB in one of my stories except on the round Robin for Nick.

I had to edit this because I did kill off people in my story Take Me Home. I won't say who In case anyone decides to read because hello spoilers.

As long as you know what your line is, that's what's important. I was just trying to come up with examples.

Killing of the Boys is a fun adventure. I think anyone who says they're part of Team Dark has to do it at least once in a serious story. Unless that's your line!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 21, 2021, 09:24:44 PM
In addition to being a card carrying member of Team Dark, I am also Team Story. If what the story needs is something really dark or depressing and I have decided that I am okay telling that dark or depressing thing, then I will carry on. So I guess that's the first question, are y'all okay telling whatever this dark, depressing, or sad thing will be? If the answer is no, then you have the tough decision of coming up with a way to lighten it up, finding an alternative, or scrapping. If the answer is yes, then you have some options.

First, consider whether your readership is aware that you trend toward Team Dark. If they are aware, then you're probably fine to keep going as planned since it wouldn't be out of left field for you. If they're not and this is your first venture into Team Dark (welcome, it's fun here), I'd try to find a way to ease them into it as you're writing so that they know that in the story you're sharing now, they should expect some dark moments.

I also think it's important to know your lines in general. Do you have anything that's too dark for you? Does this upcoming thing fall over that line? I've mentioned I don't like depicting the death of children in the narrative. So I automatically know that if that's going to happen in a story (or a backstory), I have to either find some other way to say it happened, summarize, find a way around it, or come up with something different.

If you're on the fence... I always start by making lists. I'm not much of an outliner, as I've mentioned, but I love random lists of crud. My list would include my initial idea that may or may not be too dark/depressing/sad/whatever, reasons why I feel it might be that way, and then alternate ways I could either lighten it up or show the same type of thing in a different way entirely that still leads to my desired aftermath. I find it's always important to consider what's coming after the too dark thing. Does the too dark thing need to happen for those things to happen or to solidify something about the character? Or does it just seem like a good way to convey *gestures vaguely* some thing that moves the story along? There's lots of different ways to convey things.

Character deaths are fun, so let's use that as an example. What's the too dark line for a character death? A result of illness? Some rogue accident? Murder? Grisly murder? Self-sacrifice for another character? Suicide? Why does that character need to die? Is there an alternative to death for the same thing to be conveyed in story? What do the other characters do after the death? Is that the important part of the story? How do they grow, change, or make decisions because of it? Is the character death what kicks off the plot? Can the plot work without a death? And so on and so forth...

I could come up with more questions, but I only spent a short time thinking about it and obviously don't know exact details of your too dark/depressing/sad things. But in my experience pausing to consider something means you have some more questions to ask yourself before you start writing that portion. And since you're the author, you should have all the answers when you're presenting a piece of written work. Just my two cents! :)

Wow, good answer!  I agree, it should come down to what makes the most sense for the story.  Although random tragedies are an unfortunate part of real life, I'm not big on things being totally random in a serious story.  Going along with the character death example, if you're going to kill a character, you should have a good reason for doing it.  Maybe the death happens because of decisions the character made, or maybe it's just the natural result of the circumstances said character was thrown into.  Or, if it happens in the beginning or middle of the story, maybe the death is meant to serve as motivation for other characters' actions.  In any case, it should serve a purpose, whether that's to inspire action or bring the story to its logical conclusion.  When I kill characters, I always have a reason besides wanting to make readers cry, and it feels like the right thing to do, even if it's depressing.  If it doesn't feel right for the story, I don't do it.

I've always been a member of Team Dark, and my readers know it, but even I have written disclaimers for stories or chapters that I feel are particularly dark.  Nothing specific enough to be a spoiler, usually just a general warning that things are going to get heavy.  Unless it's a story like Bethlehem where the twists and cliffhangers were kinda what I was going for, in which case, read at your own risk!  But Bethlehem was actually pretty light compared to some of the other stories I've written in recent years, so it never even occurred to me to warn anyone about that one.  I'm more likely to give a warning when my toes are on a line I haven't crossed before and I personally feel uncomfortable with what I'm writing.  But again, I think anyone who has read enough of my stories should not be too shocked by what I write at this point LOL.

In my current situation, both new stories I've started begin with something really bad happening that sets the events of the story in motion.  There may have been other options, but none that worked as well or had the same impact as what I ultimately went with.  The one I was working on this weekend is super depressing in the beginning, but will become more uplifting as it goes on... to the point that, as I realized today, I don't even know yet what the climax of the story will be.  I know how it will end, but the point when the problem is at its worst and about to be resolved seems like it will come too early in the story to be considered a climax.  So that's something I need to think more about, or maybe I will just keep writing what I do have planned and see where my characters take it from there.  That almost makes me feel like a plantser LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 21, 2021, 09:36:24 PM
I don't really have a line per se. I've covered death and suicide in my stories. Just about everything... I guess my line would be killing children too. Other than that nothing is off limits. I don't think I've ever killed a BSB in one of my stories except on the round Robin for Nick.

I had to edit this because I did kill off people in my story Take Me Home. I won't say who In case anyone decides to read because hello spoilers.

LOL How quickly we forget.

I think my only line at this point is killing real BSB kids.  I'm okay with killing wives and fictional children, and I will even give one of the real ones an incurable illness if it serves the plot, but actually killing them is crossing the line for me.  That's really all I've got; any other line I used to have has already been crossed LOL.


As long as you know what your line is, that's what's important. I was just trying to come up with examples.

Killing of the Boys is a fun adventure. I think anyone who says they're part of Team Dark has to do it at least once in a serious story. Unless that's your line!

I'm not opposed to killing off the Boys, but I understand why some authors are, for the same reason some people consider writing fanfic about real people in the first place crossing a line.  What if you put something like that out in the universe, and then it actually happened in real life?  That would be horrible.  I am not superstitious enough to believe anything we write could somehow curse the Boys in real life - at the end of the day, even if we are writing about real people, it's still fiction.  But then why would it bother me to kill off their real kids in a fictional story?  Maybe I am a little bit superstitious, or maybe it's just because they're innocent children and that seems worse than killing adult characters.

Have you guys ever crossed a clear line that you used to have?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 21, 2021, 09:43:57 PM
Wow, good answer!

Glad you enjoyed it! I can justify just about any decision I've ever made with diatribes like this.


When I kill characters, I always have a reason besides wanting to make readers cry, and it feels like the right thing to do, even if it's depressing.  If it doesn't feel right for the story, I don't do it.

I'd venture to say that if anyone's only motivation for writing dark things is the reader reaction, then they are not Team Dark, they are Team Masochist. haha


I've always been a member of Team Dark, and my readers know it, but even I have written disclaimers for stories or chapters that I feel are particularly dark.  Nothing specific enough to be a spoiler, usually just a general warning that things are going to get heavy. I'm more likely to give a warning when my toes are on a line I haven't crossed before and I personally feel uncomfortable with what I'm writing.  But again, I think anyone who has read enough of my stories should not be too shocked by what I write at this point LOL.


That's interesting, I've never thought to give warnings on specific chapters because I don't want to spoil things. How do you go about giving a non-spoilery warning? I just kind of figure people know to except dark and depressing things from me, so nothing should be surprising. I tend to think that feeling uncomfortable is a good thing. It means you're doing something new.


In my current situation, both new stories I've started begin with something really bad happening that sets the events of the story in motion.  There may have been other options, but none that worked as well or had the same impact as what I ultimately went with.  The one I was working on this weekend is super depressing in the beginning, but will become more uplifting as it goes on... to the point that, as I realized today, I don't even know yet what the climax of the story will be.  I know how it will end, but the point when the problem is at its worst and about to be resolved seems like it will come too early in the story to be considered a climax.  So that's something I need to think more about, or maybe I will just keep writing what I do have planned and see where my characters take it from there.  That almost makes me feel like a plantser LOL.

Julie's considering becoming team Plantser and letting the characters decide? I am intrigued! I say keep on writing and see what happens. It's a fun new adventure for you.  ;D

In seriousness, I wrote a whole story about how there's always hope in the dark. Sometimes things have to start from rock bottom to get to a good place and that's okay. :) Go with what has impact.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 21, 2021, 09:57:12 PM
LOL How quickly we forget.

Time gets muddled together.


I'm not opposed to killing off the Boys, but I understand why some authors are, for the same reason some people consider writing fanfic about real people in the first place crossing a line.  What if you put something like that out in the universe, and then it actually happened in real life?  That would be horrible.  I am not superstitious enough to believe anything we write could somehow curse the Boys in real life - at the end of the day, even if we are writing about real people, it's still fiction.  But then why would it bother me to kill off their real kids in a fictional story?  Maybe I am a little bit superstitious, or maybe it's just because they're innocent children and that seems worse than killing adult characters.

What if Nick dated a decent lady instead of Paris Hilton? Glad we as a fandom didn't superstitiousl y summon that into the universe. Phew!  ;) In all seriousness, I get it. You want to make sure you don't put bad juju on anyone, especially people you like/love/etcetera, but I like to save my superstitions for my football teams and not my writing. A story is just a story, unless you physically go out there and try to get real life to reenact said story. That's the line for me.

It's the innocent children thing for sure. That and they didn't decide to have a Backstreet Boy for a parent, it just happened. At least the wives chose to have a Backstreet Boy for a husband, though I don't like writing about them either.

On a side note, I would be stoked as hell if the Boys turned out to be demons with magic powers. Stoked. As. Hell.


Have you guys ever crossed a clear line that you used to have?

Probably? I'm sure when I was younger, I thought many times that whatever was too sad and decided not to write it. Then as I got older, I decided sad was more interesting. I can't think of anything specific though! I'd say I shy away from mental health things more than physical things. I'm thinking of that "BSB is all in Nick's head in a psychiatric ward" idea, but then PBox Nick is basically an amnesiac with PTSD, so...  :shrug: Just gotta think long and hard about whatever it is first. Team Story!


Are they spoilers for PNecklace or a future story?
PBox/PNecklace/etcetera

Julie, was this your offer to contribute to my list as long as it wasn't something you were interested in reading down the line, btw?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 21, 2021, 10:15:18 PM
I'd venture to say that if anyone's only motivation for writing dark things is the reader reaction, then they are not Team Dark, they are Team Masochist. haha

LOL I definitely have my moments of being in Team Masochist too, as AJ can attest to (since he's apparently been living in my brain lately).  I appreciate shock value, but it still needs to make sense and serve a purpose.


That's interesting, I've never thought to give warnings on specific chapters because I don't want to spoil things. How do you go about giving a non-spoilery warning? I just kind of figure people know to except dark and depressing things from me, so nothing should be surprising. I tend to think that feeling uncomfortable is a good thing. It means you're doing something new.

Usually it's just a vague "This chapter's going to be intense" (or sad or dark or gross or weird or whatever adjective makes the most sense).  Just something to suggest that maybe this isn't one you want to read at work or around other people LOL.  Sometimes I give tissue warnings or "dangerously cheesy" warnings too.  No spoilers though.

I agree about feeling uncomfortable. Sakabelle/Steph has a quote on her signature here by Rainbow Rowell that I love.  “Write a lot. Write something you’re scared to write. That’s the best advice I can give: If you have an idea, and you can’t stop thinking about it, but something about it scares you half to death–WRITE THAT.”  My favorite stories I've written are the ones that pushed me out my comfort zone and that I was a little afraid to post.


Julie's considering becoming team Plantser and letting the characters decide? I am intrigued! I say keep on writing and see what happens. It's a fun new adventure for you.  ;D

In seriousness, I wrote a whole story about how there's always hope in the dark. Sometimes things have to start from rock bottom to get to a good place and that's okay. :) Go with what has impact.

LOL That's my thought too.  It's not like there won't be plenty of other problems along the way, so maybe I don't need a dramatic climax.  Or maybe I'll come up with something when I get closer to that point.  I'm sure I will figure it out well before I get there, but it's kinda fun not knowing... gives me something to think about.  I like having things to think about when I can't actually sit down and write, like when I'm trying to fall asleep at night, getting ready for work in the morning, or driving to/from.  It helps to keep me inspired and takes my mind off real life problems.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 21, 2021, 10:24:20 PM
LOL I definitely have my moments of being in Team Masochist too, as AJ can attest to (since he's apparently been living in my brain lately).  I appreciate shock value, but it still needs to make sense and serve a purpose.

You know, I don't think I've ever done anything just to be masochistic. Or where I thought being masochistic was a happy by-product. So now that AJ's living in your brain, what are you going to do with that?


Usually it's just a vague "This chapter's going to be intense" (or sad or dark or gross or weird or whatever adjective makes the most sense).  Just something to suggest that maybe this isn't one you want to read at work or around other people LOL.  Sometimes I give tissue warnings or "dangerously cheesy" warnings too.  No spoilers though.

I agree about feeling uncomfortable. Sakabelle/Steph has a quote on her signature here by Rainbow Rowell that I love.  “Write a lot. Write something you’re scared to write. That’s the best advice I can give: If you have an idea, and you can’t stop thinking about it, but something about it scares you half to death–WRITE THAT.”  My favorite stories I've written are the ones that pushed me out my comfort zone and that I was a little afraid to post.

Interesting. Do you put it in the body of the chapter or in an Author's Note?

I love that quote too. That's kind of how I felt about coming back to fanfic after so long (not necessarily scared to death about the content of the story, but scared to death about it in a different way), but I'm glad I did it.


LOL That's my thought too.  It's not like there won't be plenty of other problems along the way, so maybe I don't need a dramatic climax.  Or maybe I'll come up with something when I get closer to that point.  I'm sure I will figure it out well before I get there, but it's kinda fun not knowing... gives me something to think about.  I like having things to think about when I can't actually sit down and write, like when I'm trying to fall asleep at night, getting ready for work in the morning, or driving to/from.  It helps to keep me inspired and takes my mind off real life problems.

I'm sure you say that now and you'll still have a dramatic climax.

I love having something to think about as I'm driving to work or blow drying my hair. Unless there's a BSB song on with a lyric belting part, then I just want to belt out the lyrics and think about nothing, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 21, 2021, 10:38:42 PM
What if Nick dated a decent lady instead of Paris Hilton? Glad we as a fandom didn't superstitiousl y summon that into the universe. Phew!  ;)

LMAO!


A story is just a story, unless you physically go out there and try to get real life to reenact said story. That's the line for me.

LOL I had an idea for a suspense story a long time ago about a fanfic author (or a group of them) who took BSB fanfic tropes like the bus crash or Brian having heart problems and tried to make them come to life.


It's the innocent children thing for sure. That and they didn't decide to have a Backstreet Boy for a parent, it just happened. At least the wives chose to have a Backstreet Boy for a husband, though I don't like writing about them either.

Yes, I do think that's it.  I don't like writing about the wives either, but sometimes it's unavoidable.  I have no problem getting rid of them if it serves the plot.


On a side note, I would be stoked as hell if the Boys turned out to be demons with magic powers. Stoked. As. Hell.

LOL Hey, you never know!  Howie seems to have some magic power that prevents him from aging.  Either he's discovered the Fountain of Youth down in Florida, or he may be some sort of supernatural creature after all.


Probably? I'm sure when I was younger, I thought many times that whatever was too sad and decided not to write it. Then as I got older, I decided sad was more interesting. I can't think of anything specific though! I'd say I shy away from mental health things more than physical things. I'm thinking of that "BSB is all in Nick's head in a psychiatric ward" idea, but then PBox Nick is basically an amnesiac with PTSD, so...  :shrug: Just gotta think long and hard about whatever it is first. Team Story!

"BSB is all in Nick's head in a psychiatric ward" is an incredibly depressing idea, but also an interesting one.  Like you said, sad is more interesting.  At the end of the day, we all know it's just fiction, even if we are writing about real people.  That's how I justify it.

I have a harder time writing stuff that seems too close to reality, even if I know I'm making it up or exaggerating it for the sake of a dramatic story.  For example, when Nick's People article came out in 2009 about his weight loss and substance abuse issues, I wondered if that would spark a trend of people writing stories about his cardiomyopathy the way they used to write about Brian's heart condition.  We talked about it on a thread here, and I was like, "Personally, I wouldn't touch that topic with a ten-foot pole" because it felt too real and kind of scary.  Well, that trend never happened, and leave it to me to be the one to eventually go there like ten years later LOL.  That was the last time I've crossed one of my lines.


Julie, was this your offer to contribute to my list as long as it wasn't something you were interested in reading down the line, btw?

Sure!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 21, 2021, 10:46:45 PM
So now that AJ's living in your brain, what are you going to do with that?

I don't know...  He better not start arguing with me the way Nick argues with you guys, or I'm gonna evict his ass!  Luckily AJ usually gets off pretty easy in my stories, so he shouldn't have too many complaints.


Interesting. Do you put it in the body of the chapter or in an Author's Note?

Usually it's in my update posts on my site, so people that read my stories elsewhere don't get any kind of warning.  I used to do little author's notes on some chapters on AC, but I haven't done that in years because I don't like the way it looks on the chapter index.  Nowadays if I do an author's note, it's always at the end of the chapter or story.


I love that quote too. That's kind of how I felt about coming back to fanfic after so long (not necessarily scared to death about the content of the story, but scared to death about it in a different way), but I'm glad I did it.

I'm glad you did too!

Has anyone ever posted something they were scared to post and actually ended up regretting it?


I'm sure you say that now and you'll still have a dramatic climax.

I love having something to think about as I'm driving to work or blow drying my hair. Unless there's a BSB song on with a lyric belting part, then I just want to belt out the lyrics and think about nothing, haha.

Knowing me, probably!  I have plenty of time to figure it out.

Very true; I can't brainstorm and listen to BSB or Hamilton at the same time because of the need to sing along.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 21, 2021, 10:51:02 PM
LOL I had an idea for a suspense story a long time ago about a fanfic author (or a group of them) who took BSB fanfic tropes like the bus crash or Brian having heart problems and tried to make them come to life.

Creepy. Do it.


LOL Hey, you never know!  Howie seems to have some magic power that prevents him from aging.  Either he's discovered the Fountain of Youth down in Florida, or he may be some sort of supernatural creature after all.

He and Paul Rudd are in the Illuminati, obviously.

"BSB is all in Nick's head in a psychiatric ward" is an incredibly depressing idea, but also an interesting one.  Like you said, sad is more interesting.  At the end of the day, we all know it's just fiction, even if we are writing about real people.  That's how I justify it.

I have a harder time writing stuff that seems too close to reality, even if I know I'm making it up or exaggerating it for the sake of a dramatic story.  For example, when Nick's People article came out in 2009 about his weight loss and substance abuse issues, I wondered if that would spark a trend of people writing stories about his cardiomyopathy the way they used to write about Brian's heart condition.  We talked about it on a thread here, and I was like, "Personally, I wouldn't touch that topic with a ten-foot pole" because it felt too real and kind of scary.  Well, that trend never happened, and leave it to me to be the one to eventually go there like ten years later LOL.  That was the last time I've crossed one of my lines.

Exactly. When it's all fiction, it's just a story with recognizable characters.

Maybe it's that things like that feel less real and scary as time goes on? Like Brian's heart condition, I doubt anyone was writing "but what if he died during surgery" until after it was perfectly clear that he lived. Then it's just "what if" speculative fiction after the fact. But I'm glad Nick's cardiomyopathy didn't become a huge thing at the time, we had to keep putting positive vibes out into the universe for his quest to get and keep the girl.

That's part of why I like writing fantasy, you shove away pesky and scary reality when you like.


Sure!

Sweet!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 21, 2021, 11:01:46 PM
I don't know...  He better not start arguing with me the way Nick argues with you guys, or I'm gonna evict his ass!  Luckily AJ usually gets off pretty easy in my stories, so he shouldn't have too many complaints.

It's really only PBox Nick for me. Every other Nick is fine, or hasn't gotten to the point where he has time to be opinionated. Does anyone have that problem with all Nicks? Or just a Nick in particular? I hope AJ does start arguing with you, so you can enjoy the fun with us!  :biggrin:


Usually it's in my update posts on my site, so people that read my stories elsewhere don't get any kind of warning.  I used to do little author's notes on some chapters on AC, but I haven't done that in years because I don't like the way it looks on the chapter index.  Nowadays if I do an author's note, it's always at the end of the chapter or story.

I prefer notes at the end these days, but I loved having that little box to ramble on about whatever in PBox's original run. I deleted all of them in the edit, but man some of the things I talked about. I don't know that I would want "this is a graphic chapter" to be on the chapter index forever, that's why I asked how you do it.


I'm glad you did too!

Has anyone ever posted something they were scared to post and actually ended up regretting it?

 :bighug:

Nope! I can't think of a single thing I ever shared that I actually regretted, especially things I was scared about. I don't know if that has more to do with figuring silence means it's all good or what, but I figure if I felt fine about writing it and sharing it, then it was all fine.

Knowing me, probably!  I have plenty of time to figure it out.

Very true; I can't brainstorm and listen to BSB or Hamilton at the same time because of the need to sing along.

Haha, to thine own self be true indeed.

Facts. My rapping has not improved at all despite all of my practice singing along. Yours? I'll be Burr or Eliza.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 21, 2021, 11:05:59 PM
Creepy. Do it.

LOL It's one of those ideas that sat around on my list of ideas forever (I think I first came up with it in like 2002) and never quite panned out, but I ended up using elements of it in another story, which was definitely creepy.  Another example of combining ideas to come up with something even better.


He and Paul Rudd are in the Illuminati, obviously.

Obviously!


Maybe it's that things like that feel less real and scary as time goes on? Like Brian's heart condition, I doubt anyone was writing "but what if he died during surgery" until after it was perfectly clear that he lived. Then it's just "what if" speculative fiction after the fact. But I'm glad Nick's cardiomyopathy didn't become a huge thing at the time, we had to keep putting positive vibes out into the universe for his quest to get and keep the girl.

I think that's it.  I always wondered why I was fine reading and writing Brian heart problem stories, but the thought of writing one about Nick really bothered me.  The difference was, I didn't become a fan until right after Brian's heart surgery, so I never had that experience of worrying about the "What ifs?"  It was always history for me.  And I guess we've gotten to that point with Nick now too, since he's kept his shit together for the most part in the years since then and seems to be doing well.  I guess all our positive vibes for his love life eventually worked!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 21, 2021, 11:13:36 PM
Nope! I can't think of a single thing I ever shared that I actually regretted, especially things I was scared about. I don't know if that has more to do with figuring silence means it's all good or what, but I figure if I felt fine about writing it and sharing it, then it was all fine.

I feel the same way.  I've never gotten a flame review that was like, "WTF is wrong with you?!" so I figure either people are fine with it or just quietly click the X without saying anything, which is fine too.


Facts. My rapping has not improved at all despite all of my practice singing along. Yours? I'll be Burr or Eliza.

LOL I know, I still don't have the whole thing down either.  I can sing/rap every word of "Alexander Hamilton" spot on, which was an accomplishment, but that one's not very fast.  I've got "Yorktown" pretty much down too - that's my favorite song.  I'm still working on "My Shot" and "Guns and Ships."  The non-rapping songs are definitely easier!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 21, 2021, 11:20:57 PM
LOL It's one of those ideas that sat around on my list of ideas forever (I think I first came up with it in like 2002) and never quite panned out, but I ended up using elements of it in another story, which was definitely creepy.  Another example of combining ideas to come up with something even better.

I'm glad you sit on your ideas if they don't pan out, because they seem to be working for you eventually in a different form as time goes on. I wish I'd kept better track of my ideas in some form like that!

I think that's it.  I always wondered why I was fine reading and writing Brian heart problem stories, but the thought of writing one about Nick really bothered me.  The difference was, I didn't become a fan until right after Brian's heart surgery, so I never had that experience of worrying about the "What ifs?"  It was always history for me.  And I guess we've gotten to that point with Nick now too, since he's kept his shit together for the most part in the years since then and seems to be doing well.  I guess all our positive vibes for his love life eventually worked!

Worrying about the what ifs is nerve wracking for anything like that, since we're all on a first name basis and it feels like worrying about a friend or a family member. When it becomes history, then it's just that, shared fact and history. I feel like I remember when it happened, but I was not quite at teeny stage yet where I would have obsessed about it. I think it was just on the news or something? It's all a little vague. Ask me about when I decided Nick was the best instead, I remember that.

I was very busy all those years sending out "Marry me" and "Be so happy" positive vibes. I'm pleased that one of them worked: the more important one.  :biggrin:
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 21, 2021, 11:28:35 PM
I feel the same way.  I've never gotten a flame review that was like, "WTF is wrong with you?!" so I figure either people are fine with it or just quietly click the X without saying anything, which is fine too.

That's what I figure is happening with me, people quietly click the little x. It's cool. I'll keep writing anyway.


LOL I know, I still don't have the whole thing down either.  I can sing/rap every word of "Alexander Hamilton" spot on, which was an accomplishment, but that one's not very fast.  I've got "Yorktown" pretty much down too - that's my favorite song.  I'm still working on "My Shot" and "Guns and Ships."  The non-rapping songs are definitely easier!

My favorite is Non-Stop, which is also not too fast on the rap. Though, I gotta appreciate "Wait For It" because Burr puts Hamilton on par with uncontrollable things like life/death, love, his past, and forces of nature, haha. Also have to appreciate the "chick-a-plao" in Stay Alive, since the Boys taught me to love random stuff like that!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 22, 2021, 05:30:38 PM
My favorite is Non-Stop, which is also not too fast on the rap. Though, I gotta appreciate "Wait For It" because Burr puts Hamilton on par with uncontrollable things like life/death, love, his past, and forces of nature, haha. Also have to appreciate the "chick-a-plao" in Stay Alive, since the Boys taught me to love random stuff like that!

"Chick-a-plao" - yes!!  I love stuff like that too.  Non-Stop is great, especially at the end when it combines all the different musical motifs.  Wait for It is one of my favorites as well - such a pretty song, and it reveals so much about Burr's back story and motivation.

I've been listening to BSB in my car lately, but I put Hamilton on today in honor of George Washington's birthday.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 22, 2021, 05:54:07 PM
"Chick-a-plao" - yes!!  I love stuff like that too.  Non-Stop is great, especially at the end when it combines all the different musical motifs.  Wait for It is one of my favorites as well - such a pretty song, and it reveals so much about Burr's back story and motivation.

I've been listening to BSB in my car lately, but I put Hamilton on today in honor of George Washington's birthday.

I love when a song combines musical motifs and the layered melody it creates, as I already mentioned with "One Day More" from Les Mis. I wonder if LLM is working on anything new or is just still busy with In the Heights and Hamilton stuff.

Aw, I forgot it was GW's birthday. Good first President. I listened to the Boys today as is typical lately.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 22, 2021, 06:04:25 PM
I mentioned this briefly yesterday and thought it would be fun to collect everyone else's thoughts:

How do you brainstorm when you're writing or planning?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 22, 2021, 07:29:02 PM
Hm... I'm not exactly sure how to answer that.  I guess when I'm consciously trying to come up with an idea or solve a story-related problem, I will put myself in a place where I can think without distractions.  I'll take a long shower or a walk, or sometimes I'll just turn off the lights and lie on my bed in the dark and think.  If I think doing research will help, I'll Google.  Or sometimes I'll watch or read something that's similar to what I'm writing in hopes it helps spark an idea.  With this current story I've been working on, I've found a few YouTube channels and podcasts that I think will be very helpful in getting into my main character's head and better understanding the circumstances I've put him in.  I've already gotten some ideas for future scenes from that.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 22, 2021, 07:55:27 PM
Interesting! Did the youtube channels and podcasts come up in your googling or did you stumble on them on accident during a rabbit hole?

My answer is less exciting. I make lists, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 22, 2021, 08:08:56 PM
The YouTube channels came up during my research.  The podcasts I went looking for, figuring that would be another way to get more of a personal take on what I've been researching.  They have both been helpful so far!

What kind of stuff do you make lists for?  Is it like the spoilerish thing you messed me about?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 22, 2021, 08:10:28 PM
Someone give me motivation to stop trying to procrastinate! I've been working on the same scene and have bits and pieces of it written, but filling it in is... a process for some unknown reason. Dreams are weird.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 22, 2021, 08:18:41 PM
The YouTube channels came up during my research.  The podcasts I went looking for, figuring that would be another way to get more of a personal take on what I've been researching.  They have both been helpful so far!

What kind of stuff do you make lists for?  Is it like the spoilerish thing you messed me about?

I'm glad they've been helpful! I haven't found a good podcast I've liked in a while, but I do love a good TED talk any time. I'm sure there's podcasts I'd enjoy, I just haven't stumbled on them yet.

I love lists. I'll make a list for anything. Things like the list you helped me with, I got a good list going naming the last book before I settled on my second idea. Lists of questions. I'm basically an inquiry study away from writing any story, really. Reference lists, trope lists...

I don't actually have that many lists going right now, surprisingly, but I have been trying to get some old things out of my head and on virtual paper instead!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 22, 2021, 10:17:05 PM
Someone give me motivation to stop trying to procrastinate! I've been working on the same scene and have bits and pieces of it written, but filling it in is... a process for some unknown reason. Dreams are weird.

Okay, made it! Phew.a

Anyone have any tricks they use when they find themselves procrastinatin g for no discernibly good reason?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 23, 2021, 08:17:21 PM
I'm glad they've been helpful! I haven't found a good podcast I've liked in a while, but I do love a good TED talk any time. I'm sure there's podcasts I'd enjoy, I just haven't stumbled on them yet.

I love lists. I'll make a list for anything. Things like the list you helped me with, I got a good list going naming the last book before I settled on my second idea. Lists of questions. I'm basically an inquiry study away from writing any story, really. Reference lists, trope lists...

I don't actually have that many lists going right now, surprisingly, but I have been trying to get some old things out of my head and on virtual paper instead!

I mostly listen to true crime podcasts.  That's how I fall asleep, listening to stories about disappearances, murders, and serial killers. LOL

I make lists when I'm trying to make decisions on things like titles and character names.  It is definitely helpful.


Okay, made it! Phew.a

Anyone have any tricks they use when they find themselves procrastinatin g for no discernibly good reason?

Good for you!

Hm... it's hard when you don't know the reason you're procrastinatin g.  When I know what I want to write, but am having trouble putting it into words, it's usually for one of these reasons:

1. I'm distracted.

Solutions:  Turn off the TV.  Put my phone in another room.  Switch to instrumental music.  Close all other tabs.  Hide the bookmarks bar.  Disconnect from the internet (if I'm really desperate).

or

2. I'm tired.

Solutions:  Drink caffeine.  Take a nap or go to bed, and try again when I wake up.


It's harder when you want to write, know what to write, but can't seem to get going and don't have a good reason why.  Sometimes I push through it and force myself to write something anyway, and other times I give up and try again another time.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 23, 2021, 08:30:56 PM
I mostly listen to true crime podcasts.  That's how I fall asleep, listening to stories about disappearances, murders, and serial killers. LOL

I make lists when I'm trying to make decisions on things like titles and character names.  It is definitely helpful.

Ah yes, the lulling and peaceful sounds of gruesome murder. Sweet dreams.

Lists and weird written thought vomits/conversations with myself are how I get through writing. They're basically my version of an outline, haha!

Good for you!

Hm... it's hard when you don't know the reason you're procrastinatin g.  When I know what I want to write, but am having trouble putting it into words, it's usually for one of these reasons:

2. I'm tired.

Solutions:  Drink caffeine.  Take a nap or go to bed, and try again when I wake up.


It's harder when you want to write, know what to write, but can't seem to get going and don't have a good reason why.  Sometimes I push through it and force myself to write something anyway, and other times I give up and try again another time.

I think I was tired because I fell asleep almost immediately after I pushed through. Why was I tired at 7:30pm? :shrug: Maybe I need a vacation from the 2020-2021 school year.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 23, 2021, 08:35:13 PM
Girl, I want to take a nap every night between 5 and 6 p.m.  Sometimes I power through until I get my second wind around 7 or 8, and sometimes I just go sleep for an hour or two.  Tonight I went and lay down, listened to one of my podcasts for a bit, and then got back up without actually falling asleep.  Teaching is exhausting LOL.  This is why I'm usually not productive on school nights.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 23, 2021, 08:46:17 PM
Teaching is exhausting! I've been doing some internal coaching in other classrooms recently and I am losing my voice from the 20,000 other things I say to their students plus my students. It's been a week. I've also started slipping back into my high-pitched Pre-K Teacher voice, which I have not missed.

I've been trying to make myself be semi-productive during the week because I still worry that this is a lightning in a bottle thing and I don't want to lose it if I can help it. Having written consistently since October and gotten to almost chapter 30 plus being able to pop back in after taking an editing break should convince me otherwise, but I still worry. Meanwhile, we're catching up on Colbert and Bill Gates apparently wrote and published a book in the past year. Crazy, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 23, 2021, 08:50:13 PM
I get that.  It's good to stay in a routine and at least try writing every day, even if you don't get much done.  I would like to thank you and this forum for at least motivating me to get on the computer on weeknights.  Sometimes that's half the battle.  I actually wrote a few sentences last night, which is better than nothing.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 23, 2021, 08:58:53 PM
Are you sure I haven't just helped motivate you to continue cementing your supreme time waster status? haha At least it's writing adjacent supreme time wasting? Ooh, a few sentences on a weeknight? That is productive if you don't normally write on weeknights!

What things haven't we discussed related to writing routines? I think we covered most of it?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 23, 2021, 09:06:20 PM
LOL I would be a supreme time waster either way - if I weren't spending several hours a night chatting on here, I would just be watching TV or playing on my phone.  At least talking about fanfic helps keep me inspired, even if I don't have the mental energy to write until the weekend.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 23, 2021, 09:10:32 PM
The amount of time I spend on useless apps has decreased a lot since I started writing again. My poor virtual cats, haha.

It has kept me inspired too, I think. Maybe that's why I've been able to stick with the writing is chatting with you and everyone else here. :) So a thanks to you too!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 23, 2021, 09:23:06 PM
Also, don't want to jinx anything, but I'm about to snail to paper some time in the next 24 hours! Could be ready to go in a week or so!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 24, 2021, 05:28:38 PM
Also, don't want to jinx anything, but I'm about to snail to paper some time in the next 24 hours! Could be ready to go in a week or so!

Yay!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 24, 2021, 06:11:21 PM
Sorry I haven't been chatty on here. Just been doing a lot of writing!!

Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 24, 2021, 06:18:27 PM
Good for you, Tracy!  I wish I was doing more writing than chatting on here LOL.  I actually made myself a cup of coffee, which I never drink in the evening, in hopes it would help me get into a groove.  I've been in that weird "I want to write, but the words won't flow" phase all week.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 24, 2021, 06:23:52 PM
Good for you writing, Tracy! That's awesome! And woah, Julie, and evening coffee? Hope your sleep schedule still goes okay! But also, shhh... You know you love being a supreme time waster.

Update day usually keeps me busy for a smidge, but I did get 141 words of snail on paper. So, I'm doing some writing?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 24, 2021, 06:31:42 PM
LOL I hope so too!  I will definitely need some melatonin later.

Yay snail!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 24, 2021, 06:44:31 PM
Update: still not writing but have been reading a lot, finished my third paint the numbers masterpiece and am going to try to teach myself how to crochet.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 24, 2021, 06:49:09 PM
Update: still not writing but have been reading a lot, finished my third paint the numbers masterpiece and am going to try to teach myself how to crochet.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 24, 2021, 06:49:18 PM
Update: still not writing but have been reading a lot, finished my third paint the numbers masterpiece and am going to try to teach myself how to crochet.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 24, 2021, 06:52:27 PM
What are your paint by numbers masterpieces? Let me know how crocheting goes! I've always heard good things, but am abysmal at any fabric related craft or hobby.

I made an owl, a tree and I am working a lot of 4 different moon type scenes. I’d post but have no idea how lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 24, 2021, 06:54:47 PM
Wow, good for you!  Those are all great hobbies.  My mom crochets and tried to teach me when I was a kid; I had no patience for it LOL.  I hope it goes better for you!

It should be interesting because I have never crocheted in my life. I’ll keep you all posted lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 24, 2021, 07:09:01 PM
I made an owl, a tree and I am working a lot of 4 different moon type scenes. I’d post but have no idea how lol

I like imgbb. It's like what photobucket used to be.

Can't wait to hear about your crafting progress! :)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 24, 2021, 07:38:43 PM
Let's talk about settings!


How do you decide on the setting of your story?

Do you set your stories in real places or create your own settings?

Do you tend to set your stories in places you've been (or base fictional settings on real places you're familiar with)?  If not, do you do any research to help yourself write an unfamiliar setting more realistically?

Have you ever traveled to research for a story?

What has been your favorite setting to write about?

Where would you like to set a future story?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 24, 2021, 09:11:37 PM
I fell asleep at my desk. Lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 24, 2021, 10:38:27 PM
LOL My coffee kept me from taking a nap tonight, but I still only wrote a few sentences.  Ugh.  Hopefully I'll be able to sleep tonight.

On a more positive note, I have an idea for the climax of my story now.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 01:41:56 PM
I fell asleep at my desk. Lol

I fell asleep on the couch at 7pm, haha.

LOL My coffee kept me from taking a nap tonight, but I still only wrote a few sentences.  Ugh.  Hopefully I'll be able to sleep tonight.

On a more positive note, I have an idea for the climax of my story now.

You have a climax planned and a few sentences! That's great! Hopefully you slept.

I'm team snow day here. I haven't written anything yet, but I did do some cleaning around the house that I don't normally feel like doing on the weekends, so that's good.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 02:13:30 PM
Let's talk about settings!

Ooh, a new topic!


How do you decide on the setting of your story?


Hmmm... I guess it depends on the type of story. What would be an interesting background for things to take place in? That's the question I usually ask myself. In PBox, most of it is made up, but it felt like Minako and Renee had to live in New York because of the TRL catalyst in the story.

Do you tend to set your stories in places you've been (or base fictional settings on real places you're familiar with)?  If not, do you do any research to help yourself write an unfamiliar setting more realistically?

I shuffled these around a bit, haha. The amount of stories I've written that at least start in Colorado are abysmal. That's sheer laziness on my part! It's definitely easier to write settings you know because you're familiar with nuanced details of the place. As time has gone on, I've been better about finding the right setting, rather than the lazy one, but I feel like they do lack those nuanced details that living somewhere gives you. When I first wrote PBox, I hadn't been to New York City yet, so I definitely glossed over a lot of the New Yorkness (thank goodness it barely took place there). Having been there now, it's a little easier to make the setting slightly more nuanced.

Have you ever traveled to research for a story?

Not specifically to research any settings, but I generally choose settings based on places I've been (or make them up) unless some important landmark makes a story have to take place somewhere. I think there's some things you can only learn by physically being in a place. I guess I wouldn't be opposed to traveling somewhere to research a story, but I don't know that I would go just for research purposes unless it was really convenient. Something like "driving to the mountains to go on a hike and explore types of trees" versus "flying to the Bahamas to research tropical beaches." Not that I wouldn't take some notes about tropical beaches if I happened to be there. ;)

Do you set your stories in real places or create your own settings?

A mix of both. I think I've spent the most time writing the setting in the world of PBox, which is made up but based in reality. The hard thing about making things up, though, is that there's a lot of research involved in climate, topography, geography, etcetera. Then you have to spend a lot of time researching the types of things that would grow in a climate, what kind of geographical features can realistically be near each other, what the weather might be like, etcetera. It's a process. That's probably why mountains are a big part of PBox's geography, because I am an expert at mountainous region climate, haha.

What has been your favorite setting to write about?

I guess I have to say PBox's setting. It's fun to create a new place and make it seem real, but as I said above, it takes a lot of effort that's different than googling "what to pack if you go to Florida in January" or "How long does it take to drive from Tampa to Orlando?" The answer to those questions are "layers" and "at least an hour and a halfish, but it really depends on traffic," if anyone was still wondering. ;) They also judge you less for wearing shorts in Florida in January than they do in California, if that information is useful for anyone.

Where would you like to set a future story?

No idea! If I have to travel there to research it, the Bahamas might be fun.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 25, 2021, 05:53:17 PM
I fell asleep on the couch at 7pm, haha.

You have a climax planned and a few sentences! That's great! Hopefully you slept.

I'm team snow day here. I haven't written anything yet, but I did do some cleaning around the house that I don't normally feel like doing on the weekends, so that's good.

I actually had no problem falling asleep last night, thankfully.  And I wrote a paragraph at the bathroom counter while I was drying my hair this morning!

Ooh, I hope you enjoyed your snow day!  I'm glad you got something done around the house - that will give you more time (or at least less guilt) this weekend.  Did you eventually get some writing done too?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 25, 2021, 06:02:27 PM
The amount of stories I've written that at least start in Colorado are abysmal. That's sheer laziness on my part! It's definitely easier to write settings you know because you're familiar with nuanced details of the place. As time has gone on, I've been better about finding the right setting, rather than the lazy one, but I feel like they do lack those nuanced details that living somewhere gives you. When I first wrote PBox, I hadn't been to New York City yet, so I definitely glossed over a lot of the New Yorkness (thank goodness it barely took place there). Having been there now, it's a little easier to make the setting slightly more nuanced.

I don't think it's lazy; it's smart!  Like you said, it's definitely easier to write a setting you're familiar with, so why wouldn't you go with Colorado when you can?


Something like "driving to the mountains to go on a hike and explore types of trees" versus "flying to the Bahamas to research tropical beaches." Not that I wouldn't take some notes about tropical beaches if I happened to be there. ;)

Wouldn't it be nice to have the money to just fly to the Bahamas on a whim to research tropical beaches?


I think I've spent the most time writing the setting in the world of PBox, which is made up but based in reality. The hard thing about making things up, though, is that there's a lot of research involved in climate, topography, geography, etcetera. Then you have to spend a lot of time researching the types of things that would grow in a climate, what kind of geographical features can realistically be near each other, what the weather might be like, etcetera. It's a process. That's probably why mountains are a big part of PBox's geography, because I am an expert at mountainous region climate, haha.

Wow... having never created my own world for a story, I would have never thought about all that.  Kudos to you for taking the time to research and plan all that out.  Again, it makes sense to use what you know in order to make it seem more realistic.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 06:06:26 PM
I actually had no problem falling asleep last night, thankfully.  And I wrote a paragraph at the bathroom counter while I was drying my hair this morning!

Glad you fell asleep okay yesterday. And pre-school inspiration?! You're on a roll!

Ooh, I hope you enjoyed your snow day!  I'm glad you got something done around the house - that will give you more time (or at least less guilt) this weekend.  Did you eventually get some writing done too?

It's been good. I did some relaxing after cleaning since I was tired from scrubbing.

I have my document opened and have been thinking over the flow of the next chapter. I think I'm about ready to start writing! We'll see how the rest of the evening goes.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 06:21:33 PM
I don't think it's lazy; it's smart!  Like you said, it's definitely easier to write a setting you're familiar with, so why wouldn't you go with Colorado when you can?

Lack of variety? haha How many stories do you set in the midwest or Chicago area?


Wouldn't it be nice to have the money to just fly to the Bahamas on a whim to research tropical beaches?

If I had that kind of money, I would buy a boat and sail the world to research everything. And then maybe fly if I needed research buddies to join me. Suddenly, I start writing lots of pirate stories, haha!


Wow... having never created my own world for a story, I would have never thought about all that.  Kudos to you for taking the time to research and plan all that out.  Again, it makes sense to use what you know in order to make it seem more realistic.

As I've said, anything in the story, I know 10,000 more things about why. :) Plus, it lets me go down fun rabbit holes about climate and geography, before I eventually end up dreading existence as I research things like the Yellowstone super volcano or the inevitable earthquake in the Cascadia subduction zone that will sink the entire Pacific Northwest. Which inevitably happens every time.

Though where our heroes are from, Safainanpou, is more realistically California-esque in climate, the northern region is definitely more Utah/Colorado vibes.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 25, 2021, 06:47:25 PM
How do you decide on the setting of your story?

I think about what would make the most sense for my chosen characters and storyline.  A lot of times, my stories end up being set where the Boys live or tour just because that's most realistic.  It's fun when I can write a story set somewhere other than Florida or California because the majority of my stories have taken place there.  I loved writing a story set in New Hampshire because it was somewhere different.  I was researching mountain towns with Christmassy names and came across Bethlehem, NH in the White Mountains, which turned out to be perfect for what I had in mind.  I have never been to New Hampshire, but now I want to go.


Do you set your stories in real places or create your own settings?

I usually use real places.  I make up small settings like restaurants, but I tend to use real cities and research locations to write them as realistically as I can.


Do you tend to set your stories in places you've been (or base fictional settings on real places you're familiar with)?  If not, do you do any research to help yourself write an unfamiliar setting more realistically?

If it makes sense to set a story in a place I'm familiar with, I'll do it because it does make it easier to write.  It was fun setting Heroic Measures in Chicago, for example, even though most of the story took place inside a fictional hospital.  I have been to most of the states where I tend to set stories - Florida, California, Nevada, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky - but my first time visiting some of those places was only in the last decade.

I do research settings.  God bless Google Maps!  Street view is super cool for seeing what a place actually looks like.  I've talked about how pretty much every novel I've ever written has a hospital scene, so I also find myself browsing hospital websites as part of my research.  I appreciate the ones that have a map or directory so I can figure out what floor a certain department would be on.


Have you ever traveled to research for a story?

Not specifically.  I usually find myself traveling to places I've already written about after the fact, but it's fun to see places I referenced in a fanfic.  I was looking up roadside attractions in southern Illinois (not the part of the state I live in) for a story and came across the World's Largest Catsup Bottle in a town called Collinsville, which I'd never been to.  I mentioned it in the story, and one of my readers, who's now a friend of mine, was like, "OMG, I drive by that all the time!"  She lives about three hours south of me, near St. Louis, and after we met face to face on the first BSB cruise I went on, we started going to concerts together.  So the first time I drove down to St. Louis to meet up with her for a show, I saw an exit for Collinsville on the way home and thought, "I'm gonna go find the World's Largest Catsup Bottle!"  So I took the exit and drove around until I found the thing.  It wasn't that impressive, but it was a fun little detour.

Someday I would love to go on a writer's retreat and do research on location!  I had the urge to drive to New Hampshire last summer, but that didn't seem very practical or smart in the middle of a pandemic LOL.


What has been your favorite setting to write about?

I really enjoyed the setting of The Road to Bethlehem.  It was rustic and quaint, yet sufficiently dangerous LOL.  But my favorite was probably MacDill Air Force Base in Song for the Undead.  That's the most elaborately I've ever researched a setting.  I printed out a map of the base that I still have with my notes on it and referred to it often.  Rose and I got so many ideas for scenes just based on what amenities the base offered.  There was also an English castle later in the story, and that was a fun setting to write too.


Where would you like to set a future story?

I'm in love with Scotland and would love to set a story there someday.  I actually started one years ago that was going to take place there, but I didn't get past the second chapter.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 25, 2021, 06:53:23 PM
Glad you fell asleep okay yesterday. And pre-school inspiration?! You're on a roll!

I'm in this phase now where I feel inspired all the time, but when I sit down to write, the words don't flow.  I actually wrote about as much in ten minutes this morning as I did in like three hours last night.  I don't know if that has more to do with a rested mind vs. a tired mind or if knowing I only had a few minutes made me more focused and productive than when I sit and waste time watching YouTube videos when I should be writing.


I have my document opened and have been thinking over the flow of the next chapter. I think I'm about ready to start writing! We'll see how the rest of the evening goes.

Yay, good luck!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 25, 2021, 07:03:53 PM
Lack of variety? haha How many stories do you set in the midwest or Chicago area?

Actually not that many.  Heroic Measures, my ER crossover, was set in Chicago because that's where ER takes place.  Other than that, the only one I can remember that took place partly in Illinois was Curtain Call.  Most of it took place in California or on tour, but I made my female character from Illinois, so some of it was set in her home town.  Secrets of the Heart was set in Kentucky and Ohio, but that was more because of Brian being from Kentucky than because it was near Illinois.  Oh, and I did have Claire move to Iowa for a time in BMS.


If I had that kind of money, I would buy a boat and sail the world to research everything. And then maybe fly if I needed research buddies to join me. Suddenly, I start writing lots of pirate stories, haha!

OMG, we need a writers' cruise around the world!  That would be amazing.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 07:05:40 PM
A lot of times, my stories end up being set where the Boys live or tour just because that's most realistic.  It's fun when I can write a story set somewhere other than Florida or California because the majority of my stories have taken place there.

I have never been to New Hampshire, but now I want to go.

Despite what people say, there's really only a few true hubs for music in the US, and I don't think Florida is even really much of one anymore other than the theme park business. It would be nice if the Boys could branch out on their locales, start living in rural Idaho or something.

I haven't either, but it seems fun! I'm trying to go to all fifty states eventually, but the far northeast just seems like it will take a lot of planning.


I've talked about how pretty much every novel I've ever written has a hospital scene, so I also find myself browsing hospital websites as part of my research.  I appreciate the ones that have a map or directory so I can figure out what floor a certain department would be on.

Do you research specific hospitals for floor layouts based on the overall setting of the story or just hospitals in general?


So I took the exit and drove around until I found the thing.  It wasn't that impressive, but it was a fun little detour.

This whole story was so fun! Glad you found the Catsup!


Someday I would love to go on a writer's retreat and do research on location!  I had the urge to drive to New Hampshire last summer, but that didn't seem very practical or smart in the middle of a pandemic LOL.

Retreats are my favorite! I used to go on one every year until I retired from the board I was on. I miss it (obviously couldn't anyway with the pandemic). Let's all just write old school stories set in Orlando and go retreat in Florida, haha.


But my favorite was probably MacDill Air Force Base in Song for the Undead.  That's the most elaborately I've ever researched a setting.

Hope you can visit it someday and it feels like Zombie Disney World. ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 07:11:54 PM
Actually not that many.

Four out of a million. This reaffirms my initial opinion that I'm lazy, haha.


OMG, we need a writers' cruise around the world!  That would be amazing.

I'm there! I love boats and cruises! (Based on my sample size of one cruise. Boats is a larger sample size of experiences.) We did one for our honeymoon and getting to go to a bunch of different places while my stuff was safe was awesome. I'd do one again in a heartbeat. I think the secret to staying healthy is eating at the restaurants instead of the buffet.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 25, 2021, 07:22:01 PM
Do you research specific hospitals for floor layouts based on the overall setting of the story or just hospitals in general?

Specific ones, depending on what city the story's set in.  The one Brian and AJ went to in The Road to Bethlehem was awesome because it had a super detailed layout posted.  Perks of being a small hospital, I guess.  It's usually harder to find that kind of information for the really big hospitals that have multiple buildings and whatnot.  I just make up what I can't find or keep it pretty general, but it makes my anal little brain happy to be able to write something like "They took the elevator to the eighth floor" and know that that information is correct.


Let's all just write old school stories set in Orlando and go retreat in Florida, haha.

I'm down!  I have been to Orlando, but not for a Backstreet pilgrimage or fanfic retreat.  I have been on two pilgrimages to Lexington, so I feel like I need to go on an Orlando one someday.  The only thing I've really done in the Orlando area is go to Disney and Universal Studios.  I have also never been to Tampa or the Florida Keys.


Hope you can visit it someday and it feels like Zombie Disney World. ;)

LMAO at Zombie Disney World!  That would be fun trying to explain why I wanted to go on the base.  "Well, see, I once wrote a fanfic about the Backstreet Boys surviving the zombie apocalypse at this very air force base..."
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 07:35:03 PM
Specific ones, depending on what city the story's set in.  The one Brian and AJ went to in The Road to Bethlehem was awesome because it had a super detailed layout posted.  Perks of being a small hospital, I guess.  It's usually harder to find that kind of information for the really big hospitals that have multiple buildings and whatnot.  I just make up what I can't find or keep it pretty general, but it makes my anal little brain happy to be able to write something like "They took the elevator to the eighth floor" and know that that information is correct.

I'm surprised the bigger ones don't! If you ever need a Colorado hospital, I know a gal and can ask all your anal research questions for you.


I'm down!  I have been to Orlando, but not for a Backstreet pilgrimage or fanfic retreat.  I have been on two pilgrimages to Lexington, so I feel like I need to go on an Orlando one someday.  The only thing I've really done in the Orlando area is go to Disney and Universal Studios.  I have also never been to Tampa or the Florida Keys.

I've never been on a Backstreet pilgrimage at all, though I begged my husband to help me find the "Backstreet" when we were in Orlando. It didn't happen. You've been on a previous fanfic retreat? haha Are there team building activities? ;)

I liked Tampa better than Orlando, though we technically stayed in St. Pete. I remember one dive bar very clearly that had a tiny moat on the bar top and you could race plastic ducks. We usually spend our Florida time in Palm Beach, Lauderdale, or Miami, so the Keys are definitely on my list eventually.

LMAO at Zombie Disney World!  That would be fun trying to explain why I wanted to go on the base.  "Well, see, I once wrote a fanfic about the Backstreet Boys surviving the zombie apocalypse at this very air force base..."

LMAO! Of course they would let you in if you explained it that way. If my friend was still based there, I would try and get you the hookup.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: Rose on February 25, 2021, 07:35:24 PM
I opened up my Egypt story. I don't know how much I'll write in it but I wanted something to channel the angsty feelings into.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 07:36:41 PM
Yay! Opening counts as writing here!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: Rose on February 25, 2021, 07:50:13 PM
lmao then yay!

Nick is always good for the feels and it's a Nick story of course.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 25, 2021, 07:56:16 PM
I'm surprised the bigger ones don't! If you ever need a Colorado hospital, I know a gal and can ask all your anal research questions for you.

Thanks!  I was originally thinking Colorado (or at least the Rocky Mountains) for Bethlehem, but my research led me to New Hampshire instead.  Maybe someday!


I've never been on a Backstreet pilgrimage at all, though I begged my husband to help me find the "Backstreet" when we were in Orlando. It didn't happen. You've been on a previous fanfic retreat? haha Are there team building activities? ;)

LOL I've never been on a fanfic retreat.  My first Backstreet pilgrimage was when Brian and Kevin were inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.  The ceremony happened to be during my spring break, so I decided to road trip down there with my two BSB friends who live in Illinois.  We drove around Lexington and saw all the Brian sites - creeped around the parking lot of Tates Creek High School and ate at Long John Silver's, basically LOL - and then we drove up to Cathedral Domain, the camp Kevin's dad used to run, which was really cool.

Then Rose and I took a road trip to Knoxville, TN a few years ago to go to a convention that Nick, AJ, and Howie were appearing at, and we drove back by way of Lexington so she could do the unofficial Kentucky Cousin tour with me too.  And thank god I had been there before because our phones both lost signals in the hills where Kevin's camp is, which is total backwoods Kentucky, and I had to rely on my memory of which way to turn to get us out of there.  Our team-building activity was driving up and down this winding mountain road in the pouring rain with "Dueling Banjos" playing and praying we didn't die or get lost LOL.

Oh, and then we went to the Creation Museum on the way home so we could laugh at the exhibits of the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve chilling with velociraptors (because the Earth is only 4,000 years old so humans and dinosaurs totes coexisted).  I locked my keys in my car in the parking lot, which I had literally never ever done before and have never done since.  As we waited for AAA to come and unlock the car, the sky got blacker and blacker, and then a massive thunderstorm chased us all the way back to Illinois.  Pretty sure that was God smiting us for mocking the Creation Museum.  But hey, we made it back in one piece, and my faith in God has been reaffirmed.  That was a team-building experience too. LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 07:57:53 PM
Nick is always good for the feels and it's a Nick story of course.

He is good for the feels.

I hear that Kevin stories are the trend these days, but we can keep the Nick train going together. Choo choo!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 25, 2021, 07:58:50 PM
I opened up my Egypt story. I don't know how much I'll write in it but I wanted something to channel the angsty feelings into.

Yay!  Speaking from personal experience, writing angsty fanfic is a good way to cope with grief.  I hope it helps.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 25, 2021, 07:59:20 PM
He is good for the feels.

I hear that Kevin stories are the trend these days, but we can keep the Nick train going together. Choo choo!

Nick stories will always be in vogue!  Mine is technically a Kevin & Nick one, and so is Tracy's.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 08:03:18 PM
Thanks!  I was originally thinking Colorado (or at least the Rocky Mountains) for Bethlehem, but my research led me to New Hampshire instead.  Maybe someday!

Here for you the next time you need a nice mountainous region for a setting. ;)

LOL I've never been on a fanfic retreat.  My first Backstreet pilgrimage was when Brian and Kevin were inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.  The ceremony happened to be during my spring break, so I decided to road trip down there with my two BSB friends who live in Illinois.  We drove around Lexington and saw all the Brian sites - creeped around the parking lot of Tates Creek High School and ate at Long John Silver's, basically LOL - and then we drove up to Cathedral Domain, the camp Kevin's dad used to run, which was really cool.

Then Rose and I took a road trip to Knoxville, TN a few years ago to go to a convention that Nick, AJ, and Howie were appearing at, and we drove back by way of Lexington so she could do the unofficial Kentucky Cousin tour with me too.  And thank god I had been there before because our phones both lost signals in the hills where Kevin's camp is, which is total backwoods Kentucky, and I had to rely on my memory of which way to turn to get us out of there.  Our team-building activity was driving up and down this winding mountain road in the pouring rain with "Dueling Banjos" playing and praying we didn't die or get lost LOL.

Oh, and then we went to the Creation Museum on the way home so we could laugh at the exhibits of the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve chilling with velociraptors (because the Earth is only 4,000 years old so humans and dinosaurs totes coexisted).  I locked my keys in my car in the parking lot, which I had literally never ever done before and have never done since.  As we waited for AAA to come and unlock the car, the sky got blacker and blacker, and then a massive thunderstorm chased us all the way back to Illinois.  Pretty sure that was God smiting us for mocking the Creation Museum.  But hey, we made it back in one piece, and my faith in God has been reaffirmed.  That was a team-building experience too. LOL

I enjoy that you creeped on Brian's high school and nearly avoided a smiting for mockery. lmao

Navigating without instructions does sound like team building. Cathedral Domain looked beautiful in the doc.

The best part of the retreats I used to go on was that we always planned a secret activity based on a price point. One year we went dog sledding! I wonder if there's any Backstreet-related secret activities.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 08:04:13 PM
I hope it helps.

Me too, Rose! I did not explicitly state that, so I felt like I should go back and do so.

Nick stories will always be in vogue!  Mine is technically a Kevin & Nick one, and so is Tracy's.

I'll rephrase. I hear Nick & Kevin stories are the trend these days. ;)

And here I was hoping that I was earning rebel status, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 25, 2021, 08:14:28 PM
The best part of the retreats I used to go on was that we always planned a secret activity based on a price point. One year we went dog sledding! I wonder if there's any Backstreet-related secret activities.

Wow, dog-sledding!  There's an activity I never would have thought to do.  Sounds cold, but fun. 
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: Rose on February 25, 2021, 08:22:42 PM
LMAO yes. And did we learn anything from God trying to smite us? Nope we were joking about how we shouldn't mock God. Mocking God about mocking him. That museum though, holy shit. The fact people actually believe in it makes my brain hurt lol. You can be religious but science can be real too.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 08:26:03 PM
Wow, dog-sledding!  There's an activity I never would have thought to do.  Sounds cold, but fun. 

It was both of those things! But really neat! I also didn't know you could go dog sledding outside of Alaska, so something new to learn.

LMAO yes. And did we learn anything from God trying to smite us? Nope we were joking about how we shouldn't mock God. Mocking God about mocking him. That museum though, holy shit. The fact people actually believe in it makes my brain hurt lol. You can be religious but science can be real too.

The velociraptors probably tipped him off.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 25, 2021, 08:35:24 PM
Let's talk about settings!


How do you decide on the setting of your story?

I don't really decide ahead of time it just kind of happens so it depends on my mood really.

Do you set your stories in real places or create your own settings?
I often use places that exist already.


Do you tend to set your stories in places you've been (or base fictional settings on real places you're familiar with)?  If not, do you do any research to help yourself write an unfamiliar setting more realistically?

When I wrote Finding Carter I'd never been to Disney World so I had to do a lot of research on Disney and Orlando so I bought a travel guide from 1999 so any landmarks were historically accurate and actually in the park at the time. I had also never been to college so most of the college stuff I made up. I'd never been to Kentucky either, still haven't. So a lot is relied on Google and other research.

Have you ever traveled to research for a story?

No. But I do tend to either write about places I've been to or that I can easily look up information on.

What has been your favorite setting to write about?

I tend to write about NYC a lot but only because I've been there so many times. It's just a great place to write about because it's got so much to it. There's always something to explore with NYC.

I have also written about Florida quite a bit, I've been there a few times too.

Where would you like to set a future story?

I don't really have any ideas in mind. I've done a lot of different things.

Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 08:40:59 PM
When I wrote Finding Carter I'd never been to Disney World so I had to do a lot of research on Disney and Orlando so I bought a travel guide from 1999 so any landmarks were historically accurate and actually in the park at the time. I had also never been to college so most of the college stuff I made up. I'd never been to Kentucky either, still haven't. So a lot is relied on Google and other research.

I love that you bought a 1999 travel guide to make sure it was all accurate. That's attention to detail!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 25, 2021, 08:52:52 PM
Also for that story, I looked up what songs were on the radio and what movies were in the movie theaters at the time of the story too. I like to be accurate when it comes to things like that. When you read If I Knew Then there was a timeline of things I followed so that everything that BSB did in the story matches what they actually did in the tour during 1998.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 25, 2021, 09:00:22 PM
Also for that story, I looked up what songs were on the radio and what movies were in the movie theaters at the time of the story too. I like to be accurate when it comes to things like that. When you read If I Knew Then there was a timeline of things I followed so that everything that BSB did in the story matches what they actually did in the tour during 1998.

I love that attention to detail!  That's what makes it feel like a fun blast from the past.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 25, 2021, 09:01:14 PM
Also for that story, I looked up what songs were on the radio and what movies were in the movie theaters at the time of the story too.

Great attention to detail! I did that for my holiday story too. Figured it's a little thing that is easy to be accurate about with the internet to help. :) A tiny bit of accuracy goes a long way!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 10:27:30 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?

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."
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 12:28:18 PM
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?

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!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 12:34:37 PM
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.

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.)


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.

I'm cracking up that house painting led to sex. No wonder HGTV is so popular! ;)


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.

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
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 12:45:15 PM
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"!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 01:23:27 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.

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.


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.

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.


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.

I never dreamed I would be excited to read a psychological thriller about a snail, but here we are LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 01:26:31 PM
I'm cracking up that house painting led to sex. No wonder HGTV is so popular! ;)

LOL I'm pretty sure there's even a reference to HGTV in that scene.

That reminds of me the commercial parody SNL did a few weeks ago for Zillow: https://youtu.be/yEfsaXDX0UQ  So funny and so true!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 01:40:05 PM
That's a great goal to have, but probably not always attainable.

Also, it would be exhausting as a reader, I think, haha. I wonder how it would feel to have a whole novel where every single part of it was action-packed or emotional gut punches. Would the beginning chapters feel less so than the later ones because they have to be so much more to keep momentum going? A whole new conundrum...


Just goes to show even successful published authors do this sometimes and get away with it.

I think it's the sometimes that makes a big difference. Like every now and then, it's okay to break the rules, but if you do it all the time, then it probably needs to be reined in a bit. Though, I guess that's also why writing "rules" exist so that we can all be cognizant of them when we're intentionally breaking them.


I never dreamed I would be excited to read a psychological thriller about a snail, but here we are LOL.

LMAO!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 01:41:28 PM
LOL I'm pretty sure there's even a reference to HGTV in that scene.

That reminds of me the commercial parody SNL did a few weeks ago for Zillow: https://youtu.be/yEfsaXDX0UQ  So funny and so true!

You've gotta at that point! OMG, I hadn't seen that. LMAO! The best part was calling the real estate agent and she sounded like Linda from Coffee Talk. That's gotta be a rude awakening after you browse houses that must have a pool.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 01:49:11 PM
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?

Ugh, Brain!  I agree, that is an annoying one, yet an easy mistake to make and not catch, since it's also a word.  It's not like spell check will catch it.  I don't know that Google Docs has ever changed Brian to brain for me, but it used to tell me that Howie was spelled wrong all the time.  I think I finally had to add Howie's name to the custom dictionary so it would stop giving it the red squiggle.  It's weird what words it recognizes and what words it doesn't.

Edited to add:  Also, the Google thesaurus is freaking hilarious!  When I'm struggling with word choice, I'll often right click on a word and click on "Define" to get some synonyms.  Some of the ones they have for body parts and bodily fluids crack me up!


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.

I don't typically make many grammatical mistakes, unless they're typos I didn't catch, but one that I've noticed I used to write a lot was "So-and-so's heart sunk" instead of "sank."  Now that sounds about as bad to me as saying "I seen" instead of "I saw," but apparently it used to sound okay.  I've been trying to fix that one when I come across it in the stories I care about.

The biggest typos I make and don't always catch are leaving out words.  That is definitely a case of my brain going faster than my fingers, or sometimes it's the result of me accidentally deleting one too many words when I edit a sentence.  That's where the text-to-speech, if I can stop laughing at it, will come in handy.  I used it to listen to the last few chapters of Bethlehem before I posted them, and I do think it helped.

What about things you do that you know are considered "bad writing," but do anyway?  For example, I enjoy using occasional adverbs and dialogue tags other than said.  Necessary or not, sometimes I just like the way they sound.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 02:48:50 PM
Ugh, Brain!  I agree, that is an annoying one, yet an easy mistake to make and not catch, since it's also a word.  It's not like spell check will catch it.  I don't know that Google Docs has ever changed Brian to brain for me, but it used to tell me that Howie was spelled wrong all the time.  I think I finally had to add Howie's name to the custom dictionary so it would stop giving it the red squiggle.  It's weird what words it recognizes and what words it doesn't.

Edited to add:  Also, the Google thesaurus is freaking hilarious!  When I'm struggling with word choice, I'll often right click on a word and click on "Define" to get some synonyms.  Some of the ones they have for body parts and bodily fluids crack me up!

Which is annoying because why would brain be capitalized or say anything! Google, you should know better! It doesn't tell me in the documents that Howie is spelled wrong (it does here on the forum), but I know that I didn't add it to the dictionary. It tells me all the time that the country names are spelled wrong, but not consistently. Sometimes it's fine and sometimes it's "spelled wrong" and I have no idea why. It never tells me that Minako's name is spelled wrong either. I really don't get the logic. But it also probably hates me because Howie uses the "royal we" and it blue lines everything when I match the verb tenses to the "we" but the rest of the sentence seems off to it. Whatever I wrote always sounds correct if I say it out loud though.

I'm going to need an example for your edited to add so that I can laugh too. Also I can see why you would get tired of typing the same body part or bodily fluid over and over again. ;)


I don't typically make many grammatical mistakes, unless they're typos I didn't catch, but one that I've noticed I used to write a lot was "So-and-so's heart sunk" instead of "sank."  Now that sounds about as bad to me as saying "I seen" instead of "I saw," but apparently it used to sound okay.  I've been trying to fix that one when I come across it in the stories I care about.

"Rose" versus "raised" was one that got me all the time in the initial run of PBox; I changed so many of them in the edit. Which is so silly, because I know that the something or someone causing whatever is a big part of raise versus rise. I probably just thought "Oh, in this third person omniscient dark place, 'rose' sounds so much more poetic" or something.


The biggest typos I make and don't always catch are leaving out words.  That is definitely a case of my brain going faster than my fingers, or sometimes it's the result of me accidentally deleting one too many words when I edit a sentence.  That's where the text-to-speech, if I can stop laughing at it, will come in handy.  I used it to listen to the last few chapters of Bethlehem before I posted them, and I do think it helped.

That's the main reason I started using the text-to-speech. Catch the things my brain fills in, please! As long as it's helping, even if you laugh at it the whole time, then it is worthwhile to use! I'm glad it's done you some good service.


What about things you do that you know are considered "bad writing," but do anyway?  For example, I enjoy using occasional adverbs and dialogue tags other than said.  Necessary or not, sometimes I just like the way they sound.

For dialogue tags, "interjected" is the one I find myself still using sometimes. "Interjected adverbly" or "questioned adverbly" were all over PBox. I tried so hard to get rid of most of them, but then I worry I may now have the opposite problem. Suddenly, everyone is a busy body who is always doing something as they speak! I blame language arts at the time we were growing up when we got told that "said" was lazy. And it's not wrong, said is lazy when you could show the characters' tears or something, but "'insert dialogue here,' so-and-so sobbed sadly" is also lazy... and just kind of weird. I feel like there was detail missing in the "said is lazy" instruction. "Said is lazy because..." The other way I've been trying to get around it is making everyone's speech patterns so abundantly clear that there's never a question of who is speaking. It's harder when everyone is together than when it's just two  or three of them having a conversation.

Oh, I know one that I do so much, it's abysmal. "So-and-so clenched their fist." I don't know why I wrote "so-and-so," it's usually Nick. "Nick clenched his fist." "Nick's clenched fist shook violently." "Nick growled and clenched his fist." [An aside... Yo, they're demons; I figure they can actually growl like dogs. And I hope that when I've written it, anyone reading has read it as "*growling sound* I'll murder you!" because that's exactly what I meant rather than "A rough and gravely voice shouted, 'I'll murder you!'" (Though people growling dialogue would be another one in general, probably, but that's not what I'm focusing on.)] By definition, a fist is a clenched hand! It's so stupid. But "balled his hands" sounds so lame. And I could use hundreds of words that show he's angry (and often do as well), but in the movie in my head, he's ready to punch 90% of the time, so y'all should know that too. I don't have a good solution for this one. I 100% know that it's bad and I do it abundantly.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 27, 2021, 04:14:42 PM
There are so many scenes that I've written that I absolutely love.

First one that comes to mind. The scene where Nick's taking a bath and Brian runs in the bathroom to tell Nick that Amanda is in labor in You Give Love A Bad Name is hilarious. I crack up when I think of that one.

The one in Finding Carter when Nick and Kevin are drinking on New Year's and Kevin spills a huge secret (won't post it for spoilers)

The moment in When I Grow Up where there's a huge twist near the end of the story (again can't post what it is cause I'm sure neither of you have read it)

In Figured You Out when Howie figures out that Valerie and Lucy are the same person, and the boys do detective work to find where Nick is. I think that chapter was one of my favorites in that story.

There's really so many moments but these were the ones that stuck out.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 27, 2021, 05:51:33 PM
I can actually answer Tracy’s question about favorite scenes and moments because even though I have a crap memory, many scenes and moments I’ve written I’ll never forget.

Some of my favorites are the scene in Whatever the Night May Bring, where the guys have to walk through a pile of dead birds on the road and cringed as their bones broke under their feet.  I don’t know what it is about that, but it was the most visual one for me in that story.

Same with Shadow Woods when there were a bunch of ghostly heads peering just above the water line in the lake.

The scene where Brian remembers writing the word MINE on Nick’s arm

And two from Why I’d Do It All Again - when Nick falls out of the window trying to answer his cell phone and when he sees the guys in the deli as he’s drinking a milkshake lol

None of those are earth shattering, well maybe except for the MINE one, but just little scenes and moments that I loved writing.

In closing, I’m very dark lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 05:51:49 PM
First one that comes to mind. The scene where Nick's taking a bath and Brian runs in the bathroom to tell Nick that Amanda is in labor in You Give Love A Bad Name is hilarious. I crack up when I think of that one.

I love little moments like that, the ones that still make you laugh months or years later. I always wonder if anyone else finds them as funny as I do, but I figure if it still makes me laugh however long later, then it's done its job.

I love that Nick was taking a bath; what an inopportune time for labor.


The one in Finding Carter when Nick and Kevin are drinking on New Year's and Kevin spills a huge secret (won't post it for spoilers)

The moment in When I Grow Up where there's a huge twist near the end of the story (again can't post what it is cause I'm sure neither of you have read it)

C'mon, spoilers! Spoilers! Spoilers! I'm kidding; stay true to your spoilers policy. There should be a place on this board where we can all tell each other spoilers in the context of our discussions, but you can only see it if you're registered.


In Figured You Out when Howie figures out that Valerie and Lucy are the same person, and the boys do detective work to find where Nick is. I think that chapter was one of my favorites in that story.

This sounds so Hardy Boys of them.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 27, 2021, 05:56:54 PM
Maybe Julilly stickied this thread because I know I didn’t lol unless I did it accidentally
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 05:57:12 PM
I can actually answer Tracy’s question about favorite scenes and moments because even though I have a crap memory, many scenes and moments I’ve written I’ll never forget.

Yay! You've got some memorable ones.


Some of my favorites are the scene in Whatever the Night May Bring, where the guys have to walk through a pile of dead birds on the road and cringed as their bones broke under their feet.  I don’t know what it is about that, but it was the most visual one for me in that story.

I don't remember if I'd read this one (or you wrote it during my hiatus), but I said "eww" audibly as I pictured dead bird bones breaking underfoot. And the fact that I can picture it from a summary means we're both extremely dark, go us!


Same with Shadow Woods when there were a bunch of ghostly heads peering just above the water line in the lake.

The scene where Brian remembers writing the word MINE on Nick’s arm

And two from Why I’d Do It All Again - when Nick falls out of the window trying to answer his cell phone and when he sees the guys in the deli as he’s drinking a milkshake lol

None of those are earth shattering, well maybe except for the MINE one, but just little scenes and moments that I loved writing.

In closing, I’m very dark lol

Those are all great ones; I need to reread these. Oh Why I'd Do It All Again, lol.

It's fun on Team Dark.  ;D
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 05:58:05 PM
Maybe Julilly stickied this thread because I know I didn’t lol unless I did it accidentally
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 27, 2021, 05:59:14 PM
I think you were on hiatus when I posted that one.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 06:05:02 PM
I think you were on hiatus when I posted that one.

Now I feel better about not remembering it! I was feeling a little bad.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 27, 2021, 06:09:57 PM
I love little moments like that, the ones that still make you laugh months or years later. I always wonder if anyone else finds them as funny as I do, but I figure if it still makes me laugh however long later, then it's done its job.

I love that Nick was taking a bath; what an inopportune time for labor.

This was especially hilarious because in real life Nick's posted about taking baths. I always went "Ha, I knew he liked baths" xD


C'mon, spoilers! Spoilers! Spoilers! I'm kidding; stay true to your spoilers policy. There should be a place on this board where we can all tell each other spoilers in the context of our discussions, but you can only see it if you're registered.


This sounds so Hardy Boys of them.

All the Detective work was just a fun element of the story to write. AJ, Howie and Brian looking for clues and figuring out the mystery together.

Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 27, 2021, 06:11:40 PM
Lmao Mare I love that part when Nick falls out of the window and into the rose bushes, landing on a sandwich. That whole story was so good.

The Mine part gave me chills when I read it, I've had conversations with friends about that story, it's one of my favorite stories by you.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 06:25:11 PM
This was especially hilarious because in real life Nick's posted about taking baths. I always went "Ha, I knew he liked baths" xD

Hahaha, I love when little things like that end up being true too. I had a similar moment watching the documentary when they were hiking up the hill, since I always figured Kevin would force them to go on hikes and AJ would always be really underprepared in his skinny jeans.


All the Detective work was just a fun element of the story to write. AJ, Howie and Brian looking for clues and figuring out the mystery together.

I'm picturing them in those little Sherlock Holmes hats with magnifying glasses!  :D
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 06:36:33 PM
This is slightly off-topic, but I finally figured out why I spent the past two days writing ahead instead of focusing on the current chapter I should be writing: I was starting it in the wrong place, apparently. AJ's too quiet. He needs to say "I'm bored and have things I need to do and say" much louder so I can hear him over Nick constantly screaming in my head. And it doesn't help when Nick's only screaming "Awesome! Keep going!" because then everything seems fine. Maybe all the Boys are constantly screaming, but they all scream internally, while Nick screams extremely externally.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 07:52:03 PM
I'm going to need an example for your edited to add so that I can laugh too. Also I can see why you would get tired of typing the same body part or bodily fluid over and over again. ;)

Presenting a list of Google's synonyms for body parts and fluids:

penis: phallus, (male) member, (male) organ, sex, erection, pee-pee, mickey, lunch box, intromittent organ, membrum virile, virile member, nerve, person, propagator, tarse, verge, pizzle, loom, needle, pillicock, pintle, runnion

breast: mammary gland, mamma, bosom(s), bust, chest, boobs, knockers, boobies, bazookas, melons, jubblies, bubbies, orbs, globes, bristols, charlies, baps, bazooms, casabas, chi-chis, norks, dugs, paps, embonpoint

butt: buttocks, bottom, cheeks, hindquarters, haunches, rear, rump, rear end, backside, seat, derrière, Sitzfleisch, nates, behind, sit-upon, stern, BTM, tochus, rusty dusty, bum, botty, prat, jacksie, bahookie, fanny, tush, tushie, tail, duff, buns, booty, caboose, heinie, patootie, keister, tuchis, bazoo, bippy, batty, rass, fundament, posterior, breech

vomit: sick, vomitus, ejecta, puke, spew, technicolor yawn, liquid laugh, pavement pizza, barf, upchuck, chunder, purge, parbreak

feces: excrement, bodily waste, waste matter, ordure, dung, manure, scat, excreta, stools, droppings, dirt, filth, muck, mess, poo, doo-doo, doings, turds, caca, cack, whoopsies, jobbies, poop, night soil, egesta, feculence

Those are the best ones I found. :D  (And yes, my sense of humor is about as mature as my 9-year-old students.)


Oh, I know one that I do so much, it's abysmal. "So-and-so clenched their fist." I don't know why I wrote "so-and-so," it's usually Nick. "Nick clenched his fist." "Nick's clenched fist shook violently." "Nick growled and clenched his fist." [An aside... Yo, they're demons; I figure they can actually growl like dogs. And I hope that when I've written it, anyone reading has read it as "*growling sound* I'll murder you!" because that's exactly what I meant rather than "A rough and gravely voice shouted, 'I'll murder you!'" (Though people growling dialogue would be another one in general, probably, but that's not what I'm focusing on.)] By definition, a fist is a clenched hand! It's so stupid. But "balled his hands" sounds so lame. And I could use hundreds of words that show he's angry (and often do as well), but in the movie in my head, he's ready to punch 90% of the time, so y'all should know that too. I don't have a good solution for this one. I 100% know that it's bad and I do it abundantly.

I get what you're saying, but "clenched" sounds so much better than "made a fist" or "balled his hands."  Clenched is more powerful and descriptive; it shows anger and frustration.  To me, that makes up for it being a bit redundant.  You could always say he "clenched his hands into fists" instead.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 07:55:45 PM
In Figured You Out when Howie figures out that Valerie and Lucy are the same person, and the boys do detective work to find where Nick is. I think that chapter was one of my favorites in that story.

Yes!  That was such a fun story.  I still think of it whenever the song Figured You Out pops up on my playlist.


The scene where Brian remembers writing the word MINE on Nick’s arm

In closing, I’m very dark lol

Iconic!!  You've written so many great stories, but you will always be known for MINE around here LOL.  Team Dark forever!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 08:22:35 PM
Presenting a list of Google's synonyms for body parts and fluids:

penis: mickey, lunch box, pizzle

breast: norks

butt: jacksie, bahookie

vomit: pavement pizza

feces: whoopsies, jobbies, night soil

Those are the best ones I found. :D  (And yes, my sense of humor is about as mature as my 9-year-old students.)

WTF?!? LMFAO! Several more of them were funny, but those are the ones that stood out as hilariously confusing.


I get what you're saying, but "clenched" sounds so much better than "made a fist" or "balled his hands."  Clenched is more powerful and descriptive; it shows anger and frustration.  To me, that makes up for it being a bit redundant.  You could always say he "clenched his hands into fists" instead.

Yup! That's why I keep using it, honestly; clenched sounds better. At this point, even though I know it's a redundant department of redundancy, I've just committed to it... abundantly. That's a fun game I should have played. How many times does Nick do that in PBox? I'm sure it's plentiful.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 08:23:26 PM
Iconic!!  You've written so many great stories, but you will always be known for MINE around here LOL.  Team Dark forever!

It's true! MINE is unforgettable.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 08:48:52 PM
WTF?!? LMFAO! Several more of them were funny, but those are the ones that stood out as hilariously confusing.

Right?!  I think I discovered it several years ago with vomit.  I seem to write a lot of scenes with vomit - much less since I stopped writing cancer stories, but it still comes up from time to time, and I find myself looking for new ways to describe the act without being repetitive.  "Pavement pizza," "technicolor yawn," and "liquid laugh" are not quite the colorful metaphors I was looking for though LOL.  I have literally never heard of some of those terms.  Night soil???  No!  And lunch box???  WTF?

Also I laughed at "orbs" being used for boobs.  Mare's favorite!


That's a fun game I should have played. How many times does Nick do that in PBox? I'm sure it's plentiful.

I'm pretty sure I did play the "How many times does Nick do that?" game with vomiting in Broken LOL.  That is definitely where most of said puke scenes appeared.

Edited to add:
In my late night boredom, I really did go through Broken once and tally up how many times I used each reference to vomit, and because I am a file hoarder, I still have the list saved.  I just found it LOL.

Vomit: 24
Puke: 11
Throw up/threw up: 34
Barf: 8
Ralph: 1
Regurgitate: 1
Got sick: 2
Retch: 14
Heave: 22
Gag: 11
Nausea (and variations): 68
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 09:15:32 PM
Right?!  I think I discovered it several years ago with vomit.  I seem to write a lot of scenes with vomit - much less since I stopped writing cancer stories, but it still comes up from time to time, and I find myself looking for new ways to describe the act without being repetitive.  "Pavement pizza," "technicolor yawn," and "liquid laugh" are not quite the colorful metaphors I was looking for though LOL.  I have literally never heard of some of those terms.  Night soil???  No!  And lunch box???  WTF?

You're right, vomit is a pretty common occurrence when cancer is involved and I feel like we all get bored writing the same type of phrasing over and over again when things come up frequently.

I probably use gag, heave, and nausea whenever it comes up. I agree, these are not the right colorful metaphors! Never have I ever considered vomiting comparable to laughing in any way!

I feel like with "lunch box," the author just wants to call the dude a snack. I get it. Just all the guy a snack and be done with it.


Also I laughed at "orbs" being used for boobs.  Mare's favorite!

Orbs! The perfect descriptor for anything round and large on a body! Eyes, boobs, balls, butts, nostrils, tumors!


I'm pretty sure I did play the "How many times does Nick do that?" game with vomiting in Broken LOL.  That is definitely where most of said puke scenes appeared.

Edited to add: I just found it LOL.

Poor Nick, getting sick 196 times! That's like once per chapter. The "how many times" game is loads and loads of fun -- an entertaining time waster for sure!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 09:19:17 PM
Orbs! The perfect descriptor for anything round and large on a body! Eyes, boobs, balls, butts, nostrils, tumors!

Tumors! LMAO!  Now I want to write that brain tumor story after all just so I can use the word orbs when describing the CT scan.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 09:27:00 PM
Tumors! LMAO!  Now I want to write that brain tumor story after all just so I can use the word orbs when describing the CT scan.

Excellent, my plan to inspire you through a joke and make you laugh worked! Muahahaha!

I'm joking, I just added it because I knew you would think it was funny and we were talking about Broken.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 09:47:09 PM
Excellent, my plan to inspire you through a joke and make you laugh worked! Muahahaha!

I'm joking, I just added it because I knew you would think it was funny and we were talking about Broken.

LOL I had to go check Broken to make sure I didn't use the word "orb" to describe Nick's tumor.  Thankfully, I did not.

I was reminded of the dream interpretation phase I went through while writing that story.  It has all these weird, prophetic dream sequences that I carefully pieced together using DreamMoods.com, thinking I was being all symbolic and foreshadowing the choppage before it was ever brought up in the story.  But one of the dreams was literally a shark biting Nick's leg off, so it was a bit heavy-handed and obvious LOL.

Anyone else have any phases in your earlier writing career that you're now embarrassed by?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 10:12:14 PM
LOL I had to go check Broken to make sure I didn't use the word "orb" to describe Nick's tumor.  Thankfully, I did not.

LOL! Didn't mean to make you paranoid for your magnum opus.


I was reminded of the dream interpretation phase I went through while writing that story.  It has all these weird, prophetic dream sequences that I carefully pieced together using DreamMoods.com, thinking I was being all symbolic and foreshadowing the choppage before it was ever brought up in the story.  But one of the dreams was literally a shark biting Nick's leg off, so it was a bit heavy-handed and obvious LOL.

"But what could a shark biting my leg off mean?! Is it about all the people who want a piece of me because I'm famous!" *literally gets leg chopped off* "You know, I really should have seen this coming." lmao


Anyone else have any phases in your earlier writing career that you're now embarrassed by?

Yup! I started writing PBox in my slightly weeby phase when I just LOVED manga and anime, so it had so many manga- and anime-esque things in it. Admittedly, some of them stayed (though I can't think of what exactly at the moment), but one I constantly found myself deleting and cringing about in the edit was shaking eyes, which I surely added because it was the "perfect poetic way to express a myriad of emotions from sadness to anger"... in an anime. In a novel, you worry about the characters having some sort of eye disease that makes their eyes literally shake.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 10:17:01 PM
"But what could a shark biting my leg off mean?! Is it about all the people who want a piece of me because I'm famous!" *literally gets leg chopped off* "You know, I really should have seen this coming." lmao

LMAO right??


Yup! I started writing PBox in my slightly weeby phase when I just LOVED manga and anime, so it had so many manga- and anime-esque things in it. Admittedly, some of them stayed (though I can't think of what exactly at the moment), but one I constantly found myself deleting and cringing about in the edit was shaking eyes, which I surely added because it was the "perfect poetic way to express a myriad of emotions from sadness to anger"... in an anime. In a novel, you worry about the characters having some sort of eye disease that makes their eyes literally shake.

LMAO!  Not being an anime or manga fan, I did not know about the eye shaking thing.  But yeah... that would make me wonder LOL.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 27, 2021, 10:57:02 PM
LMAO!  Not being an anime or manga fan, I did not know about the eye shaking thing.  But yeah... that would make me wonder LOL.

It was really bad! Much worse than the fist clenching.


That's a fun game I should have played. How many times does Nick do that in PBox? I'm sure it's plentiful.

Speaking of clenching fists... I also spent some time playing this game:

It wasn't too bad for Nick!... in PBox. Here's characters clenching their fists (or clenching their hands into fists):

Nick: 59 times in PBox, 62 times in PNecklace (so far) | Basically Nick's default mode in life is "preparing to punch someone." Iron Woobie -- Savior of Worlds, indeed!

Minako: 35 times in PBox, 8 times in PNecklace (so far) | Though, most of hers are either clenching one hand into a fist at her heart or out of excitement as opposed to anger.

Brian: 7 times in PBox | Mostly near the end when he's pissed.

Kevin: 12 times in PBox, 2 times in PNecklace (so far) | Again, mostly near the end when he's pissed.

AJ: 14 times in PBox, 9 times in PNecklace (so far) | If it's not Nick clenching a fist (or Renee), it's AJ!

Howie: 1 time in PBox | And he was definitely about to rain Holy Hell that one time.

Renee: 41 times in PBox

NSYNC members: 26 times in PBox (Justin: 9 times, Lance: 11 times, Joey: 1 time, Chris: 5 times, JC: 0 times)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 27, 2021, 11:38:49 PM
Wow, that is a lot of fist-clenching! LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 28, 2021, 10:29:56 AM
Looks like there is a little Kevin-Nick trend happening on AC.  There's a Kevin/Nick slash and Tracy's Kevin & Nick story back to back on the Most Recent page.  If I can get far enough to post My Brother's Keeper, that will be a third Kevin & Nick story.

Mare, this would be the perfect time for you to return to fanfic with a bromantic Kevin & Nick story.  Just saying!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 28, 2021, 12:20:22 PM
Wow, that is a lot of fist-clenching! LOL

Yup! I said I knew it was a problem. Yet, here we are.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 28, 2021, 12:21:18 PM
Looks like there is a little Kevin-Nick trend happening on AC.  There's a Kevin/Nick slash and Tracy's Kevin & Nick story back to back on the Most Recent page.  If I can get far enough to post My Brother's Keeper, that will be a third Kevin & Nick story.

Mare, this would be the perfect time for you to return to fanfic with a bromantic Kevin & Nick story.  Just saying!

I support all of this!

Meanwhile, I will continue to be the AJ of the group in my leather jacket and sunglasses. Paint my nails black. Wear several hats.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 28, 2021, 12:25:55 PM
How's writing going for everyone this weekend?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 28, 2021, 01:41:25 PM
Yup! I said I knew it was a problem. Yet, here we are.

I'm sure we all have our body language quirks.  My characters are always swallowing hard to get rid of the lumps that have risen in their throats.  Could be acid reflux. LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 28, 2021, 01:42:02 PM
I support all of this!

Meanwhile, I will continue to be the AJ of the group in my leather jacket and sunglasses. Paint my nails black. Wear several hats.

There you go, you rebel!  You do you.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 28, 2021, 01:44:06 PM
How's writing going for everyone this weekend?

It's going well today!  I "wrote" yesterday morning and evening and only got about 800 words written the entire day.  Today I finally got into a groove and finished Chapter 5.

How about for you?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: Rose on February 28, 2021, 02:55:10 PM
I've written 10 words for a blog and a sentence for my fanfic lmao.

Lots of fail. Hoping for better luck on my day off tomorrow.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 28, 2021, 03:51:11 PM
I'm sure we all have our body language quirks.  My characters are always swallowing hard to get rid of the lumps that have risen in their throats.  Could be acid reflux. LOL

Oh definitely. I feel for your lump swallowing characters. Acid reflux is uncomfortable!

Nick also likes to slump his shoulders a lot, likely destroying his spine little by little. Not helped by those wings back there... ha.

There you go, you rebel!  You do you.

I shall! And then when y'all are still riding that Nick & Kevin train, I'll go start writing about Nick & Brian or maybe I'll write about Howie instead, be an actual rebel!  :biggrin:
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 28, 2021, 04:04:53 PM
It's going well today!  I "wrote" yesterday morning and evening and only got about 800 words written the entire day.  Today I finally got into a groove and finished Chapter 5.

Wahoo! Have a party hat and some confetti! Your first new chapter complete!  :party:

I've written 10 words for a blog and a sentence for my fanfic lmao.

Lots of fail. Hoping for better luck on my day off tomorrow.

Still some writing! You can also have a party hat and some confetti.  :party:


How about for you?

Yesterday was productive eventually when I figured out what I should have been writing to start the next chapter, but then I derailed myself with dinner and looking for fist clenching, haha. All in all, I wrote 1,031 words somewhere in the story, but only 367 in the current chapter.

Today was meal prep day, but I did manage to get a tiny bit of writing in before we started cooking for about 20 minutes. Unfortunately, it was not in the current chapter, let alone the current book, so here I am writing really ahead again. So far, I have 123 words, four of which are "Nick clenched his fist." haha
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on February 28, 2021, 04:57:02 PM
I've written 10 words for a blog and a sentence for my fanfic lmao.

Lots of fail. Hoping for better luck on my day off tomorrow.

Hey, every little bit helps!  I'm just happy to hear you opened your story.


And then when y'all are still riding that Nick & Kevin train, I'll go start writing about Nick & Brian or maybe I'll write about Howie instead, be an actual rebel!  :biggrin:

I vote Nick and Brian!  Sorry, Howie.


So far, I have 123 words, four of which are "Nick clenched his fist." haha

He's gonna give himself demon arthritis or something from all that fist-clenching!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 28, 2021, 06:07:29 PM
I finished writing a chapter for History on Saturday. I'm four chapters ahead of what I have posted.

I didn't write yesterday, I took a break. Did a video chat with some friends and had a couple drinks. It was a nice relaxing Saturday. I never usually enjoy weekends because I work so much. Things are really crazy at my night job and it's been stressful. So I haven't been as productive with writing as I'd like to be this week, but something is better than nothing.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on February 28, 2021, 06:12:57 PM
Looks like there is a little Kevin-Nick trend happening on AC.  There's a Kevin/Nick slash and Tracy's Kevin & Nick story back to back on the Most Recent page.  If I can get far enough to post My Brother's Keeper, that will be a third Kevin & Nick story.

Mare, this would be the perfect time for you to return to fanfic with a bromantic Kevin & Nick story.  Just saying!

That would be pretty awesome. I’m glad Kevin and Nick bromance is a thing again. Probably because of their insta live.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on February 28, 2021, 07:22:46 PM
I'm glad I picked a good time to post my story lol this one had been floating around in my drafts on Google docs for about a year or so, and I finally decided to use the idea. I like to call it a Kevin appreciation story because that's what it's turning into. It does focus on Kevin and Nick a little bit but I decided to incorporate his relationships with the other guys too to show how important he is to the group as a whole.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 28, 2021, 07:31:07 PM
I vote Nick and Brian!  Sorry, Howie.

He's gonna give himself demon arthritis or something from all that fist-clenching!

Oh, I know.

Oh noes! Demon arthritis! He'll hurt every time he even tries to clench his fist! :'(
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 28, 2021, 07:33:06 PM
I finished writing a chapter for History on Saturday. I'm four chapters ahead of what I have posted.

I didn't write yesterday, I took a break. Did a video chat with some friends and had a couple drinks. It was a nice relaxing Saturday. I never usually enjoy weekends because I work so much. Things are really crazy at my night job and it's been stressful. So I haven't been as productive with writing as I'd like to be this week, but something is better than nothing.

A party hat and confetti for you too!  :party:

It's good to take a break and have a relaxing day, especially when work is stressful. Make sure that you're taking good care of yourself in addition to writing!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on February 28, 2021, 07:36:46 PM
That would be pretty awesome. I’m glad Kevin and Nick bromance is a thing again. Probably because of their insta live.

If that inspired a bunch of people to write Kevin & Nick bromances, then I am here for it!

I'm glad I picked a good time to post my story lol this one had been floating around in my drafts on Google docs for about a year or so, and I finally decided to use the idea. I like to call it a Kevin appreciation story because that's what it's turning into. It does focus on Kevin and Nick a little bit but I decided to incorporate his relationships with the other guys too to show how important he is to the group as a whole.

Kevin is very important to the group! It just wasn't the same without him, so we need all the Kevin appreciation that we can get! :wave:

And I'm happy for you that you were able to get inspiration going on something you started a year ago and that it's going well. :) Things happen at the right time!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on March 01, 2021, 04:09:08 AM
I agree? The group wasn’t the same. It’s funny because I mentioned that today on Twitter after seeing their London concert on tv earlier this afternoon. Maybe it was the company they were keeping or just that one show, but their vocals weren’t great and I really hated those rearrangements they did of their classics and as I watched that I couldn’t help but think that Kevin would’ve been all “Hell no!” to most of the decisions they made during the “scissors” time as I like to call it lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 01, 2021, 07:18:12 PM
I agree? The group wasn’t the same. It’s funny because I mentioned that today on Twitter after seeing their London concert on tv earlier this afternoon. Maybe it was the company they were keeping or just that one show, but their vocals weren’t great and I really hated those rearrangements they did of their classics and as I watched that I couldn’t help but think that Kevin would’ve been all “Hell no!” to most of the decisions they made during the “scissors” time as I like to call it lol

LOL!  I ended up loving that tour more than I thought I would, but I agree about Kevin being all "Hell no!"  I mean, he decided to come back when they still had another leg of the NKOTBSB tour; he could have participated, but opted not to LOL.

I actually think the worst butchering of their classics actually happened on the Never Gone tour, and that was with Kevin.  I love Never Gone and enjoyed that tour, but I hated what they did with ALAYLM and IWITW.  But Siberia and My Beautiful Woman made up for those two.

I'm glad they seem to have given up on trying to remix the classics and have gone for nostalgia instead by singing them the way they're supposed to sound.  If it ain't broke, don't "fix" it!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 01, 2021, 07:29:07 PM
Going along with the "What sparked this Kevin & Nick story trend?" topic from last night, how do you decide which boys your story's mainly going to be about?  Do you set out thinking "I want to write a story about Kevin and Nick"?  Or do you come up with an idea and then cast your characters based on which boys would work best with it?

In the case of my current story, I was inspired by the song "Take Care."  The minute I heard that song, I was like, "Oh, this is a hurt/comfort song waiting to happen."  I "cast" Kevin based on the lyric Nick sings:  "You... you've always stood so tall.  I never thought you'd fall.  But now it's you that's fading."  That description fit Kevin best, so from then on, it became a Kevin & Nick idea.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 01, 2021, 07:30:55 PM
I agree? The group wasn’t the same. It’s funny because I mentioned that today on Twitter after seeing their London concert on tv earlier this afternoon. Maybe it was the company they were keeping or just that one show, but their vocals weren’t great and I really hated those rearrangements they did of their classics and as I watched that I couldn’t help but think that Kevin would’ve been all “Hell no!” to most of the decisions they made during the “scissors” time as I like to call it lol

Aw, I have that 02 show saved on our DVR, but my husband saw it was on tv yesterday and started recording it for me halfway through -- so sweet. I didn't like some of the arrangements (or outfits) either. I don't mind New Kids, but they have two totally different styles and overall their vocals just aren't as strong. Add into that the fact that they don't really dance (other than the kick ball change for The Right Stuff), and well... the Boys are just superior. Despite New Kids codifying the modern boy band aesthetic. And realistically, the Boys are both the most successful boy band of all time and the longest running (if you ignore the "boy band factories" of the Asian markets or Menudo that cycle members through as they age out).

I get why they did it; those nostalgia tours were all the rage around that time. I believe that New Kids tried it and failed to sell as well with 98*. Not sure if it was before or after NKOTBSB... I can't remember, it was a long time ago. This was during my small period of soul searching and separation from the Boys, so I don't have any first hand opinions on any of it. I probably would have gone to a show in Denver since I'm team boy band, and it may have helped draw me back into the Boys sooner. It was a dark several years of me sporting the most obnoxious teenybopper-esque cowboy hats I could find, haha.

I wonder if they worried that they were waning in popularity from the fanbase and figured nostalgia tours were the way to go, but then seeing all the BSB fans (much louder BSB screaming in the show) plus the return of Kevin made them realize that they weren't nostalgia tour material yet (if ever). They still pack arenas just fine, in my experience.

This was a long diatribe, but you're absolutely right that Kevin would have not put up with that whole thing at all. I could venture some guesses on who was pro-NKOTBSB out of the group, but I'm sure you all had several lengthy discussions on that at one point. Regardless, #TeamKevin!

LOL!  I ended up loving that tour more than I thought I would, but I agree about Kevin being all "Hell no!"  I mean, he decided to come back when they still had another leg of the NKOTBSB tour; he could have participated, but opted not to LOL.

I actually think the worst butchering of their classics actually happened on the Never Gone tour, and that was with Kevin.  I love Never Gone and enjoyed that tour, but I hated what they did with ALAYLM and IWITW.  But Siberia and My Beautiful Woman made up for those two.

I'm glad they seem to have given up on trying to remix the classics and have gone for nostalgia instead by singing them the way they're supposed to sound.  If it ain't broke, don't "fix" it!

He talks about it so nicely in interviews too. Something akin to, "I came back sooner, but I decided to let them keep doing their thing rather than throwing off the balance." Such a nice way to say, "Yeah, nope. See y'all when we're doing BSB only things again." lmao

Oh Never Gone... Such an interesting BSB time since they were trying to groove into the adult contemporary scene. And they made my drive all the way to Loveland for that tour; the worst!

There's nothing they should fix except bringing back even more nostalgic classics! I just want to have a party again.  :'( Or I would die to see their TTWILI goggles one more time.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 01, 2021, 07:40:33 PM
Going along with the "What sparked this Kevin & Nick story trend?" topic from last night, how do you decide which boys your story's mainly going to be about?  Do you set out thinking "I want to write a story about Kevin and Nick"?  Or do you come up with an idea and then cast your characters based on which boys would work best with it?

In the case of my current story, I was inspired by the song "Take Care."  The minute I heard that song, I was like, "Oh, this is a hurt/comfort song waiting to happen."  I "cast" Kevin based on the lyric Nick sings:  "You... you've always stood so tall.  I never thought you'd fall.  But now it's you that's fading."  That description fit Kevin best, so from then on, it became a Kevin & Nick idea.

Aw, cute inspiration. That seems very Kevin (should tragedy strike him). I've missed out on some delightful b-sides lately, haven't I?

Uh... All my better ideas seemed like group stories and then Nick has main character vibes on top of that? I don't have a good answer for this, haha. I think it's idea first, then characters, but it never ends up fully formed unless character roles are the immediate successor in the loose plan. I'd rather have fully fleshed out characters and a partially fleshed out idea than the opposite.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 01, 2021, 07:55:01 PM
Aw, I have that 02 show saved on our DVR, but my husband saw it was on tv yesterday and started recording it for me halfway through -- so sweet. I didn't like some of the arrangements (or outfits) either. I don't mind New Kids, but they have two totally different styles and overall their vocals just aren't as strong. Add into that the fact that they don't really dance (other than the kick ball change for The Right Stuff), and well... the Boys are just superior. Despite New Kids codifying the modern boy band aesthetic. And realistically, the Boys are both the most successful boy band of all time and the longest running (if you ignore the "boy band factories" of the Asian markets or Menudo that cycle members through as they age out).

I get why they did it; those nostalgia tours were all the rage around that time. I believe that New Kids tried it and failed to sell as well with 98*. Not sure if it was before or after NKOTBSB... I can't remember, it was a long time ago. This was during my small period of soul searching and separation from the Boys, so I don't have any first hand opinions on any of it. I probably would have gone to a show in Denver since I'm team boy band, and it may have helped draw me back into the Boys sooner. It was a dark several years of me sporting the most obnoxious teenybopper-esque cowboy hats I could find, haha.

I wonder if they worried that they were waning in popularity from the fanbase and figured nostalgia tours were the way to go, but then seeing all the BSB fans (much louder BSB screaming in the show) plus the return of Kevin made them realize that they weren't nostalgia tour material yet (if ever). They still pack arenas just fine, in my experience.

This was a long diatribe, but you're absolutely right that Kevin would have not put up with that whole thing at all. I could venture some guesses on who was pro-NKOTBSB out of the group, but I'm sure you all had several lengthy discussions on that at one point. Regardless, #TeamKevin!

He talks about it so nicely in interviews too. Something akin to, "I came back sooner, but I decided to let them keep doing their thing rather than throwing off the balance." Such a nice way to say, "Yeah, nope. See y'all when we're doing BSB only things again." lmao

I was skeptical about the whole thing at first because it definitely felt like something washed-up bands do, but it was a really fun concert.  It was an interesting dynamic comparing BSB fans to the Blockheads who are, on average, about ten years older than the average BSB fan.  Great people-watching.  I had a blast!  BSB are definitely at the deeper end of the talent pool though LOL.  The New Kids have like one decent singer, and that is Joey McIntyre.  The rest of them... yikes!  And yes, that was a very tactful way for Kevin to say "Hell no" LOL.


There's nothing they should fix except bringing back even more nostalgic classics! I just want to have a party again.  :'( Or I would die to see their TTWILI goggles one more time.

I love the ones they've been bringing back!  It made my life to see DWLYN live again after all these years.  And I love that they did TTWILI too, but even more than the lack of goggles, I was disappointed they didn't keep the same choreography from 1998.  Especially on Brian's verse: https://youtu.be/IGN0uVV5jGI?t=74
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 01, 2021, 08:11:39 PM
Aw, cute inspiration. That seems very Kevin (should tragedy strike him). I've missed out on some delightful b-sides lately, haven't I?

Yes, yes you have!  Take Care was a bonus track on the Target version of IAWLT, and it's one of the best songs on an already amazing album.  Here it is if you haven't heard it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfKj27Pdq4Q&ab_channel=snakenp
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 01, 2021, 08:13:45 PM
I was skeptical about the whole thing at first because it definitely felt like something washed-up bands do, but it was a really fun concert.  It was an interesting dynamic comparing BSB fans to the Blockheads who are, on average, about ten years older than the average BSB fan.  Great people-watching.  I had a blast!  BSB are definitely at the deeper end of the talent pool though LOL.  The New Kids have like one decent singer, and that is Joey McIntyre.  The rest of them... yikes!  And yes, that was a very tactful way for Kevin to say "Hell no" LOL.

I bet the people watching was awesome! It's good that Donnie went into acting like Marky-Mark. ;)

I love the ones they've been bringing back!  It made my life to see DWLYN live again after all these years.  And I love that they did TTWILI too, but even more than the lack of goggles, I was disappointed they didn't keep the same choreography from 1998.  Especially on Brian's verse: https://youtu.be/IGN0uVV5jGI?t=74

Yes! They should just have a four hour concert and sing all of Millennium, plus the classics, and then some new stuff. That '98 choreography was money. I guess I'm thankful that they've kept the Backstreet's Back and LTL choreography all these years, if nothing else. And, truthfully, I didn't mind that they did medleys/"solos" for about half the DNA album and put in some older songs again. It was more what I expected the residency to be like (though I did really like the surprise GAB).
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 01, 2021, 08:14:26 PM
Uh... All my better ideas seemed like group stories and then Nick has main character vibes on top of that? I don't have a good answer for this, haha. I think it's idea first, then characters, but it never ends up fully formed unless character roles are the immediate successor in the loose plan. I'd rather have fully fleshed out characters and a partially fleshed out idea than the opposite.

I agree with this.  I'm usually idea first, then characters too, but yeah... if you don't have characters in mind, it's hard for the idea to really take shape.  I have done the "I want to write an A-Rok story" thing, but that never works out for me as well as the other way around.  That's when I end up forcing out ideas for the sake of coming up with something for certain characters.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 01, 2021, 08:19:20 PM
I bet the people watching was awesome! It's good that Donnie went into acting like Marky-Mark. ;)

Yes! They should just have a four hour concert and sing all of Millennium, plus the classics, and then some new stuff. That '98 choreography was money. I guess I'm thankful that they've kept the Backstreet's Back and LTL choreography all these years, if nothing else. And, truthfully, I didn't mind that they did medleys/"solos" for about half the DNA album and put in some older songs again. It was more what I expected the residency to be like (though I did really like the surprise GAB).

Donnie is a charismatic performer, but as a singer... well... now I understand why most of his solos were rapping parts LOL.

I would gladly go to a four-hour concert!  The problem is they just have too many songs.  I want to hear all the singles, plus the old gems that weren't singles, plus every track from the newest album, plus something from the Kevinless era and IAWLT... and it just doesn't all fit into two hours anymore.  I like what they did with the shortened solo versions of some of the DNA songs, except they didn't do Passionate justice.  They should have sung the whole thing!

I am also grateful they've kept a lot of the old choreo and even brought some of it back, like for WGIGO.  Seeing them do the chair dance again after all these years was amazing!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 01, 2021, 08:24:50 PM
Yes, yes you have!  Take Care was a bonus track on the Target version of IAWLT, and it's one of the best songs on an already amazing album.  Here it is if you haven't heard it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfKj27Pdq4Q&ab_channel=snakenp

My fault for getting it on Amazon instead of scoping out the best place to get it like I did for Black & Blue, haha.

I agree with this.  I'm usually idea first, then characters too, but yeah... if you don't have characters in mind, it's hard for the idea to really take shape.  I have done the "I want to write an A-Rok story" thing, but that never works out for me as well as the other way around.  That's when I end up forcing out ideas for the sake of coming up with something for certain characters.

Dee circa 2006: I should write a Nick romance! *has the vaguest of vague ideas* Perfect! *two chapters in* Eh!

Oh, 2006. That was either my sign to not pigeonhole Nick into things or that I wasn't a romance main genre writer, haha. I feel like the stories never end up as good if I'm just forcing ideas out for something whether it's characters, a tiny idea without characters, or a genre.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 01, 2021, 08:33:21 PM
I would gladly go to a four-hour concert!  The problem is they just have too many songs.  I want to hear all the singles, plus the old gems that weren't singles, plus every track from the newest album, plus something from the Kevinless era and IAWLT... and it just doesn't all fit into two hours anymore.  I like what they did with the shortened solo versions of some of the DNA songs, except they didn't do Passionate justice.  They should have sung the whole thing!

I am also grateful they've kept a lot of the old choreo and even brought some of it back, like for WGIGO.  Seeing them do the chair dance again after all these years was amazing!

Same! But that would also tire them out and there would be less shows overall, probably. I don't want to deny the Boys to a city that wants to see them. I wouldn't mind if they did some mashups with some of the older songs that weren't singles. Anything to hear them again.

Yes! The chair dance! A friend who's a cursory fan went with me to both the Residency and the 1st leg of the DNA tour and she spent most of her time laughing at the things that made me excited, which were the things like that.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: Rose on March 02, 2021, 04:30:27 AM
Yes, yes you have!  Take Care was a bonus track on the Target version of IAWLT, and it's one of the best songs on an already amazing album.  Here it is if you haven't heard it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfKj27Pdq4Q&ab_channel=snakenp

I have it for a download here on my Media Archive too, Dee. Fair warning, this can be a black hole cause there's a LOT and I mean a LOT of media you can download here LOL.

https://darksideofbackstreet.wordpress.com/the-dark-side-of-backstreet-media-archive/
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: Rose on March 02, 2021, 04:36:28 AM
I'm still mad about them not doing ALL of Passionate LOL.

Honestly the NKOTBSB tour was fun but not something I ever want back. That said, even though I love having Kevin back I do think Nick grew a lot as an artist during that time so, in a way it's good those albums happened without him. Not to mention some real gems came about then like Downpour, Undone, This Is Us (the song), Unmistakable, Everything But Mine...not to mention unreleased songs like On Without You and Trouble. I also wonder if the Boys would've broken down that wall between the fans without Kevin there. Like that's when VIPs started, that's when the cruises came. Who knows?

But NKOTBSB brought back 10,000 Promises and If You Stay and had Nick singing Raspberry Beret so, it had it's good moments too.

I agree though that rearranging the classics can really backfire. Sometimes it's good - like I enjoy when Nick does that sort of thing with his solo songs. But other times no. As for set lists, I'm over them ignoring Unmistakable and In A World Like This, and This Is Us with the exception of Undone. We like those songs too!

The DNA tour did a good job trying to include some deep cuts. I live for It's Gotta Be You coming back and I Wanna Be With You.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 02, 2021, 04:58:49 AM
NKOTBSB was my favorite tour. It made me a NKOTB fan. It was my first time meeting BSB in person
So many good memories from that tour.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on March 02, 2021, 02:17:48 PM
My ideal BSB concert, like I’ve said many times before, is just two or three hours of them sitting on stools and singing their songs. Preferably a cappella. No background dancers, no special effects, no opening acts or costume changes or choreography (maybe just the famous ones like Everybody) and no collaborations with other groups. Just them and a small band backing them up.

My favorite concerts are the kind where I don’t feel the need to murder people who hold up signs and stand on their chairs screaming at the top of their lungs when I’m just trying to enjoy the music. Lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on March 02, 2021, 02:27:39 PM
Going along with the "What sparked this Kevin & Nick story trend?" topic from last night, how do you decide which boys your story's mainly going to be about?  Do you set out thinking "I want to write a story about Kevin and Nick"?  Or do you come up with an idea and then cast your characters based on which boys would work best with it?

In the case of my current story, I was inspired by the song "Take Care."  The minute I heard that song, I was like, "Oh, this is a hurt/comfort song waiting to happen."  I "cast" Kevin based on the lyric Nick sings:  "You... you've always stood so tall.  I never thought you'd fall.  But now it's you that's fading."  That description fit Kevin best, so from then on, it became a Kevin & Nick idea.

When I wrote, I tried to do my best to make almost every story a Group story. Giving them as much equal time as possible by alternating chapters for each boy. The reason I did that was because I wanted to make sure that no matter who you considered your favorite, they would be equally featured in the story, thereby having people want to read it regardless how the plot ended up going. In that aspect I was a very one trick pony and most of my stuff was Nick centered but by the time people realized that, they had already invested their time in it lol

I believe the only story I ever wrote which didn’t include everyone was Fly Fishing and I knew from the get-go it was going to be a Kevin and Nick story. I felt most comfortable writing in their voices so it was a no brainer for me. The biggest issue with that one was just trying to figure out why. I almost revisited the idea of having them compete on Amazing Race but I knew I’d have to do too much research on places and I was far too lazy to do that so I went with something I could totally see Kevin doing which was fishing.

I have written stories where each one of the boys took center stage. The hardest was Howie, which was also the worst (Sorry Howie) my most popular though was Brian ironically lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 02, 2021, 04:41:19 PM
I have it for a download here on my Media Archive too, Dee. Fair warning, this can be a black hole cause there's a LOT and I mean a LOT of media you can download here LOL.

https://darksideofbackstreet.wordpress.com/the-dark-side-of-backstreet-media-archive/

Appreciate you! :-* But I will have to go down that black hole over a weekend. Gotta stay semi-productive today for a meeting later.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 02, 2021, 04:43:51 PM
I'm still mad about them not doing ALL of Passionate LOL.

Honestly the NKOTBSB tour was fun but not something I ever want back. That said, even though I love having Kevin back I do think Nick grew a lot as an artist during that time so, in a way it's good those albums happened without him. Not to mention some real gems came about then like Downpour, Undone, This Is Us (the song), Unmistakable, Everything But Mine...not to mention unreleased songs like On Without You and Trouble. I also wonder if the Boys would've broken down that wall between the fans without Kevin there. Like that's when VIPs started, that's when the cruises came. Who knows?

Yeah, it's weird because although the group never felt quite whole without Kevin, that era was one of the best times to be a fan because they became so much more accessible than they had been before.  I'm not sure that had anything to do with Kevin leaving; I think it was more just the result of boybands being "out" and them not being as popular as before, which allowed them do play smaller venues and offer VIP packages and soundcheck parties and cruises and all that fun stuff that would have been difficult to do in 1998-2000 because of how crazy it would have become.  It was so much easier to get good seats and meet them for a fraction of what VIP costs now.  I think the IAWLT era was the best of both worlds in that respect - Kevin came back, and they were still accessible (even more so because there was no barrier for photos!).
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 02, 2021, 04:48:55 PM
The DNA tour did a good job trying to include some deep cuts. I live for It's Gotta Be You coming back and I Wanna Be With You.

More deep cuts!

I think the IAWLT era was the best of both worlds in that respect - Kevin came back, and they were still accessible (even more so because there was no barrier for photos!).

I picked the wrong time to be student teaching and also slightly distanced, haha. Oh well, some day.

My favorite concerts are the kind where I don’t feel the need to murder people who hold up signs and stand on their chairs screaming at the top of their lungs when I’m just trying to enjoy the music. Lol

Do people still do this? I can't think of the last time I saw a sign or chair standing.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 02, 2021, 04:50:14 PM
In that aspect I was a very one trick pony and most of my stuff was Nick centered but by the time people realized that, they had already invested their time in it lol

That's the best thing to do with your writing, trick people into getting far enough into it so that whatever weird thing you planned doesn't matter. ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: mare on March 02, 2021, 05:44:20 PM
More deep cuts!

I picked the wrong time to be student teaching and also slightly distanced, haha. Oh well, some day.

Do people still do this? I can't think of the last time I saw a sign or chair standing.

Honestly, I have no idea. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a concert but the last one I went too yes, they did all those things. I think the last time I saw them Eva was just born so it’s been a minute lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 02, 2021, 07:52:27 PM
My ideal BSB concert, like I’ve said many times before, is just two or three hours of them sitting on stools and singing their songs. Preferably a cappella. No background dancers, no special effects, no opening acts or costume changes or choreography (maybe just the famous ones like Everybody) and no collaborations with other groups. Just them and a small band backing them up.

My favorite concerts are the kind where I don’t feel the need to murder people who hold up signs and stand on their chairs screaming at the top of their lungs when I’m just trying to enjoy the music. Lol

I agree with all of this except the choreography.  I love when they dance!  But definitely no backup dancers, just the boys.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 02, 2021, 07:53:44 PM
When I wrote, I tried to do my best to make almost every story a Group story. Giving them as much equal time as possible by alternating chapters for each boy. The reason I did that was because I wanted to make sure that no matter who you considered your favorite, they would be equally featured in the story, thereby having people want to read it regardless how the plot ended up going. In that aspect I was a very one trick pony and most of my stuff was Nick centered but by the time people realized that, they had already invested their time in it lol

I believe the only story I ever wrote which didn’t include everyone was Fly Fishing and I knew from the get-go it was going to be a Kevin and Nick story. I felt most comfortable writing in their voices so it was a no brainer for me. The biggest issue with that one was just trying to figure out why. I almost revisited the idea of having them compete on Amazing Race but I knew I’d have to do too much research on places and I was far too lazy to do that so I went with something I could totally see Kevin doing which was fishing.

I have written stories where each one of the boys took center stage. The hardest was Howie, which was also the worst (Sorry Howie) my most popular though was Brian ironically lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 02, 2021, 09:38:00 PM
Honestly, I have no idea. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a concert but the last one I went too yes, they did all those things. I think the last time I saw them Eva was just born so it’s been a minute lol

I think it's getting better! There's hope! Or at least in Colorado, so you should probably just come here. ;)

I agree with all of this except the choreography.  I love when they dance!  But definitely no backup dancers, just the boys.

Same! Can't give up the Boys dancing. Could do without backup dancers.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: Rose on March 03, 2021, 02:26:52 AM
Yeah team dancing Boys lol.

I think had Kevin never left some things would've still happened. The cruises though, I wonder lol.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 04, 2021, 05:14:28 PM
Man, AJ is such a good influence. I was trying to write his scene instead of finishing something with a slightly sooner due date, since I knew that other thing wouldn't take too long. Even though I knew what to write, it just wasn't flowing right. Then I decided to finish up the other thing to pass the time and now it's fine. Oh, AJ. I wish Nick was a good influence instead of picky, loud, and chatty.

Anyway! Trying to think of a new writing topic! If anyone else has something they're dying to talk about, I'm ready to participate!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 10:21:50 AM
I have also been trying and failing to come up with discussion topics, but I did find a list of ten questions every fic writer secretly wants to be asked. (https://wyseink.tumblr.com/post/164167799585/10-questions-every-fic-writer-secretly-wants-to-be).  I think these are all meant to be answered about whatever story you answer for #1.


1. Of the fics you’ve written, which is your favorite and why?

2. Which scene was your favorite to write in [title of fic]?

3. Which part of [title] was hardest to write?

4. If you could change anything in [title], what would it be?

5. Did you make an outline for [title]? Did you stick to it?

6. Which scenes did you cut, and which were added in [title]?

7. Who was your favorite character to write in [title]?

8. Which came first, the title or the fic?

9. Which idea came to you first in [title]?

10. What are some facts readers may not know about [title]?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 05:58:13 PM
I have also been trying and failing to come up with discussion topics.

I actually panicked and thought "Have we run out of things to talk about? Oh no!"

And then I started going through every literary thing I knew. Did we talk about themes and motifs yet? Would anyone talk about those without considering them spoilers? Conflicts? Heroes vs villains? And every stupid question I could think of. What line spacing do we use when writing? How productive is everyone with a few cocktails? Long sleeves or sweatshirts? Hair up or down? And questions about the Boys. Who gets the most sympathy in a story? Who's most likely to be evil if one of them needs to be evil? When will there be a Howie trend?

And then I thought "Well, I guess it's better to have no ideas for discussion questions than no ideas for writing. Maybe everyone's just busy writing."

The typical weekend question still stands: How's it going for everyone?

Also, April Camp NaNo is coming up if anyone wanted to hang out in the writing group I made for July's Camp and set some April goals. Our writing group is also missing a header and an icon if anyone's feeling creative. ;)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 07:10:44 PM
1. Of the fics you’ve written, which is your favorite and why?

Am I the right person to answer these? Because it's clearly PBox. I have nothing new to say, haha.

2. Which scene was your favorite to write in PBox?

Let's see... I've long professed my love of the ch. 43 ("Wishes")/44 ("Disciple") chunk. Ch. 33 "Abyss" was always one of my favorites too. Thinking over the edit I did, there's a couple that I really enjoyed adding or adding to, like a bunch of expansions to the early Nick & Brian banter and some of the rewrites I did in the end for the individual Boy-focused chapters and the ending battle scenes. I'm trying to think of anything I'd post a snippet from, that wouldn't delve into too spoilery territory... Apparently, I'm totally fine just stating things as facts that are spoilers, but posting sections, I'm not. Weird. Oh, I know two:




3. Which part of PBox was hardest to write?

Ooh, we're back to "I have nothing new to say." The end, because of all the death... But especially Brian's. Spoilers as facts! That was a long six month hiatus from writing PBox.

4. If you could change anything in PBox, what would it be?

Well, considering a did an overhaul edit, lots of things! But for the story as is, I did not remove anything that was already there unless I replaced it with something else that had a similar basic structure and intent to the original. Even the sections with larger overhauls, the premise of what happens stayed the same, even if the words changed or expanded.

In the OF version of it, there's even more hack and slash, but two big things stand out. First, there are portions where one chapter ends and another begins with different viewpoints on the same event. I call this an unfortunate product of posting as a serial and have plans to either combine these sections into one chapter or do away with the less interesting one entirely. The other major change is where the story starts, which is Ch. 2 "The Hidden Demon." Since, as you know, somewhere along the way someone decided that it was his story most of all. And if it's Nick's story, he should probably be in the first chapter. It's honestly probably where I would start it from now anyway, but as I said above, chapter-to-chapter the premise remains the same after the overhaul edit.

5. Did you make an outline for PBox? Did you stick to it?

Nope! Not until the end when I had very specific plans. Then we all got to enjoy the staying power of "Kevin's power to heal is awesome. Also there's plants." Which is obviously a great outline. I know everyone's feelings on "I suck at summaries, lol," but how does everyone feel about "I suck at outlines, lol"? Because, yup.

6. Which scenes did you cut, and which were added in PBox?

I feel like these questions assume that major revisions happen before these fanfics are posted at all, haha. I cut nothing in the original run! Everything I wrote continued to exist. I'd call the edit more "cut and replace plus add" so on a scene level, a lot of things ended up very different than the original version (even the ch. 1-9 edits I did way back when).

Added... most of ch. 10 is pretty different in the details, ch. 11 got that aforementioned "you ask, I answer" game, ch. 12 got Minako focusing on Nick/Nick focusing on Minako/more Brian that it didn't have before, ch. 13 got more Nick & Brian goodness, ch. 23 got a whole BSB focused scene added (which you saw some snippets of)... Those are the bigger ones I can think of, but every chapter changed in some way during the edit.

7. Who was your favorite character to write in PBox?

Oh look, another question where I feel that I have nothing new to contribute. You're still my favorite, Nick.

8. Which came first, the title or the fic?

Both concurrently? It definitely had a title before I finished writing it, but the idea came before the title.

9. Which idea came to you first in PBox?

Nothing that actually ended up in the narrative, but the image of demon Nick carrying a girl and a box feels like it would be from the end of the story?

10. What are some facts readers may not know about PBox?

I already shared my "why Nick doesn't wear shoes" fun fact and I've talked about so many things in my updates thread or this one that would be things worth mentioning. Anything else I can think of feels like it would spoil PNecklace, so... I literally can't think of anything.

I think Howie's individual chapter (ch. 34) was the first one I wrote on my first laptop. Everything prior to that was written on ancient desktop that I still have the tower from. You know, just in case I ever want to figure out how to rescue all the old fanfics on it. But that's a pretty boring fact?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:21:00 PM
I actually panicked and thought "Have we run out of things to talk about? Oh no!"

And then I started going through every literary thing I knew. Did we talk about themes and motifs yet? Would anyone talk about those without considering them spoilers? Conflicts? Heroes vs villains?

Those could all be good topics if you want to turn them into questions.

As for your "stupid" ones...

What line spacing do we use when writing?
1.15 (Google Doc's default)

How productive is everyone with a few cocktails?
Usually not.  I will occasionally have a drink while writing, but alcohol tends to make me sleepy.  I'm much more productive with caffeine.

Long sleeves or sweatshirts?
Sweatshirts in winter, t-shirts in summer.

Hair up or down?
Down - mine's usually too short to pull up.

Who gets the most sympathy in a story?
Nick... because he's usually most in need of sympathy from us torturing him so much.

Who's most likely to be evil if one of them needs to be evil?
Hm... I really haven't read many stories where one of them is evil, but it seems like it would be Howie or Brian - the sweet ones, the ones you'd least suspect.

When will there be a Howie trend?
At this point, probably never.  Sorry, Howie.

The typical weekend question still stands: How's it going for everyone?
Pretty good!  I worked on Chapter 6 of My Brother's Keeper this morning and am back to working on it again.  I've basically finished rewriting the parts I needed to rewrite and piecing in the parts from the old version I still wanted to use, so I'm finally ready to move the story forward, which is exciting after being stuck in the same place for three years.

How's it going for you, Dee?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 07:44:38 PM
As for your "stupid" ones...

"Random" is probably a better word than "stupid", but line spacing is much less interesting than font choice, haha.


Who gets the most sympathy in a story?
Nick... because he's usually most in need of sympathy from us torturing him so much.

Who's most likely to be evil if one of them needs to be evil?
Hm... I really haven't read many stories where one of them is evil, but it seems like it would be Howie or Brian - the sweet ones, the ones you'd least suspect.

When will there be a Howie trend?
At this point, probably never.  Sorry, Howie.

It's true, Nick is the king of uneven sympathy.

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. ;)

The typical weekend question still stands: How's it going for everyone?
Pretty good!  I worked on Chapter 6 of My Brother's Keeper this morning and am back to working on it again.  I've basically finished rewriting the parts I needed to rewrite and piecing in the parts from the old version I still wanted to use, so I'm finally ready to move the story forward, which is exciting after being stuck in the same place for three years.

How's it going for you, Dee?

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?

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.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:46:24 PM
1. Of the fics you’ve written, which is your favorite and why?

Am I the right person to answer these? Because it's clearly PBox. I have nothing new to say, haha.

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.


I'm apparently mostly sharing "things that make me laugh, but everyone else probably doesn't care about. So here's some snippets of the "Priestess of Cats" section and "Kevin discusses salves."

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.


I know everyone's feelings on "I suck at summaries, lol," but how does everyone feel about "I suck at outlines, lol"? Because, yup.

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.


I feel like these questions assume that major revisions happen before these fanfics are posted at all, haha. I cut nothing in the original run! Everything I wrote continued to exist. I'd call the edit more "cut and replace plus add" so on a scene level, a lot of things ended up very different than the original version (even the ch. 1-9 edits I did way back when).

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?


8. Which came first, the title or the fic?

Both concurrently? It definitely had a title before I finished writing it, but the idea came before the title.

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.


I think Howie's individual chapter (ch. 34) was the first one I wrote on my first laptop. Everything prior to that was written on ancient desktop that I still have the tower from. You know, just in case I ever want to figure out how to rescue all the old fanfics on it. But that's a pretty boring fact?

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.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 07:54:45 PM
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!

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.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 07:56:53 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. ;)

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.


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?

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.


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.

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.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 08:51:43 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.

I'm so predictable, haha. Would everyone else have a harder time choosing a favorite? I figured you would pick Broken.


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.

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.


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.

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. ;)


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?

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.


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.

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.


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.

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.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 09:21:48 PM
I'm so predictable, haha. Would everyone else have a harder time choosing a favorite? I figured you would pick Broken.

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.


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.

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!!!


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.

It was a nice touch to remind us that they are demons and not human, thus their sense of smell is magnified.


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.

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.


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.

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.


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.

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.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 09:45:37 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.

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.


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.

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.


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?

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."


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.

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
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 10:24:31 PM
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.

Deepest connection to/strongest feelings about for sure! The juggernaut that is PBox just also happens to be that and my best work simultaneously, especially as time goes on and I won't leave it alone, lol. Me projecting my opinion on everyone else before hearing otherwise is probably why I figured you would pick Broken, haha. I will work harder to stop doing this.

That being said, that's probably also the reason I keep saying I think I'll try to go back and finish Gobosei, because of the connection and feelings. In my mind, writing is about love, not work. Once it feels like work, it's time to take a break. As long as it always feels like love, then keep on keepin' on.


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!!!

I don't think I have! But I'm loving this premise and will watch it when we're not knee deep in Iron Chef, haha.


It was a nice touch to remind us that they are demons and not human, thus their sense of smell is magnified.

Aw thanks. :) It was also fun thinking of Nick's horrified reaction that it was so pungent, since he's a reactor and all, haha. And then it evolved into a cute Nick & Kevin thing later on in the scene where Kevin said he'd teach him if he was interested, but they'd start with something that had fewer ingredients.  :D

There's moments with those little touches, but there's also moments where I got too busy telling the story that I forgot to mention dumb things like "how can they change clothing quickly if they have wings," which I knew, but never explicitly said. So in the rewrite, I was like, I should probably specifically mention this when it comes up.


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.

I feel like everyone who posts here puts forth the effort to agonize and agonize over lots of things before we post: summaries, titles, whatever.

What's worse, self awareness/laziness or just not noticing? As I'm typing this, I realize that it's probably the people who just start posting the first chapter in the summary box.


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.

Or overestimating the amount of time we all spend agonizing over everything. ;) Just kidding! The limit does not exist! But you're right, it's probably better not to assume anything about other writers unless they specifically say so themselves (which I will do better about, as I mentioned at the beginning). I also didn't do much revising until I got to that point of wanting to edit the early parts of PBox 2.5 years in, but pre-completion.

We should have listened to Mare all those years. She was so wise. Being able to go back and fix things before it's out is the best thing that's ever happened to me. That and being less worried that you'll all catch up to me when I know that six month writer's blocks have been a legitimate reality for me in the past.


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.

It was the computer I had in 2000! Ancient! I didn't do much internet things on it, since we never really had internet at my house, so I feel like it would probably still work if I could get it to turn on, at least to get files off of. The graphics were definitely going purple/green when I switched over to my laptop, though.

I think most of my laptops have made it about four years? Google drive was the best thing that could have happened to me. I like having the desk space to use without a computer if needed. When we eventually move, if I'm able to have my own office space, I think I might get more desk space to have a desktop computer, or at least have a computer up and space to use the desk without a computer.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 10:49:10 PM
Since I've spent more time in my day looking up writing related things on my phone, I get more writing related articles and blog posts in my news section. It's a fun romp.

Here's one I thought worthy of sharing: "How Do You Keep a Novel Alive When It Keeps Trying To Die? (https://lithub.com/how-do-you-keep-a-novel-alive-when-it-keeps-trying-to-die/)"

This part at the end stuck out to me, mainly because I thought "Oh, hi Nick" when reading it (you know, just replace "weeks" with "years"): "If there was ever a time to write a main character with agency, who wants things and keeps trying to get those things no matter what, this is it. That's the kind of character who will keep your novel alive even when you haven't opened your laptop in weeks."
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 06, 2021, 11:01:33 PM
I have also been trying and failing to come up with discussion topics, but I did find a list of ten questions every fic writer secretly wants to be asked. (https://wyseink.tumblr.com/post/164167799585/10-questions-every-fic-writer-secretly-wants-to-be).  I think these are all meant to be answered about whatever story you answer for #1.


1. Of the fics you’ve written, which is your favorite and why?

Probably Finding Carter.

2. Which scene was your favorite to write in [title of fic]?

The chapter where Nick and Brian dressed in drag as Spice Girls after failing to complete the task during the fraternity rush. It's funny because I made Nick Baby and Brian Sporty and then years later on the 2018 cruise they dressed exactly the same Spice Girls I chose lol

3. Which part of [title] was hardest to write?

I think the car crash scene just because it was so abrupt and sad.

4. If you could change anything in [title], what would it be?

I don't think I'd change anything if we are being honest. Maybe I wouldn't have done such a drastic time jump at the end of the story, but it worked out well anyway.

5. Did you make an outline for [title]? Did you stick to it?
I never outline. I just let things roll. I do have a general idea of what I want to do and I wing it from there.

6. Which scenes did you cut, and which were added in [title]?
I didn't cut any scenes but the part where they go to Miami for spring break was an add in.

7. Who was your favorite character to write in [title]?

Nick of course. But this was my first story that I did in first person POV. I like to challenge myself.

8. Which came first, the title or the fic?
The title came after I wrote the first chapter. I wanted to do a play off of Finding Nemo. It also has a double meaning.

9. Which idea came to you first in [title]?
I always wanted to write a story about Nick being in college.


10. What are some facts readers may not know about [title]?

All of the Disney quotes are actual quotes from Disney movies
Each quote has to do with what happens in each chapter in some way. There's so many Disney references.

The two guys who hang out with Howie all the time, Brock and Gary are named after characters from Pokémon. Also, their fraternity of Phi Beta Kappa (Pikas) is another pokémon reference.

Nick wanting canned cranberry sauce is something I always throw in because it was a thing we had a discussion on here on the AC forum one time. So whenever I mention Christmas or Thanksgiving I make a joke about it.

Peter and Andrew, Nick's kids are named for Andy from Toy Story and Peter Pan. Peter is named because when Nick had his first son he realized it was time for him to grow up. Andrew because Andy in Toy Story grew up. Nick held onto the Disney things because he wasn't ready to grow up and move on from his parents death and at the end the children are kind of symbol of him letting go and maturing.

I made Brian very country in the story because I wanted him and Nick to be opposites, who later find out they have a lot in common.

Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 11:05:50 PM
1. Of the fics you’ve written, which is your favorite and why?

Like I said in my last post, I'd probably have to go with Curtain Call.  It's the first novel I wrote that I've found I can read for my own entertainment and actually enjoy, instead of cringing over parts I wish I'd written differently or skimming over boring scenes.  It's the kind of story I would love if someone else had written it, but I'm happy that I'm the one who did.


2. Which scene was your favorite to write in [title of fic]?

It's so hard to pick one favorite scene out of ninety chapters LOL.  My favorite part of the story is the tour, which is like Chapters 25-50, and I loved writing just about every scene in that section - everything except actual concert performance scenes, which I hate writing but were a necessary evil in this one.  I like this part of the story best because it's the perfect blend of hurt-comfort drama and cute comic relief.  From a writing standpoint, if I had to narrow it down, I'd say my favorite of the hurt-comfort scenes was Chapter 42 because it was so dramatic and scary.  My favorite of the cute, fluffy scenes to write was Chapter 36 because I based Cary's dad on my own dad, and it was fun to write him as a character and imagine myself bringing Nick Carter home to meet him.


3. Which part of [title] was hardest to write?

The last fifteen chapters were pretty brutal, but Chapter 88 in particular was tough... not only from an emotional perspective, but also because of the challenge of trying to realistically write a character's death in present tense from their own point of view.  I'm really happy with how it turned out though.


4. If you could change anything in [title], what would it be?

I have never loved the American Idol storyline at the beginning - even when I was writing it, I didn't like it.  It was just there as a plot device to facilitate Nick finding Cary without resorting to even cheesier teenybopper fanfic tropes like having him discover her at open-mic night at the bar or in the front row of one of his shows or something.  It still feels kinda cheesy though, so if I could change anything, I would come up with a better but still believable scenario.  The first five chapters definitely feel like the beginning of a teenybopper fanfic, which is why I posted them all at once and hoped readers who are like me would stick with it long enough to get hooked by how I ended Chapter 5.  I don't know that I would have made it that far without knowing where it was going LOL.


5. Did you make an outline for [title]? Did you stick to it?

Yes, I had an outline, and yes, I stuck with it, although it evolved as it went.  


6. Which scenes did you cut, and which were added in [title]?

I don't think I cut out any scenes I actually wrote, and I don't remember going back and adding in entire scenes.  I didn't do that kind of revising with this story.  I only held on to chapters for maybe a week or so before posting them, so I didn't really have time for that.  I do know at one point I was planning for (spoiler) [spoiler]Nick to undergo more treatment toward the end because I have the research notes in my outline still, but I decided, as he did, that enough was enough.[/spoiler]


7. Who was your favorite character to write in [title]?

Nick was my favorite character to write about, but Cary was my favorite character to write as (since the story alternates between their points of view).  Her parts were definitely easier to write because she was more relatable, and it was fun describing Nick from her perspective.


8. Which came first, the title or the fic?

The idea for the fic came first.  Rose gave me the title during one of our late-night summer chats/brainstorming sessions.  I was torn between calling it "The Show Must Go On" and "On With the Show" (as I listened to Queen's "The Show Must Go On" on repeat) and asked her opinion on which she liked better, and she answered C) None of the above and suggested "Curtain Call" instead, which was way less cheesy sounding.  Thanks, Rose!


9. Which idea came to you first in [title]?

I came up with the basic premise after watching the movie "Funny People."  It was always going to be about Nick taking another singer under his wing so she can help him hide a serious illness under the guise of being his opening act, so I guess that's the first idea I had.  The next part in the planning process was figuring out what the illness was and creating the character of Cary.


10. What are some facts readers may not know about [title]?

Originally I was planning to write the whole story in Cary's point of view, which is why the first five chapters are all in hers.  But once I got that far, I found myself really wanting to read Nick's perspective, so I decided to try writing some chapters from his point of view and see how it went.  From there on, I started switching back and forth between their POVs.  Early on in the story, it changes POVs every five chapters, then at some point starts switching every two, and then finally every chapter toward the end.  I guess that's something else I would try to change if I could - just alternate POVs each chapters from the beginning and keep it consistent.  Lesson learned for future stories written this way.

When I was still in the planning stages of this story, I had two versions outlined - one that took place during the This Is Us tour (more or less in the present, since I started writing it in July 2010 as that tour was going on) and one that took place two years earlier during the Unbreakable tour.  I had a list of all the tour dates and cities for both tours, as well as other real events that happened in the Boys' lives, and I synced that up with the events I had planned for the story and the treatment schedule to see which would work better.  TIU won.  From there, I tried to include as much real life stuff as I could.  I looked at soundcheck videos and forum threads for each show I wrote about so I could include some moments that really happened, like Nick forgetting the lyrics to Panic at one of the soundchecks and singing Shattered in his Michael McDonald voice at another.  That was fun.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 11:13:15 PM
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.

Yes!  Nick is an angel, and Howie is a devil LOL.


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. :)

LOL When you write epically long stories, twenty chapters isn't that much.  I can see how you would be at a turning point that gets you into the last phase of the story that far out.  It's exciting to get close to the climactic part!


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."

LOL Of course it's "Nick!"  Nick probably insisted upon it, right?  I love that you came up with a last line that related back to the first line of the story.  I love when stories parallel or bookend that way.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 11:27:36 PM
2. Which scene was your favorite to write in [title of fic]?

The chapter where Nick and Brian dressed in drag as Spice Girls after failing to complete the task during the fraternity rush. It's funny because I made Nick Baby and Brian Sporty and then years later on the 2018 cruise they dressed exactly the same Spice Girls I chose lol

I can confirm that fraternity boys make new members do some funny things; when the new members roll with it, it's the best. I also love that this ended up coming true in real life! I am in awe of y'all predictive abilities, first Mare uses her power for evil, Tracy uses it for Spice Girls, Julie uses it for Christmas albums. (*glances hopefully at PBox and crosses both fingers* Please actually be demons with magic powers.)

5. Did you make an outline for [title]? Did you stick to it?
I never outline. I just let things roll. I do have a general idea of what I want to do and I wing it from there.

It's fun over here on Team "I suck at outlines, lol." ;)


7. Who was your favorite character to write in [title]?

Nick of course. But this was my first story that I did in first person POV. I like to challenge myself.

Do you have an idea of what your next challenge to yourself might be?


8. Which came first, the title or the fic?
The title came after I wrote the first chapter. I wanted to do a play off of Finding Nemo. It also has a double meaning.

10. What are some facts readers may not know about [title]?

All of the Disney quotes are actual quotes from Disney movies
Each quote has to do with what happens in each chapter in some way. There's so many Disney references.

Peter and Andrew, Nick's kids are named for Andy from Toy Story and Peter Pan. Peter is named because when Nick had his first son he realized it was time for him to grow up. Andrew because Andy in Toy Story grew up. Nick held onto the Disney things because he wasn't ready to grow up and move on from his parents death and at the end the children are kind of symbol of him letting go and maturing.

Why did you decide to lean into the Disney with the story? I think it's fun.


The two guys who hang out with Howie all the time, Brock and Gary are named after characters from Pokémon. Also, their fraternity of Phi Beta Kappa (Pikas) is another pokémon reference.

I see your potential weebiness and salute you as a fellow former weeb (as you likely know having read PBox before it's de-weebing edit).
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 11:42:39 PM
1. Of the fics you’ve written, which is your favorite and why?

Like I said in my last post, I'd probably have to go with Curtain Call.  It's the first novel I wrote that I've found I can read for my own entertainment and actually enjoy, instead of cringing over parts I wish I'd written differently or skimming over boring scenes.  It's the kind of story I would love if someone else had written it, but I'm happy that I'm the one who did.

How often would you say it warrants a self reread?


2. Which scene was your favorite to write in [title of fic]?

My favorite of the cute, fluffy scenes to write was Chapter 36 because I based Cary's dad on my own dad, and it was fun to write him as a character and imagine myself bringing Nick Carter home to meet him.

This is so cute! Do you often base characters on people in your real life or was this a one time thing?


3. Which part of [title] was hardest to write?

The last fifteen chapters were pretty brutal, but Chapter 88 in particular was tough... not only from an emotional perspective, but also because of the challenge of trying to realistically write a character's death in present tense from their own point of view.  I'm really happy with how it turned out though.

This sounds super brutal! Is this the one you were talking about that time we talked about character deaths and you said you'd agonized over having the death happen in real time or be told about later?


4. If you could change anything in [title], what would it be?

I have never loved the American Idol storyline at the beginning - even when I was writing it, I didn't like it.  It was just there as a plot device to facilitate Nick finding Cary without resorting to even cheesier teenybopper fanfic tropes like having him discover her at open-mic night at the bar or in the front row of one of his shows or something.  It still feels kinda cheesy though, so if I could change anything, I would come up with a better but still believable scenario.  The first five chapters definitely feel like the beginning of a teenybopper fanfic, which is why I posted them all at once and hoped readers who are like me would stick with it long enough to get hooked by how I ended Chapter 5.  I don't know that I would have made it that far without knowing where it was going LOL.

Of all the teenybopper starts, I feel like open-mic night is the most realistic/feels the least teeny. It's perfectly reasonable that a Backstreet Boy would happen to be at a bar and it happens to be open mic night (and he thinks, "Oh no, I've made a terrible mistake! I don't want to be at an open-mic night!") It is not perfectly reasonable that a girl is front row at a show and he thinks "Yup, she looks like she can sing!" And then he replaces whatever opening act they've had all tour with her. lmao

I would also hope that people who typically read your writing didn't think, "Oh no, Julie has gone teeny. Must stop reading this now."


6. Which scenes did you cut, and which were added in [title]?

I do know at one point I was planning for (spoiler)

You say you don't get backlash, but that spoiler feels like backlash. ;)

8. Which came first, the title or the fic?

The idea for the fic came first.  Rose gave me the title during one of our late-night summer chats/brainstorming sessions.  I was torn between calling it "The Show Must Go On" and "On With the Show" (as I listened to Queen's "The Show Must Go On" on repeat) and asked her opinion on which she liked better, and she answered C) None of the above and suggested "Curtain Call" instead, which was way less cheesy sounding.  Thanks, Rose!

Rose has many great late night ideas. It's her hallmark/calling card.


10. What are some facts readers may not know about [title]?

Originally I was planning to write the whole story in Cary's point of view, which is why the first five chapters are all in hers.  But once I got that far, I found myself really wanting to read Nick's perspective, so I decided to try writing some chapters from his point of view and see how it went.  From there on, I started switching back and forth between their POVs.  Early on in the story, it changes POVs every five chapters, then at some point starts switching every two, and then finally every chapter toward the end.  I guess that's something else I would try to change if I could - just alternate POVs each chapters from the beginning and keep it consistent.  Lesson learned for future stories written this way.

When I was still in the planning stages of this story, I had two versions outlined - one that took place during the This Is Us tour (more or less in the present, since I started writing it in July 2010 as that tour was going on) and one that took place two years earlier during the Unbreakable tour.  I had a list of all the tour dates and cities for both tours, as well as other real events that happened in the Boys' lives, and I synced that up with the events I had planned for the story and the treatment schedule to see which would work better.  TIU won.  From there, I tried to include as much real life stuff as I could.  I looked at soundcheck videos and forum threads for each show I wrote about so I could include some moments that really happened, like Nick forgetting the lyrics to Panic at one of the soundchecks and singing Shattered in his Michael McDonald voice at another.  That was fun.

Was it first person alternating POV or third person alternating POV? I always think it's fun to get a story from two different perspectives.

I love this attention to detail and am always in awe of y'all who plan with real life timelines. True heroes.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 06, 2021, 11:43:33 PM
It’s actually funny you say i predicted that, and I have mentioned this one before I think? But I had written a short story that was a parody of the Wizard Of Oz once called Jizzle Of Oz. In the story Nick was the Dorothy character complete with ruby red converse sneakers. Leighanne was Glinda the witch from the North. On one of the cruises they did Wizard of Oz costumes, and to my delight Nick was Dorothy with ruby red sneakers. I was so happy. I had to explain to my roommate why I was so excited. Leighanne ended up being Glinda too which I found hilarious.

I truly do suck at outlines haha.

I challenged myself while writing If I Knew Then, it was my first slash novel. I’m currently challenging myself in writing History by making Kevin the main character, because I’ve never done that before. I’d say my next challenge would be to make a story about Howie or AJ, but I really just cannot connect with Howie long enough to write a decent amount about him. Sorry Howie.  :D

I don’t remember why I went with the Disney theme but Nicks character was studying to be an animator and that kind of went with it. I just love Disney myself and thought it would be fun to play off all of those things. When I wrote the story I had never set foot in a Disney theme park. I ended up going in 2018 and it was just as amazing as I had described in the story.

I do enjoy anime lol I have a super soft spot for Sailor Moon. However none of my readers caught the Pokémon references during the story and I must admit that I was slightly disappointed lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 06, 2021, 11:48:11 PM
Funny that Dee said that Howie is always evil..in Finding Carter he is a real jerk lmao I made him so mean. My readers were like whyyyyyy
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 11:48:31 PM
Yes!  Nick is an angel, and Howie is a devil LOL.

Now I have to find something important for AJ and Kevin to do, haha.


LOL When you write epically long stories, twenty chapters isn't that much.  I can see how you would be at a turning point that gets you into the last phase of the story that far out.  It's exciting to get close to the climactic part!

It's exciting now. Ask me how I feel once I'm in the thick of it.

LOL Of course it's "Nick!"  Nick probably insisted upon it, right?  I love that you came up with a last line that related back to the first line of the story.  I love when stories parallel or bookend that way.

He just wanted his time in the spotlight, haha. He didn't necessarily insist on it, he just kind of said, "Hey, I'm going to do this thing. Let everyone else react how they will." I felt the paralleling/bookending was appropriate; I also love it so much. I'm pretty stoked about the whole thing.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 06, 2021, 11:55:46 PM
Deepest connection to/strongest feelings about for sure! The juggernaut that is PBox just also happens to be that and my best work simultaneously, especially as time goes on and I won't leave it alone, lol. Me projecting my opinion on everyone else before hearing otherwise is probably why I figured you would pick Broken, haha. I will work harder to stop doing this.

That being said, that's probably also the reason I keep saying I think I'll try to go back and finish Gobosei, because of the connection and feelings. In my mind, writing is about love, not work. Once it feels like work, it's time to take a break. As long as it always feels like love, then keep on keepin' on.

For me it's a bit of both.  I love Broken and BMS and will always look back at them with a sense of pride, but I also see the flaws and the mistakes I've learned from along the way.  I've finished like 7 novels since that are all better written, but Curtain Call is the only one that is comparable in terms of my emotional attachment to it.  I loved writing that story the same way I loved writing Broken/BMS, and it's a more enjoyable read because there aren't as many cringey moments as in Broken.

The connection and feelings you have for a story are really important though.  I think that is what's missing for me with Guilty Roads and why I can't seem to get back to writing it, even though I know exactly what to write next.  It's not writer's block so much as just a lack of passion.  I like what exists of the story; I just don't really care enough to keep writing it.  But I care just enough to not say I quit either; I keep hoping that someday I get back the passion I must have had for it in the beginning, before the idea for Curtain Call came along and ruined it LOL.  I hope you're able to do the same with Gobosei.  If you still feel passionate about it, it's worth going back to and at least trying to finish.


I feel like everyone who posts here puts forth the effort to agonize and agonize over lots of things before we post: summaries, titles, whatever.

What's worse, self awareness/laziness or just not noticing? As I'm typing this, I realize that it's probably the people who just start posting the first chapter in the summary box.

LOL Yes, I agree.  I'm pretty sure I spent well over an hour answering those questions about my favorite story.

I think laziness is worse than lack of self-awareness.  If you know you suck at something, why not try to get better at it?  You'll never improve if you don't at least try.  A bad summary is better than "Sorry, I suck at summaries!"  I would also rather see a blank box or just an appropriately-sized banner than "Sorry, I suck at summaries!"  If the title and/or banner or captivating enough, I might still click on the story.


We should have listened to Mare all those years. She was so wise. Being able to go back and fix things before it's out is the best thing that's ever happened to me. That and being less worried that you'll all catch up to me when I know that six month writer's blocks have been a legitimate reality for me in the past.

Yes, we should have!  But hanging on to chapters for so long takes a level of self-control I don't think I had back in the day LOL.  Maybe it comes with maturity.  Or maybe it's easier now that the fanfic corner of the BSB fandom has shrunk.  I don't usually have readers begging me for updates anymore, and there's not much competition from other sites updating more often, so I feel like it's okay to go weeks or months without updating while I hoard chapters.  The loyal readers I do have left know I'll keep them in the loop and come back eventually with a new story, which I will then be able to update consistently.


It was the computer I had in 2000! Ancient! I didn't do much internet things on it, since we never really had internet at my house, so I feel like it would probably still work if I could get it to turn on, at least to get files off of. The graphics were definitely going purple/green when I switched over to my laptop, though.

I think most of my laptops have made it about four years? Google drive was the best thing that could have happened to me. I like having the desk space to use without a computer if needed. When we eventually move, if I'm able to have my own office space, I think I might get more desk space to have a desktop computer, or at least have a computer up and space to use the desk without a computer.

Oh wow, that is ancient!!  Yeah, I dunno if USB was even a thing in 2000 LOL.  I definitely don't still have any computers that old.  I actually just got rid of some old CD-roms from the 90s that I had saved all these years for some reason, even though they probably wouldn't even work on a modern computer.  SimAnt... Nickelodeon Director's Lab... Encarta '95 LOL.  Stuff I'd had since I was like 10.  I am a low-key hoarder!  I do still have a box of floppy disks that have old BSB photos, fanfics, and files from my old Microsoft Word site on them.  It's all stuff I have backed up elsewhere, but I just can't bring myself to throw them away, even though I haven't had a floppy drive to put them in for years.

My new computer is an all-in-one, so it just looks like a monitor - no tower needed, which freed up a lot of desk space for me.  Everything is wireless except for the power cord, so it could technically even be portable if I wanted to carry it to another room to write (but that's what my Chromebook is for).  Coming from a bulky ten-year-old desktop, I was like, "Wow... technology has come a long way!"
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 11:58:13 PM
It’s actually funny you say i predicted that, and I have mentioned this one before I think? But I had written a short story that was a parody of the Wizard Of Oz once called Jizzle Of Oz. In the story Nick was the Dorothy character complete with ruby red converse sneakers. Leighanne was Glinda the witch from the North. On one of the cruises they did Wizard of Oz costumes, and to my delight Nick was Dorothy with ruby red sneakers. I was so happy. I had to explain to my roommate why I was so excited. Leighanne ended up being Glinda too which I found hilarious.

You're a wizard, Tracy!  ;D


I challenged myself while writing If I Knew Then, it was my first slash novel. I’m currently challenging myself in writing History by making Kevin the main character, because I’ve never done that before. I’d say my next challenge would be to make a story about Howie or AJ, but I really just cannot connect with Howie long enough to write a decent amount about him. Sorry Howie.  :D

I hear that someone asked in the thread earlier about when there would be a Howie trend... Perhaps you can be the trendsetter. ;)


I don’t remember why I went with the Disney theme but Nicks character was studying to be an animator and that kind of went with it. I just love Disney myself and thought it would be fun to play off all of those things. When I wrote the story I had never set foot in a Disney theme park. I ended up going in 2018 and it was just as amazing as I had described in the story.

Disney is a lot of fun! Was it World or Land? Favorite ride?


I do enjoy anime lol I have a super soft spot for Sailor Moon. However none of my readers caught the Pokémon references during the story and I must admit that I was slightly disappointed lol

I see and acknowledge your "writing fanfic by moonlight." ;) I also have a soft spot for the senshi (again, as you know, having read PBox). You can probably guess exactly what manga I was really into in 2005 based on both the basis of the setting and the generalization of the main characters of PBox, haha.

It's always disappointing when you put in a reference in a story and no one catches it, isn't it?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 06, 2021, 11:58:52 PM
Funny that Dee said that Howie is always evil..in Finding Carter he is a real jerk lmao I made him so mean. My readers were like whyyyyyy

Yo, someone has to be the jerk and Howie is the one you would least expect! It's a twist!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 12:03:20 AM
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.

This chatty forum coupled with two moscow mules destroyed my motivation to write this evening, in case anyone was wondering!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 12:06:19 AM
The chapter where Nick and Brian dressed in drag as Spice Girls after failing to complete the task during the fraternity rush. It's funny because I made Nick Baby and Brian Sporty and then years later on the 2018 cruise they dressed exactly the same Spice Girls I chose lol

It's fun when life imitates art this way!  But of course Nick would be Baby and Brian would be Sporty.  I can't imagine them dressing up as different Spice Girls.  It's so funny that they even did that on the cruise!


All of the Disney quotes are actual quotes from Disney movies
Each quote has to do with what happens in each chapter in some way. There's so many Disney references.

It's fun to make references like that to other fandoms or pieces of pop culture.  I did the same kind of thing in Secrets of the Heart with Beatles references.  I'm not a Beatles fan, but my sister is, and I based the character Jori on her.  I named most of the minor characters after Beatles lyrics.  Has anyone else had a theme like this for one of their stories?


Nick wanting canned cranberry sauce is something I always throw in because it was a thing we had a discussion on here on the AC forum one time. So whenever I mention Christmas or Thanksgiving I make a joke about it.

I remember the canned cranberry sauce discussion! LOL  I love inside jokes like this in stories too.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 12:20:15 AM
For me it's a bit of both.  I love Broken and BMS and will always look back at them with a sense of pride, but I also see the flaws and the mistakes I've learned from along the way.  I've finished like 7 novels since that are all better written, but Curtain Call is the only one that is comparable in terms of my emotional attachment to it.  I loved writing that story the same way I loved writing Broken/BMS, and it's a more enjoyable read because there aren't as many cringey moments as in Broken.

The connection and feelings you have for a story are really important though.  I think that is what's missing for me with Guilty Roads and why I can't seem to get back to writing it, even though I know exactly what to write next.  It's not writer's block so much as just a lack of passion.  I like what exists of the story; I just don't really care enough to keep writing it.  But I care just enough to not say I quit either; I keep hoping that someday I get back the passion I must have had for it in the beginning, before the idea for Curtain Call came along and ruined it LOL.  I hope you're able to do the same with Gobosei.  If you still feel passionate about it, it's worth going back to and at least trying to finish.

It makes sense that if you have two with both connection and feelings, but one is better written, that you would go with the better written one. I'm glad that you have three stories brimming with that kind of connection and feeling! :)

I hope you're able to find the passion again for Guilty Roads! Let's just keep sending each other good vibes and maybe we'll eventually finish our stories that got pushed to the side by a pushier story that ended up being our one true writing love, haha.


LOL Yes, I agree.  I'm pretty sure I spent well over an hour answering those questions about my favorite story.

I think laziness is worse than lack of self-awareness.  If you know you suck at something, why not try to get better at it?  You'll never improve if you don't at least try.  A bad summary is better than "Sorry, I suck at summaries!"  I would also rather see a blank box or just an appropriately-sized banner than "Sorry, I suck at summaries!"  If the title and/or banner or captivating enough, I might still click on the story.

I spent at least half an hour, so I feel you, but I also got to write "I have nothing new to say" a couple times and that was nice.

Good point! I'm curious what the block is between "I suck at x" and not making an attempt to learn and grow. I know I've tried to work on brevity, but if anything, I've become even more long winded as time goes on. I just need someone to edit everything I write and say "You can really cut all of this." I'm sure there's moments where that's true.


Yes, we should have!  But hanging on to chapters for so long takes a level of self-control I don't think I had back in the day LOL.  Maybe it comes with maturity.  Or maybe it's easier now that the fanfic corner of the BSB fandom has shrunk.  I don't usually have readers begging me for updates anymore, and there's not much competition from other sites updating more often, so I feel like it's okay to go weeks or months without updating while I hoard chapters.  The loyal readers I do have left know I'll keep them in the loop and come back eventually with a new story, which I will then be able to update consistently.

I had a "Kevin is me now" moment in PNecklace where he said something to the effect of "Nuance isn't something young people understand. You'll figure it out." And I thought, "If only I could go back and tell myself that. You'll figure it out with more maturity," lol. I think I had someone beg me for an update once and that was the "I'll post a chapter every day" section of PBox. It was bad. A very bad poor life decision. Other than that, no one begged for updates from me. But at least everyone knows now that each Wednesday, they can enjoy a nice new chapter.


Oh wow, that is ancient!!  Yeah, I dunno if USB was even a thing in 2000 LOL.  I definitely don't still have any computers that old.  I actually just got rid of some old CD-roms from the 90s that I had saved all these years for some reason, even though they probably wouldn't even work on a modern computer.  SimAnt... Nickelodeon Director's Lab... Encarta '95 LOL.  Stuff I'd had since I was like 10.  I am a low-key hoarder!  I do still have a box of floppy disks that have old BSB photos, fanfics, and files from my old Microsoft Word site on them.  It's all stuff I have backed up elsewhere, but I just can't bring myself to throw them away, even though I haven't had a floppy drive to put them in for years.

My new computer is an all-in-one, so it just looks like a monitor - no tower needed, which freed up a lot of desk space for me.  Everything is wireless except for the power cord, so it could technically even be portable if I wanted to carry it to another room to write (but that's what my Chromebook is for).  Coming from a bulky ten-year-old desktop, I was like, "Wow... technology has come a long way!"

I also still have many floppy disks that are unlabeled with so many fanfics (mine or otherwise) and BSB things on them. I don't know that I have any of them backed up, haha. I should have done better. I think I still have a WorldBook '98 CD-Rom as well, so... Hoarding champions!

That's what I would maybe get too, something without a tower so it takes up less space! I don't know that I would want to cart it from room to room though.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 12:28:30 AM
How often would you say it warrants a self reread?

Once every few years?  I think I've read it two or three times in its entirety since finishing it in 2011.  


This is so cute! Do you often base characters on people in your real life or was this a one time thing?

Sometimes.  I mentioned in my last post basing a character on my sister, which she would absolutely hate if she ever read that story LOL.  That was a main character too, whereas Cary's dad was more of a minor character.  Broken and BMS also included minor characters that were based on people I met in college or online friends - Claire's boss Tim, her ex-boyfriend Jamie, her best friend Dianna, her coworker/friend Laureen, and Nick's girlfriend Veronica.  I used to do that more than I do now.


This sounds super brutal! Is this the one you were talking about that time we talked about character deaths and you said you'd agonized over having the death happen in real time or be told about later?

No, that was a different story.  I wouldn't change a thing with this one.


Of all the teenybopper starts, I feel like open-mic night is the most realistic/feels the least teeny. It's perfectly reasonable that a Backstreet Boy would happen to be at a bar and it happens to be open mic night (and he thinks, "Oh no, I've made a terrible mistake! I don't want to be at an open-mic night!") It is not perfectly reasonable that a girl is front row at a show and he thinks "Yup, she looks like she can sing!" And then he replaces whatever opening act they've had all tour with her. lmao

I would also hope that people who typically read your writing didn't think, "Oh no, Julie has gone teeny. Must stop reading this now."

LOL Very true, to all of the above.


You say you don't get backlash, but that spoiler feels like backlash. ;)

You know, you may be right about this too.  It's been so long, I didn't think of that, but this may be one of the only times muse-Nick has ever managed to talk me out of torturing him more.


Was it first person alternating POV or third person alternating POV? I always think it's fun to get a story from two different perspectives.

I love this attention to detail and am always in awe of y'all who plan with real life timelines. True heroes.

First person.  This was one of the first novels I'd ever written in first person, which I did in part to give it a different feel from purple prose-filled third person Broken.  I can't be as flowery writing in first person because then it sounds like Twilight LOL.

Thanks!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 12:37:19 AM
I’d say my next challenge would be to make a story about Howie or AJ, but I really just cannot connect with Howie long enough to write a decent amount about him. Sorry Howie.  :D

Make Howie evil!  He's more interesting when he's evil.  Even in the one and only Howie novel I've written (SAMS), he was sort of in the antagonist role in terms of being the root of all the problems, at least from Nick's point of view.  He was not evil, but he was definitely flawed.  He's more fun to write that way than "Sweet D the Peacemaker who winks andstuffliketh at."

I find AJ tough to write as a main character, too.  I do have AJ-centered stories, but I prefer him as a supporting character.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 12:43:53 AM
However none of my readers caught the Pokémon references during the story and I must admit that I was slightly disappointed lol

LOL Sorry, you would have to be much more obvious for me to catch a Pokemon reference.  Like if you named a character Pikachu, I would get that.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 12:44:03 AM
Once every few years?  I think I've read it two or three times in its entirety since finishing it in 2011.

That's about how often I reread PBox in its entirety, so I'll say that's pretty good rereadibility!

Sometimes.  I mentioned in my last post basing a character on my sister, which she would absolutely hate if she ever read that story LOL.  That was a main character too, whereas Cary's dad was more of a minor character.  Broken and BMS also included minor characters that were based on people I met in college or online friends - Claire's boss Tim, her ex-boyfriend Jamie, her best friend Dianna, her coworker/friend Laureen, and Nick's girlfriend Veronica.  I used to do that more than I do now.

I think you've mentioned that before actually. I feel like any of our real life people, in-person or online, would probably hate being in a story, haha. The random friends of the female lead in Gobosei were all based on real people I know and whenever I get back to it, they're probably among the first things I would cut. I think we all go through phases where we base whole characters on real people rather than extrapolating the qualities we "like" in them. A character in PNecklace, for instance, got the bluntness of one of my friends, but not my friend's entire personality.


No, that was a different story.  I wouldn't change a thing with this one.

What a great feeling! To feel like it needs nothing changed. :) I figured it was a different story, but also wanted to double check.


You know, you may be right about this too.  It's been so long, I didn't think of that, but this may be one of the only times muse-Nick has ever managed to talk me out of torturing him more.

You're not immune! He'll tell you when he really hates it, haha.

First person.  This was one of the first novels I'd ever written in first person, which I did in part to give it a different feel from purple prose-filled third person Broken.  I can't be as flowery writing in first person because then it sounds like Twilight LOL.

It makes sense to want to separate it from Broken in that way. I can't imagine that first person Nick would ever call eyes "orbs." ;) I think it's interesting that you found yourself missing Nick's POV and then added it in. You said you enjoyed Cary's more, which did the readers enjoy more?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 12:45:43 AM
This chatty forum coupled with two moscow mules destroyed my motivation to write this evening, in case anyone was wondering!

LOL Same, except I'm not even drinking!  How is it almost 1 in the morning here?  And why am I so far behind on responding to these posts?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 12:46:40 AM
It's fun when life imitates art this way!  But of course Nick would be Baby and Brian would be Sporty.  I can't imagine them dressing up as different Spice Girls.  It's so funny that they even did that on the cruise!

Who else would they be? It's not like either of them could be Posh!


It's fun to make references like that to other fandoms or pieces of pop culture.  I did the same kind of thing in Secrets of the Heart with Beatles references.  I'm not a Beatles fan, but my sister is, and I based the character Jori on her.  I named most of the minor characters after Beatles lyrics.  Has anyone else had a theme like this for one of their stories?

Hmm... Not that I can think of? I think I had one way back that was probably going to lean Shakespeare, but I only got two chapters in and went back to PBox.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 12:49:38 AM
Make Howie evil!  He's more interesting when he's evil.  Even in the one and only Howie novel I've written (SAMS), he was sort of in the antagonist role in terms of being the root of all the problems, at least from Nick's point of view.  He was not evil, but he was definitely flawed.  He's more fun to write that way than "Sweet D the Peacemaker who winks andstuffliketh at."

I find AJ tough to write as a main character, too.  I do have AJ-centered stories, but I prefer him as a supporting character.

Howie just needs to be subverted. Maybe that's the Howie trend! LMAO at "andstuffliketh at."

I also prefer AJ as a supporting character. He's probably harder for me to get into his feeling because he's so quiet for me. I don't know why that is.

Meanwhile, Nick screams loudly about everything, whether he loves it or hates it.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 12:53:47 AM
LOL Same, except I'm not even drinking!  How is it almost 1 in the morning here?  And why am I so far behind on responding to these posts?


Time flies when you're having fun! Also Tracy came on when you were writing about Curtain Call. Taking time to agonize over the questions and answer them thoughtfully takes you out of the forum if it's fast chatting. This is likely how everyone felt when we all used to have pages of random conversations within minutes of each other posting.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 01:05:05 AM
I hope you're able to find the passion again for Guilty Roads! Let's just keep sending each other good vibes and maybe we'll eventually finish our stories that got pushed to the side by a pushier story that ended up being our one true writing love, haha.

Yes!!


That's about how often I reread PBox in its entirety, so I'll say that's pretty good rereadibility!

That is good to hear!  I was hoping I didn't sound too self-absorbed admitting that I had read one of my own stories more than once after finishing it LOL.


It makes sense to want to separate it from Broken in that way. I can't imagine that first person Nick would ever call eyes "orbs." ;) I think it's interesting that you found yourself missing Nick's POV and then added it in. You said you enjoyed Cary's more, which did the readers enjoy more?

LOL No, no he would not.  I also tried to make Curtain Call Nick a lot different from emo Broken Nick, and I think the first person POV helped with that too.

That's a good question.  I don't know.  The readers seemed to enjoy Cary as a character, but I'm not sure whose POV chapters they enjoyed reading more.  Both were pretty Nick-centered throughout the story, as most of her storyline revolved around him, so it would really just depend on if they preferred reading from his perspective or hers.  Anyone who has read Curtain Call, feel free to weigh in if you remember having a preference.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 01:07:22 AM
Time flies when you're having fun! Also Tracy came on when you were writing about Curtain Call. Taking time to agonize over the questions and answer them thoughtfully takes you out of the forum if it's fast chatting. This is likely how everyone felt when we all used to have pages of random conversations within minutes of each other posting.

LOL true!  I should have saved the Curtain Call post for tomorrow morning when no one is on... but then it would have distracted me from actually writing fanfic, so I'm glad I got it out of my system tonight.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 01:17:19 AM
That is good to hear!  I was hoping I didn't sound too self-absorbed admitting that I had read one of my own stories more than once after finishing it LOL.

I try to justify it by saying that I'm still writing the rest of the larger story so "it's for inspiration," but I also worry that it sounds self-absorbed. It's definitely the fanfic I've read most in recent years. I just like the characters a lot. (Though I admittedly summarize the NSYNC focused chapters for myself in about 1/3 of the rereads I've ever done on it.)


LOL No, no he would not.  I also tried to make Curtain Call Nick a lot different from emo Broken Nick, and I think the first person POV helped with that too.

That's a good question.  I don't know.  The readers seemed to enjoy Cary as a character, but I'm not sure whose POV chapters they enjoyed reading more.  Both were pretty Nick-centered throughout the story, as most of her storyline revolved around him, so it would really just depend on if they preferred reading from his perspective or hers.  Anyone who has read Curtain Call, feel free to weigh in if you remember having a preference.

Especially after you spent so many years with emo Broken Nick, the first person POV was probably exactly the break you needed!

Would you say that all of your Nicks are really different from each other or mostly those two in particular?

And yes, if you've read it, weigh in! Inquiring minds want to know!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 01:19:21 AM
LOL true!  I should have saved the Curtain Call post for tomorrow morning when no one is on... but then it would have distracted me from actually writing fanfic, so I'm glad I got it out of my system tonight.

Definitely get it out of your system! I saw your questions way earlier in the day (like pre-coffee early), but made the conscious decision to wait to respond until after I finished ch. 28 for that exact same reason.

I should go to bed at some point though, haha. ETA: Laptop is dying, so this is my sign, haha. Night!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 07, 2021, 01:37:54 AM
I loved Curtain Call so I was really happy to see some fun stuff about that story Julie  :)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 07, 2021, 01:39:53 AM
I'm also laughing that Dee caught my tag line of writing fanfic by moonlight because that is definitely a sailor moon thing. I'm a massive fan of that anime. During my cosplay days I used to dress as Super Sailor Moon. I also had the schoolgirl uniform too and a princess Serenity costume.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 10:43:53 AM
Would you say that all of your Nicks are really different from each other or mostly those two in particular?

Not necessarily.  Curtain Call is the only time I can remember making a conscious effort to make him different from a previous characterizati on of him, mostly just because there were some obvious similarities between the two stories, but I didn't want them to feel too similar.  I hope both characters still seem like the Nick Carter we all "know" and love, but different versions of him.  Broken Nick was definitely emo, early-twenties "Do I Have to Cry for You?" Nick, whereas Curtain Call Nick is a more mature and subdued thirty-year-old Nick.

One of the neat things about writing real person fanfic is that you're writing about, well, real people who grow and change themselves over time.  So the way I write Nick may be slightly different from story to story depending on the time period it takes place in and what kind of situation I put him into.  But at the end of the day, he will always have certain character traits that I see in the real Nick and hopefully be recognizable as him.

This is a good question for anyone else to answer about whichever boy(s) you've written multiple stories about.  Is your characterizati on pretty much the same across different stories, or do you make them different from each other?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 10:50:43 AM
I loved Curtain Call so I was really happy to see some fun stuff about that story Julie  :)

Thanks, Tracy! :)  I know it's been a long time, but do you remember preferring to read one POV over the other?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 12:42:31 PM
I'm also laughing that Dee caught my tag line of writing fanfic by moonlight because that is definitely a sailor moon thing. I'm a massive fan of that anime. During my cosplay days I used to dress as Super Sailor Moon. I also had the schoolgirl uniform too and a princess Serenity costume.

Oh, I caught it a long time ago, but it was not relevant to bring up! ;) I was Sailor Moon once for Halloween, but it was lazily put together with things I already owned. The blonde wig I bought was not great quality and it showed! I'm always impressed with the people who put such care and time into their costuming.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 01:11:46 PM
Not necessarily.  Curtain Call is the only time I can remember making a conscious effort to make him different from a previous characterizati on of him, mostly just because there were some obvious similarities between the two stories, but I didn't want them to feel too similar.  I hope both characters still seem like the Nick Carter we all "know" and love, but different versions of him.  Broken Nick was definitely emo, early-twenties "Do I Have to Cry for You?" Nick, whereas Curtain Call Nick is a more mature and subdued thirty-year-old Nick.

That's true, you did spend so much time writing Broken/BMS that by the end of it, it wasn't "real time" and Nick was able to grow as a person during that time period and provide some new/different aspects of himself for the next story. It's good that Broken Nick was emo and not ghetto fab, haha.


One of the neat things about writing real person fanfic is that you're writing about, well, real people who grow and change themselves over time.  So the way I write Nick may be slightly different from story to story depending on the time period it takes place in and what kind of situation I put him into.  But at the end of the day, he will always have certain character traits that I see in the real Nick and hopefully be recognizable as him.

This is a good question for anyone else to answer about whichever boy(s) you've written multiple stories about.  Is your characterizati on pretty much the same across different stories, or do you make them different from each other?

I think the situation makes a big difference on what characteristic s get played up. Obviously Nicks in stressful situations will do different things than Nicks in day-to-day whatevering.

I think my Nicks tend to stand out to me as being from their works, that what's going on around them determines what comes out more. I've talked about PBox Nick ad naseum, but he's got all that masked vulnerability, "get back upness," and pluckiness. Whereas Gobosei Nick would be defined by his "stoked as hell" and "roll with the punches" attitude. For a stark contrast, let's call Beta Sigma Beta Nick "lost" and "a bitter ahole," haha. Even though they're not all finished, I feel like characterizati on was fleshed out enough in these to list them. Please ignore any romances I started and never finished.

To be fair, though, I'm sure those latter two Nicks had some other things going on, they just didn't get a chance to be as solid in who they were; contrast PBox Nick who has 64 written chapters (let's estimate about 192,000 words at bare minimum) of character development to his name plus however many more chapters he ends up with as time goes on... I'm sure it will surpass the hundreds. I only say 64 (as opposed to 78) since he didn't appear in every chapter of PBox.

But they all still felt like Nick to me.

This might be the follow-up question to that. What has to be there for it to feel like each of the Boys. Like if something isn't there, do they just feel off? Whether that's a big thing or a little thing?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 01:49:33 PM
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!!!

While my husband is at the gym, haha. I didn't realize it was only from a couple of days ago. Not sure how I missed it.

Aw, so cute! I like the "No Goodbyes" version too, but he's right, it's just not quite the same. And him tearing up about his wedding, aww. That's my one regret about not hiring a videographer is not having our ceremony to watch my husband tear up.

I laughed so hard at the 8 Simple Rules portion (also his 1992 pants). I remember laughing so hard watching it back in the day. "Hey! I won a hat!" I'd argue that other than the exaggerated facial expression, the delivery of that felt genuinely spot on. "I am not an actor. At least I can sing?" lmao
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 07, 2021, 03:28:50 PM
In response to the question about Disney, my favorite ride is Haunted Mansion although the Voyage of The Little Mermaid is a close second. I didn't get to ride a lot of the rides but I did meet lots of the characters which was fun too. I wish I'd gotten a picture with Buzz or Woody like Nick and Brian did in Finding Carter lol.

Speaking of that story that's another fun fact, Nick calls Brian Woody cause he's so country in that story. Brian calls Nick Buzz cause he likes outer space lol.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 04:25:31 PM
That's true, you did spend so much time writing Broken/BMS that by the end of it, it wasn't "real time" and Nick was able to grow as a person during that time period and provide some new/different aspects of himself for the next story. It's good that Broken Nick was emo and not ghetto fab, haha.

LOL I started that story at just the right time, between super hot Now or Never Nick and the ghetto fab phase.  He was too busy barfing his guts out and getting his leg chopped off to get his nipples pierced and start hanging out with Tommy Lee.  Too bad, Nick!  But yes, that took him on a different path that also did not include abusing drugs or dating Paris Hilton, so he was better for it.


I think the situation makes a big difference on what characteristic s get played up. Obviously Nicks in stressful situations will do different things than Nicks in day-to-day whatevering.

Yep, I agree.  And when you put him into a situation he's never actually been in before in real life, like getting attacked by a bear or being a demon, all you can do is use his real life character traits to guess at what he would do in that situation.  And because he's a real person with a lot of different sides to his personality, you can make him react a lot of different possible ways and still make it seem realistic.  That's the fun of writing fanfic!


This might be the follow-up question to that. What has to be there for it to feel like each of the Boys. Like if something isn't there, do they just feel off? Whether that's a big thing or a little thing?

I almost asked this follow-up last night and then decided to wait and see if someone else thought of it too.  So I'm glad you did!

For Nick, I think he needs to be charismatic, playful, and have strong emotional reactions, whether he's cracking up laughing, flying into a temper, or breaking down into tears.

For Brian, I think it's his sense of humor, his faith, and his devotion to his family.

For AJ, I think it's quirkiness and his fierce loyalty to his family and friends (including the other guys).

For Kevin, I think he has to show some elements of that protective big brother persona.

For Howie, I think he has to be sweet and supportive.


It's funny because as soon as I started listing these, I started thinking of instances where these character traits are intentionally subverted.  Like the stories where Howie is a villain.  Is that why it's fun to make Howie a villain, because it goes against his entire persona?

I have definitely written stories where the Boys start out the way I see them in real life and then change throughout the story as a result of the circumstances they face.  In Curtain Call, I made Nick moody, but not in a melodramatic, outwardly emo way like Broken Nick.  Instead of wearing his heart on his sleeve, he bottled up everything inside because he was hiding a lot and trying to keep up appearances.  In Song for the Undead, Brian lost everything he cared about early on in the story, including his family and his faith, and spent a large part of the story trying to find himself again.  In my current story, Kevin is going to have to lean on his little brothers and let them take care of him instead of the other way around.  And then there's Howie in 00Carter LOL.  The only one I can't think of a personal example for is AJ... he's pretty always quirky and loyal in my stories LOL.  But I guess in Song for the Undead, we made him a lone wolf in the beginning who became loyal to his found family as the story progressed.

So in summary, I'm not sure that the traits I listed absolutely have to be there throughout the whole story, as long as there's a reason for them not to be.  They could be there in the beginning and change, or not be there in the beginning and develop as the story goes on.  But I do think they need to appear at some point for the Boys to feel like the Boys to me.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 04:29:40 PM
While my husband is at the gym, haha. I didn't realize it was only from a couple of days ago. Not sure how I missed it.

Aw, so cute! I like the "No Goodbyes" version too, but he's right, it's just not quite the same. And him tearing up about his wedding, aww. That's my one regret about not hiring a videographer is not having our ceremony to watch my husband tear up.

I laughed so hard at the 8 Simple Rules portion (also his 1992 pants). I remember laughing so hard watching it back in the day. "Hey! I won a hat!" I'd argue that other than the exaggerated facial expression, the delivery of that felt genuinely spot on. "I am not an actor. At least I can sing?" lmao

LOL At least he's self-aware of his acting abilities, or lack thereof.  But I hope he makes more movies because they're always entertaining.  And he's right; he does have a lot of other talents.

I loved him tearing up watching the wedding video too!  Who would have thought Ghetto Fab Nick would grow up to be this sweet, sentimental family man?  Aww!  I'm so proud of him.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 06:11:31 PM
In response to the question about Disney, my favorite ride is Haunted Mansion although the Voyage of The Little Mermaid is a close second. I didn't get to ride a lot of the rides but I did meet lots of the characters which was fun too. I wish I'd gotten a picture with Buzz or Woody like Nick and Brian did in Finding Carter lol.

Speaking of that story that's another fun fact, Nick calls Brian Woody cause he's so country in that story. Brian calls Nick Buzz cause he likes outer space lol.

Yaaassss! Haunted Mansion is my absolute favorite! It's the only ride I've insisted on riding whenever I've gone. Though, drinking around the world at Epcot is now a close second after having done that "ride."

Aw, those are cute little nicknames for those reasons.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 06:42:17 PM
LOL I started that story at just the right time, between super hot Now or Never Nick and the ghetto fab phase.  He was too busy barfing his guts out and getting his leg chopped off to get his nipples pierced and start hanging out with Tommy Lee.  Too bad, Nick!  But yes, that took him on a different path that also did not include abusing drugs or dating Paris Hilton, so he was better for it.

It's hard to abuse drugs and find the time to date Paris Hilton when you're too busy barfing your guts out and getting your leg chopped off. ;) Or when you're too busy being a demon with magical powers, lol. It's good he has us to help him through his early twenties. lmao


Yep, I agree.  And when you put him into a situation he's never actually been in before in real life, like getting attacked by a bear or being a demon, all you can do is use his real life character traits to guess at what he would do in that situation.  And because he's a real person with a lot of different sides to his personality, you can make him react a lot of different possible ways and still make it seem realistic.  That's the fun of writing fanfic!

You know, we don't know for sure that he hasn't fought a bear. Maybe it was really traumatic and he doesn't like to talk about it. haha I think it's because he's a reactor that he gets to experience all this craziness. He definitely wears his heart on his sleeve; it's why he's a terrible liar.


I almost asked this follow-up last night and then decided to wait and see if someone else thought of it too.  So I'm glad you did!

For Nick, I think he needs to be charismatic, playful, and have strong emotional reactions, whether he's cracking up laughing, flying into a temper, or breaking down into tears.

For Brian, I think it's his sense of humor, his faith, and his devotion to his family.

For AJ, I think it's quirkiness and his fierce loyalty to his family and friends (including the other guys).

For Kevin, I think he has to show some elements of that protective big brother persona.

For Howie, I think he has to be sweet and supportive.

Great minds think alike, of course! Also because these are the exact things I would have listed as well. I think the only thing I would add is that it feels like more often than not, Kevin falls into "only sane man" territory with the others. Although, that may be less true now that he's not "the most adult wrangling in the children because Howie's too nice to put them in their place." Call that a "Classic Backstreet Hallmark."

Alright! Unless anyone disagrees with us, we have officially established our bare minimum cannon. We've had a productive weekend after not being sure what to talk about.


It's funny because as soon as I started listing these, I started thinking of instances where these character traits are intentionally subverted.  Like the stories where Howie is a villain.  Is that why it's fun to make Howie a villain, because it goes against his entire persona?

So in summary, I'm not sure that the traits I listed absolutely have to be there throughout the whole story, as long as there's a reason for them not to be.  They could be there in the beginning and change, or not be there in the beginning and develop as the story goes on.  But I do think they need to appear at some point for the Boys to feel like the Boys to me.

I think if they're intentionally subverted, it's one of those things we fill in (like Nick just garnering mass sympathy because of "common background knowledge" even when he's being a jerk). We say "Oh, normally they're like this, so something has clearly happened to make it the opposite. Let's find out why." I think it's fun to intentionally subvert them, take them to their logical extremes, and push them up against conflict. I mean, we all eventually get tired of "playing it straight," no?

That's probably exactly why Howie is most likely to be the villain! Intentional subversion or unintentional subversion to make him more "interesting." I'd hope everyone does it on purpose, but as mentioned yesterday, I'm trying to be better about not projecting my opinions on people. Trying.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 06:46:07 PM
LOL At least he's self-aware of his acting abilities, or lack thereof.  But I hope he makes more movies because they're always entertaining.  And he's right; he does have a lot of other talents.

I loved him tearing up watching the wedding video too!  Who would have thought Ghetto Fab Nick would grow up to be this sweet, sentimental family man?  Aww!  I'm so proud of him.

"I suck at acting, lol." Just add it to the resume you don't actually have or need, Nick. I'm into him making other movies, but I don't know if I'd enjoy him being in other peoples' movies as much. Unless AJ was directing and wanted Nick specifically or something.

I always figured he had it in him! Especially after having been a lost early 20-something myself! (Admittedly with less ghetto fab-ness; I think it's a guy thing.) He just needed to make sure he was surrounding himself with the right people (which is easier said than done).
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 07, 2021, 07:05:10 PM
Yaaassss! Haunted Mansion is my absolute favorite! It's the only ride I've insisted on riding whenever I've gone. Though, drinking around the world at Epcot is now a close second after having done that "ride."

Aw, those are cute little nicknames for those reasons.

Epcot is my favorite park. The margaritas in Mexico were so good. I want to go back again and do more of Epcot cause I didn't see enough. We ate at that restaurant that's underwater, I can't remember the name of it off hand. But it's the same one that Danny and Vicki ate at in Full House during the Disney World episode. The food was so good, and we got to watch them feeding the fish in the aquarium. It was really cool. I also love the Misison Earth ride. Hell I just really enjoyed Epcot.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 07:36:31 PM
Epcot is my favorite park. The margaritas in Mexico were so good. I want to go back again and do more of Epcot cause I didn't see enough. We ate at that restaurant that's underwater, I can't remember the name of it off hand. But it's the same one that Danny and Vicki ate at in Full House during the Disney World episode. The food was so good, and we got to watch them feeding the fish in the aquarium. It was really cool. I also love the Misison Earth ride. Hell I just really enjoyed Epcot.

The margs were great! I loved that cute little British pub with the phonebooth too. I mostly took silly photos with all of the landmarks. We ended up eating at one of little restaurants just outside of Epcot near the hotels. Can't remember which one though! That underwater restaurant sounds awesome! Our trip was planned the day of going because we were woefully unprepared for Disney World and only semi-prepared for the bowl game we actually went to see, haha. I did get a "It's my birthday" button and some black and gold Minnie ears, though, so that was fun.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 09:36:40 PM
Epcot is my favorite park. The margaritas in Mexico were so good. I want to go back again and do more of Epcot cause I didn't see enough. We ate at that restaurant that's underwater, I can't remember the name of it off hand. But it's the same one that Danny and Vicki ate at in Full House during the Disney World episode. The food was so good, and we got to watch them feeding the fish in the aquarium. It was really cool. I also love the Misison Earth ride. Hell I just really enjoyed Epcot.

Oh man, you just brought back a memory, but I don't know if it's a real memory or a false one.  I feel like I also ate at that underwater restaurant with my family when I went to Epcot as a kid, but I don't know if that really happened or if I am remembering it from that Full House episode LOL.  I've only been to Epcot once, when I was 11.  It was my least favorite park at the time because it had the fewest rides.  I'm sure I would enjoy it more as an adult now that I can drink my way around the world LOL.  I'll have to ask my parents if they remember us eating at the underwater restaurant.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 09:48:58 PM
It's good he has us to help him through his early twenties. lmao

Yeah, his memoir was a good read and all, but our versions of how his early twenties could have gone were even more interesting. LOL


You know, we don't know for sure that he hasn't fought a bear. Maybe it was really traumatic and he doesn't like to talk about it. haha I think it's because he's a reactor that he gets to experience all this craziness. He definitely wears his heart on his sleeve; it's why he's a terrible liar.

We also don't know for sure that he's not a demon.  Maybe his wings are invisible or retract into his back.  You're right, though; Nick has much better reactions than, say, mild-mannered Howie.  Howie fighting a bear would not be nearly as fun to write or read about.  Sorry, Howie.  That's why I prefer you as Dr. Rough.


Great minds think alike, of course! Also because these are the exact things I would have listed as well. I think the only thing I would add is that it feels like more often than not, Kevin falls into "only sane man" territory with the others. Although, that may be less true now that he's not "the most adult wrangling in the children because Howie's too nice to put them in their place." Call that a "Classic Backstreet Hallmark."

Alright! Unless anyone disagrees with us, we have officially established our bare minimum cannon. We've had a productive weekend after not being sure what to talk about.

I think if they're intentionally subverted, it's one of those things we fill in (like Nick just garnering mass sympathy because of "common background knowledge" even when he's being a jerk). We say "Oh, normally they're like this, so something has clearly happened to make it the opposite. Let's find out why." I think it's fun to intentionally subvert them, take them to their logical extremes, and push them up against conflict. I mean, we all eventually get tired of "playing it straight," no?

That's probably exactly why Howie is most likely to be the villain! Intentional subversion or unintentional subversion to make him more "interesting." I'd hope everyone does it on purpose, but as mentioned yesterday, I'm trying to be better about not projecting my opinions on people. Trying.

Great minds do think alike!  Glad we've established our canon.  It turned out to be a fun, chatty weekend!

I do think subverting these "canon" characterizati ons is how you keep things interesting while writing story after story about the same characters in different situations and avoid using the same cliched stereotypes.  Like, Kevin is the big brother of the group, but that doesn't mean he should always be bossing the other guys around, especially in a present day story.  Brian is religious, but that doesn't mean he prays all the time.  Howie does more than wink.  (I forgot to include the winking on my list.  I love how winking is the one characteristic we kept intact in 00Carter LOL.)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 10:07:35 PM
We also don't know for sure that he's not a demon.  Maybe his wings are invisible or retract into his back.  You're right, though; Nick has much better reactions than, say, mild-mannered Howie.  Howie fighting a bear would not be nearly as fun to write or read about.  Sorry, Howie.  That's why I prefer you as Dr. Rough.

If he's really powerful, he can suppress his demonic aspects. Or so says PBox. ;) Get a few cocktails in Howie and he'll talk nicely to the bear and try to befriend it, haha.


Great minds do think alike!  Glad we've established our canon.  It turned out to be a fun, chatty weekend!

I do think subverting these "canon" characterizati ons is how you keep things interesting while writing story after story about the same characters in different situations and avoid using the same cliched stereotypes.  Like, Kevin is the big brother of the group, but that doesn't mean he should always be bossing the other guys around, especially in a present day story.  Brian is religious, but that doesn't mean he prays all the time.  Howie does more than wink.  (I forgot to include the winking on my list.  I love how winking is the one characteristic we kept intact in 00Carter LOL.)

I take everyone's silence to mean that they agree.

You know, we need to give villain Howie some redeemable traits from regular Howie, so why shouldn't he wink? ;)

I think there's also ways to lean into the characterizati ons without making them one-note characters, which is where we should be writing them. But I've also been away long enough, that I'm enjoying playing them straight again, but still as reasonable people with many character traits. I had PBox Howie wink once and it was a joyous day to include it that one time (for me writing it, for anyone reading you'll have to wait a little bit to see it still).
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 07, 2021, 10:20:42 PM
I think there's also ways to lean into the characterizati ons without making them one-note characters, which is where we should be writing them. But I've also been away long enough, that I'm enjoying playing them straight again, but still as reasonable people with many character traits. I had PBox Howie wink once and it was a joyous day to include it that one time (for me writing it, for anyone reading you'll have to wait a little bit to see it still).

Yes, I agree with that too.  I played them pretty straight in Bethlehem too - Kevin as the controlling big brother, Nick as the obnoxious little brother, Brian praying, etc.  (I had to look up if I had Howie wink in that one.  He only did once in mine, too.)   It is fun to write them way, especially in a group story that focuses on their brotherly relationship.  At the end of the day, those characterizati ons that we deemed essential exist because that's how we see them and why we love them, so those are the characters we want to read about.  But like you said, they should still seem like real people, not one-dimensional cartoon characters.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 07, 2021, 10:40:09 PM
At the end of the day, those characterizati ons that we deemed essential exist because that's how we see them and why we love them, so those are the characters we want to read about.

Goes back to that connection and feelings! Those characteristic s are, I'm guessing, the ones we feel the greatest connection to/feelings about in their context as Backstreet Boys. It's a lot about who they are, but also a lot about how they relate to each other. That's why I enjoy writing group fanfics the most even if I lean Nick. :)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: Rose on March 08, 2021, 02:58:38 PM
Quote
This is a good question for anyone else to answer about whichever boy(s) you've written multiple stories about.  Is your characterizati on pretty much the same across different stories, or do you make them different from each other?

I love this question. For me it depends on the story and how old he is. Like in RMTW I shatter Nick but this was a younger more self destructive Nick, so he reacts pretty badly at first.Making bad choices. I shatter Nick in a completely different way in When The Daylight's Gone, but this was a more mature Nick so while still broken he didn't slip back into old habits. In Show Me A Reason he's very angry because he's in such a bad place. In all of them though certain things still shine through, like trying to cope with a bad past, singing randomly (which I love that he actually does in real life and I got that right lol), and a reliance on the Backstreet Family as they're the ones who've been there. My Nick also tends to have a random brain which fits cause real life Nick is like that but truth be told a lot of his random thoughts are shit that just happens in my brain that I pass on to him.

Which, what Boy would you say you put the most of yourself into when you write? Like when you write his character, which comes the closest to how you'd write yourself?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 08, 2021, 05:13:17 PM
singing randomly (which I love that he actually does in real life and I got that right lol)

Which, what Boy would you say you put the most of yourself into when you write? Like when you write his character, which comes the closest to how you'd write yourself?

I always enjoyed you making him sing randomly and that it was true. :)

Hmmm... None of them? They get some tiny things that I think fit with their personalities. PBox Nick gets a lot of my loyalty over sense, for instance. But I try not to put too much of me into any one of them so it doesn't take away from them. But lately, I've read other Howies and thought "Is Howie me?" So maybe it's Howie, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 08, 2021, 05:18:36 PM
I've been romping back around in the beginning of PBox and was having a hard time reverting Nick's character development, then started listening to some Now or Never again and it was suddenly like "Oh, there you are pre-character development PBox Nick."

Anyone else use method listening to get inspired? Like if you're writing a flashback or a story set in the past for instance?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 08, 2021, 06:35:17 PM
I love this question. For me it depends on the story and how old he is. Like in RMTW I shatter Nick but this was a younger more self destructive Nick, so he reacts pretty badly at first.Making bad choices. I shatter Nick in a completely different way in When The Daylight's Gone, but this was a more mature Nick so while still broken he didn't slip back into old habits. In Show Me A Reason he's very angry because he's in such a bad place. In all of them though certain things still shine through, like trying to cope with a bad past, singing randomly (which I love that he actually does in real life and I got that right lol), and a reliance on the Backstreet Family as they're the ones who've been there. My Nick also tends to have a random brain which fits cause real life Nick is like that but truth be told a lot of his random thoughts are shit that just happens in my brain that I pass on to him.

I love how you're all about shattering Nick at any age LOL.  Angst angst angst!

Age definitely seems to be a big factor in how we all portray Nick.  Is it the same with the other Boys, or do we mainly do this with Nick because he seems to have changed the most as a person over the course of the Boys' careers?


Which, what Boy would you say you put the most of yourself into when you write? Like when you write his character, which comes the closest to how you'd write yourself?

I'm sure I put some of myself into all my characters, but different sides of myself into different characters.  The one that comes closest to how I'd write myself is probably Howie, just because I think he's most like me in real life.


But lately, I've read other Howies and thought "Is Howie me?" So maybe it's Howie, haha.

Howie is all of us. LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 08, 2021, 06:55:21 PM
Age definitely seems to be a big factor in how we all portray Nick.  Is it the same with the other Boys, or do we mainly do this with Nick because he seems to have changed the most as a person over the course of the Boys' careers?

I said this yesterday with portraying Kevin as "the only sane man" among the others, but that seems more like 90's BSB than current BSB. I definitely think age affects Nick the most just because we've seen him at so many different ages and a sixteen year-old is vastly different than an early twenty-something who is vastly different from a early thirty-something (Or at least in my personal experience, I cannot speak on what it's like to be forty, but I'm happy to take another hiatus and let you all know when the time comes. ;)). And by the time we really got a Kevin in the states, he was already mid-late twenties, so the difference probably seems so much smaller than if we'd been following them since 1993. I bet everyone watching them in Germany in 1995 would have a slightly different opinion about Kevin back then, haha. I'm sure a 90's era AJ would seem pretty different from a present day AJ too. And a 90's era Brian would likely lack some of the political undertones he gets now. If anything, Howie gets some secret sass and well-roundedness added as time goes on.

Realistically though, most of us tend to lean "Group featuring Nick," so we have the most varied character archetypes with major character development to draw from and speak on for Nick, regardless of what age he happens to be in the story. So maybe it's age compounded with that.


Howie is all of us. LOL

lmao The more time goes, the more I also think this is true. Maybe that's why I keep pushing for a Howie trend, I just want us all to feel represented in a BSB fanfic and still have it be about BSB, haha.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 08, 2021, 06:57:47 PM
I've been romping back around in the beginning of PBox and was having a hard time reverting Nick's character development, then started listening to some Now or Never again and it was suddenly like "Oh, there you are pre-character development PBox Nick."

Anyone else use method listening to get inspired? Like if you're writing a flashback or a story set in the past for instance?

Sure!  I'm almost always listening to something when I write.  Usually it's instrumental music that fits the mood of the scene, but sometimes I change it up.  I found this ambience video on YouTube a few years ago called "Beside Life Support" that is literally just a heart monitor and ventilator sound effect looped for an hour.  I laughed at it at first, but then I tried playing it while I was writing an ICU scene, and it actually did help me focus and get into the scene.  So I bust that out for scenes where it's appropriate.  One of the top comments says "Who's here because they're writing fanfiction?" so I guess I'm not the only weirdo who does that LOL.  I also listened to the ER score when I was writing my ER crossover; it made my trauma room scenes feel so much more dramatic LOL.  And of course I listened to Harry Potter music while working on my HP crossover.

If I'm writing about BSB from the past, I sometimes play their songs from that time period.  My current story is set in the Unbreakable era, so I listened to that album last week, and one of these weekends I'll watch the concert.  I'm waiting until I'm closer to the tour part of the story.  I think I posted about watching interviews from that era, which was helpful in reminding me of specific details I can include at some point, like Brian's big-ass white high-tops he wore all the time and AJ's guyliner.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 08, 2021, 07:07:35 PM
My writing update for today:

I was hoping to finish Chapter 6 this weekend and did not, but now I'm thinking that may actually be better because it means I'm more likely to write during the week.  I went to bed last night wishing I could stay up longer and finish my scene.  I woke up this morning still feeling inspired, so I pecked out about 200 more words while I was drying my hair.  I left off in mid-sentence, but I think leaving myself hanging like that actually helps me pick back up on it later... whereas if I was actually at a good stopping place, like the end of a scene or chapter, I would have a much harder time getting started next time I sat down to write.  It's nice to know what comes next.

I feel like I always start out the work week really inspired and motivated from writing over the weekend, and then as the days ago on, that feeling wanes until Saturday morning, when I can sit down with a cup of coffee and build it back up again.  That has been my routine lately.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 08, 2021, 07:15:42 PM
I haven't really written a whole lot in the past week, I sprained a muscle in my neck last Sunday so for a few days it hurt to look down at my iPad or phone for long periods of time. Thankfully I had chapters done already that I could post so I'm glad I wrote ahead, it comes in handy for situations such as that.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 08, 2021, 07:19:37 PM
I sometimes listen to music when I'm writing at home, or I'll put a movie on for background noise. When I wrote If I Knew Then I basically watched Titanic every night and got super motivated that way. Not even sure why but I guess the love triangle of Nick, Brian and Leighanne was a little inspired from that towards the second half of the story. But with this new story I find that I'm watching old interviews and things from whatever time period I am working on since it's got so many flashbacks. Most of the time I write with no music.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 08, 2021, 07:23:26 PM
I haven't really written a whole lot in the past week, I sprained a muscle in my neck last Sunday so for a few days it hurt to look down at my iPad or phone for long periods of time. Thankfully I had chapters done already that I could post so I'm glad I wrote ahead, it comes in handy for situations such as that.

I bet!  I have done that before, and it hurts so bad.  Hope you're feeling better!


I sometimes listen to music when I'm writing at home, or I'll put a movie on for background noise. When I wrote If I Knew Then I basically watched Titanic every night and got super motivated that way. Not even sure why but I guess the love triangle of Nick, Brian and Leighanne was a little inspired from that towards the second half of the story. But with this new story I find that I'm watching old interviews and things from whatever time period I am working on since it's got so many flashbacks. Most of the time I write with no music.

I love how much Titanic inspired you for the end of the story!  I listen to Titanic music sometimes while writing, but I've never tried playing the actual movie in the background.  I think it would be like music with lyrics and just distract me because I would end up reciting all the lines along with the actors, which I already find myself doing when I watch that movie LOL.  I watch movies to get inspired before writing, but not usually while I'm actually writing.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 08, 2021, 07:44:00 PM
Sure!  I'm almost always listening to something when I write.  Usually it's instrumental music that fits the mood of the scene, but sometimes I change it up.  I found this ambience video on YouTube a few years ago called "Beside Life Support" that is literally just a heart monitor and ventilator sound effect looped for an hour.  I laughed at it at first, but then I tried playing it while I was writing an ICU scene, and it actually did help me focus and get into the scene.  So I bust that out for scenes where it's appropriate.  One of the top comments says "Who's here because they're writing fanfiction?" so I guess I'm not the only weirdo who does that LOL.  I also listened to the ER score when I was writing my ER crossover; it made my trauma room scenes feel so much more dramatic LOL.  And of course I listened to Harry Potter music while working on my HP crossover.

I know you enjoyed ambient mood type stuff while you write. I love that the top comment is "who's here writing fanfiction" because I can't really think of a reason to listen to a looped heart monitor/ventilator for an hour unless it was for setting a mood while writing, some sort of art project, or other creative outlet that needed that immersion inspiration. I thought of a couple half way through writing this, but I still feel like creative pursuits would be the primary reason.

If I'm writing about BSB from the past, I sometimes play their songs from that time period.  My current story is set in the Unbreakable era, so I listened to that album last week, and one of these weekends I'll watch the concert.  I'm waiting until I'm closer to the tour part of the story.  I think I posted about watching interviews from that era, which was helpful in reminding me of specific details I can include at some point, like Brian's big-ass white high-tops he wore all the time and AJ's guyliner.

ARok had to contrast each other! big-ass white high-tops and guyliner are opposites! Oh 2007... What a time the late 00's were. That was back when I rocked a bumpit and hair poufs to high heaven -- there's pictures from a friend's wedding where it was larger than my forehead!

I sometimes listen to music when I'm writing at home, or I'll put a movie on for background noise. When I wrote If I Knew Then I basically watched Titanic every night and got super motivated that way. Not even sure why but I guess the love triangle of Nick, Brian and Leighanne was a little inspired from that towards the second half of the story. But with this new story I find that I'm watching old interviews and things from whatever time period I am working on since it's got so many flashbacks. Most of the time I write with no music.

What a great movie to inspire a love triangle from. There was a legitimate argument on each side and not just "Oh noes, two boys are in love with plain old ordinary me! I must brood about it instead of spending time with both of them and choosing one!"

I haven't really written a whole lot in the past week, I sprained a muscle in my neck last Sunday so for a few days it hurt to look down at my iPad or phone for long periods of time. Thankfully I had chapters done already that I could post so I'm glad I wrote ahead, it comes in handy for situations such as that.

Sorry you've been hurting! Neck sprains and tweaks are the worst; I never realize how much I use my neck until I can't. I hope you're feeling better!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 08, 2021, 07:49:07 PM
Lol the way you replied to the love triangle makes it sound like Nick was into Leighanne too but I just want to point out that he was NOT haha. Nick loves Brian, Brian loves Nick but is in denial and loves Leighanne. Leighanne and Nick are friends but she secretly hates him, and Leighanne loves Brian. If that makes ANY sense at all. It's just very complicated lmao

I'm still in pain but I'm taking the injury day by day. It's definitely getting better but it's going to be a bit before I am back to normal again.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 08, 2021, 07:58:24 PM
I know you enjoyed ambient mood type stuff while you write. I love that the top comment is "who's here writing fanfiction" because I can't really think of a reason to listen to a looped heart monitor/ventilator for an hour unless it was for setting a mood while writing, some sort of art project, or other creative outlet that needed that immersion inspiration. I thought of a couple half way through writing this, but I still feel like creative pursuits would be the primary reason.

Yeah, it would be good background noise for a hospital scene in a movie or something, but otherwise, I'm not sure what else you would use it for.  It's not the kind of white noise that would be good to fall asleep to LOL.


Oh 2007... What a time the late 00's were. That was back when I rocked a bumpit and hair poufs to high heaven -- there's pictures from a friend's wedding where it was larger than my forehead!

LOL!  You were like Snooki!  How very 2007 indeed.

Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 08, 2021, 08:00:45 PM
My writing update for today:

I was hoping to finish Chapter 6 this weekend and did not, but now I'm thinking that may actually be better because it means I'm more likely to write during the week.  I went to bed last night wishing I could stay up longer and finish my scene.  I woke up this morning still feeling inspired, so I pecked out about 200 more words while I was drying my hair.  I left off in mid-sentence, but I think leaving myself hanging like that actually helps me pick back up on it later... whereas if I was actually at a good stopping place, like the end of a scene or chapter, I would have a much harder time getting started next time I sat down to write.  It's nice to know what comes next.

I feel like I always start out the work week really inspired and motivated from writing over the weekend, and then as the days ago on, that feeling wanes until Saturday morning, when I can sit down with a cup of coffee and build it back up again.  That has been my routine lately.

Another writing while hair drying day! I also find that I have a harder time getting back into the groove if I've reached an abrupt end to whatever I was writing. Scenes, less so, but definitely with chapters. I don't know what it is about starting a new chapter! They definitely go easier if I have a pre-written snippet to plop in, but I always hem and haw for a little bit before committing anything solid to paper.

I found an article today that rings true to me in those moments; I usually pick "write out of order" these days. It's here if anyone wants to read it: 7 Ways to Rescue a Writing Day That's Not Happening (https://www.writerswrite.co.za/7-ways-to-rescue-a-writing-day-thats-not-happening/)

Writing yesterday was weird because I started out totally motivated to start the next chapter from the beginning, then I really wanted to write the end of that scene instead, and then I thought "Oh, this leads perfectly into an interesting bit for later that I'd already started and now I have the way to start it." So then I wrote that and writing that once again reminded me that I really thought the beginning of PBox was missing a chapter it should have had, so now I'm writing that, but also figuring out how to put the focus on Nick for another early chapter to deal with his "mood whiplash." And this morning, I was pondering the start of the next book! I'm literally all over the place with this story, haha. But it all feels fine because it's all the same big story technically? I don't know, it's weird... I'm usually not as all over the place while writing.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 08, 2021, 08:05:20 PM
Lol the way you replied to the love triangle makes it sound like Nick was into Leighanne too but I just want to point out that he was NOT haha. Nick loves Brian, Brian loves Nick but is in denial and loves Leighanne. Leighanne and Nick are friends but she secretly hates him, and Leighanne loves Brian. If that makes ANY sense at all. It's just very complicated lmao

I'm still in pain but I'm taking the injury day by day. It's definitely getting better but it's going to be a bit before I am back to normal again.

LMAO! No, definitely didn't think that! I was making fun of Twilight without outright saying so. That would be a weird love triangle if Nick and Brian were into each other and Leighanne while Leighanne was into Brian. If only Leighanne was into Nick too, then they could have been a power thruple.

Glad it's getting better and wishing you a quick recovery! :)
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 08, 2021, 08:06:28 PM
Fun fact I've never read or watched Twilight lol
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 08, 2021, 08:10:26 PM
Yeah, it would be good background noise for a hospital scene in a movie or something, but otherwise, I'm not sure what else you would use it for.  It's not the kind of white noise that would be good to fall asleep to LOL.


LOL!  You were like Snooki!  How very 2007 indeed.

Just add a bass drop and put it on in da club!

Yes! And it was... very dated looking. Put me on an episode of "I Hate Watching Myself"! Though I will sometimes rock a tiny bang pouf for a fancy outfit kind of day.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 08, 2021, 08:11:40 PM
Fun fact I've never read or watched Twilight lol

Don't do it. It will add nothing to your life except make it easier for me to subtly joke about it around you.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: FrickingKaos on March 08, 2021, 08:15:25 PM
However I did attempt to read 50 Shades of Grey one time and I didn't even get past the first couple chapters of the book on my Kindle. It was horrible. I said can I have my 3.99 back please this was awful. I've read better fanfictions on here than that garbage. I don't get the hype. Maybe it's because I'm not really into sex scenes and stuff, I don't know. the writing was terrible.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 08, 2021, 08:20:04 PM
As soon as I found out it was originally Twilight fanfic, I noped that thought out of my head! Because I couldn't take another book where a bland protagonist bit their lip all the time while they did nothing but first person POVed everything.

And saying that, I cringe every time I write that Nick bites his lip, but he does and it's just... ugh, Nick!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 08, 2021, 08:49:40 PM
Another writing while hair drying day! I also find that I have a harder time getting back into the groove if I've reached an abrupt end to whatever I was writing. Scenes, less so, but definitely with chapters. I don't know what it is about starting a new chapter! They definitely go easier if I have a pre-written snippet to plop in, but I always hem and haw for a little bit before committing anything solid to paper.

I found an article today that rings true to me in those moments; I usually pick "write out of order" these days. It's here if anyone wants to read it: 7 Ways to Rescue a Writing Day That's Not Happening (https://www.writerswrite.co.za/7-ways-to-rescue-a-writing-day-thats-not-happening/)

Writing yesterday was weird because I started out totally motivated to start the next chapter from the beginning, then I really wanted to write the end of that scene instead, and then I thought "Oh, this leads perfectly into an interesting bit for later that I'd already started and now I have the way to start it." So then I wrote that and writing that once again reminded me that I really thought the beginning of PBox was missing a chapter it should have had, so now I'm writing that, but also figuring out how to put the focus on Nick for another early chapter to deal with his "mood whiplash." And this morning, I was pondering the start of the next book! I'm literally all over the place with this story, haha. But it all feels fine because it's all the same big story technically? I don't know, it's weird... I'm usually not as all over the place while writing.

Starting a new chapter is hard!  Even after I figure out the first sentence, it usually takes a few paragraphs for the word to start flowing - and sometimes those first few paragraphs take me hours to write.  So frustrating.  Once I get into a scene or chapter, it gets easier.

I was still pasting in pre-written paragraphs from the first version of the story as recently as yesterday, and it did help make me feel more productive, like I'd written more than I actually had, but I don't think I could work that way all the time.  It feels too disjointed for me.  I was happy to find a place for most of the parts I liked from the first version, but I hate having two versions of the story open at the same time and hacking and slashing to make pieces from both of them fit together.  Kudos to you for being able to write scenes out of order and put them together so seamlessly!  It is not easy.

I liked that article.  This quote was a helpful reminder:  "But take heart. All is not lost – especially if you remember that there’s more to writing than just the actual act of writing. It’s also dreaming, planning, thinking; researching, practising, and learning."

#1 Watching a film or reading a book is my go-to when I want to get inspired.  It doesn't always work, but I make a list of things I can watch or read that are similar to my current story in some way and then pick something off that list when the time is appropriate.  Which is why I'll probably be watching the Unbreakable concert at some point soonish.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 08, 2021, 08:57:50 PM
LMAO! No, definitely didn't think that! I was making fun of Twilight without outright saying so. That would be a weird love triangle if Nick and Brian were into each other and Leighanne while Leighanne was into Brian. If only Leighanne was into Nick too, then they could have been a power thruple.

Glad it's getting better and wishing you a quick recovery! :)

LOL Your description was very Twilight.

A power thruple!  If Leighanne was into Nick too, and Nick was into her, he and Brian could both marry her and be Brother Husbands!  That would be an interesting fanfic LOL.  It probably already exists on AO3 and has a bunch of kinky tags.


However I did attempt to read 50 Shades of Grey one time and I didn't even get past the first couple chapters of the book on my Kindle. It was horrible. I said can I have my 3.99 back please this was awful. I've read better fanfictions on here than that garbage. I don't get the hype. Maybe it's because I'm not really into sex scenes and stuff, I don't know. the writing was terrible.

LOL!  I have never attempted to read that book and never will, but I was dragged to see the movie, and it was the longest 2.5 hours of my life I will never get back.  I thought the first Lord of the Rings was long and boring, but at least that movie had a plot.  It didn't help that one of the friends I was with leaned over and whispered, "Is it just me, or is one of his eyeballs bigger than the other one?" about the main actor within the first ten minutes of the movie, and that was all I could think about for the remainder of it.  Because, yes, one of his eyeballs was bigger than the other one, and it was distracting.


As soon as I found out it was originally Twilight fanfic, I noped that thought out of my head! Because I couldn't take another book where a bland protagonist bit their lip all the time while they did nothing but first person POVed everything.

And saying that, I cringe every time I write that Nick bites his lip, but he does and it's just... ugh, Nick!

LOL!!!  When Nick does it, it's hot though.

That reminds me of the "Speak Like Kristen Stewart" video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKKAVYI7vdU&ab_channel=TheKeyofAwesome  Spot on!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 08, 2021, 09:13:37 PM
Starting a new chapter is hard!  Even after I figure out the first sentence, it usually takes a few paragraphs for the word to start flowing - and sometimes those first few paragraphs take me hours to write.  So frustrating.  Once I get into a scene or chapter, it gets easier.

I was still pasting in pre-written paragraphs from the first version of the story as recently as yesterday, and it did help make me feel more productive, like I'd written more than I actually had, but I don't think I could work that way all the time.  It feels too disjointed for me.  I was happy to find a place for most of the parts I liked from the first version, but I hate having two versions of the story open at the same time and hacking and slashing to make pieces from both of them fit together.  Kudos to you for being able to write scenes out of order and put them together so seamlessly!  It is not easy.

Yes, same. The worst is when you know exactly what should happen, but then don't know if it just picks up from the last chapter or if it starts slightly later. I go back over the first few things in a chapter so many times, to the point that sometimes I'll just be typing, sometimes I'll be typing over it in suggest mode, sometimes I'll type over it in suggest mode and highlight changes in yellow, and then sometimes it gets so bad that I highlight over the yellow changes in orange. I've never gone over four days fanangling edits to a chapter, yet, but it feels slightly excessive.

Oh I hate having two documents open. That's how I live in PBox as an OF. Chapter by chapter with the fanfic open beside it. I hate it. But it helps me revert if I change my mind about something and it gives me a clear picture of what I'm wanting to remove, so it is helpful. And I guess if I know I have parts of my "interesting bits" coming up, I have three things open: the ten chapter chunk I'm working on, the interesting bits document, and my document to keep track of my daily word count. Oh, and sometimes the appropriate PBox 10 chapter chunk if something related comes up. Writing the last book is going to be so fun when I have 100 chapters of things to reference back to and probably still write out of order...

Thanks! However, ask me how it goes for a new story! Even though it hasn't been "front and center" in my mind again until recently, Pbox et al. has been taking up residence in my head for fifteen years, so (if nothing else) I have a pretty clear vision on all of it.


I liked that article.  This quote was a helpful reminder:  "But take heart. All is not lost – especially if you remember that there’s more to writing than just the actual act of writing. It’s also dreaming, planning, thinking; researching, practising, and learning."

#1 Watching a film or reading a book is my go-to when I want to get inspired.  It doesn't always work, but I make a list of things I can watch or read that are similar to my current story in some way and then pick something off that list when the time is appropriate.  Which is why I'll probably be watching the Unbreakable concert at some point soonish.

That was one of my favorite parts too. I've been getting a lot of great articles about writing in my news feed since I started looking up writing related things. I like it a lot. I have a fun one saved for whenever we feel like delving into Gobosei and Guilty Roads again.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 08, 2021, 09:21:32 PM
LOL Your description was very Twilight.

A power thruple!  If Leighanne was into Nick too, and Nick was into her, he and Brian could both marry her and be Brother Husbands!  That would be an interesting fanfic LOL.  It probably already exists on AO3 and has a bunch of kinky tags.

Brother Husbands, lmao! Same sex marriage is legal; they could all marry each other. So many kinky tags, the most boring of which would obviously be "menage a trois."

LOL!  I have never attempted to read that book and never will, but I was dragged to see the movie, and it was the longest 2.5 hours of my life I will never get back.  I thought the first Lord of the Rings was long and boring, but at least that movie had a plot.  It didn't help that one of the friends I was with leaned over and whispered, "Is it just me, or is one of his eyeballs bigger than the other one?" about the main actor within the first ten minutes of the movie, and that was all I could think about for the remainder of it.  Because, yes, one of his eyeballs was bigger than the other one, and it was distracting.

LMFAO!!

LOL!!!  When Nick does it, it's hot though.

That reminds me of the "Speak Like Kristen Stewart" video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKKAVYI7vdU&ab_channel=TheKeyofAwesome  Spot on!

It is hot, but I always think. "Ugh, everyone reading this is going to compare Nick to Kristen Stewart. I know you were doing it first, Nick, and it's not even your default expression, but... ugh... I'm writing it anyway. Because you do it and it's attractive, even though I usually make you do it when you're worried about something." Seductive Nick is the lip licker, obviously.

Yes! That one is spot on!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 08, 2021, 09:26:20 PM
Yes, I prefer Nick licking his lips to biting.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 08, 2021, 09:34:39 PM
Yes, I prefer Nick licking his lips to biting.

Unfortunately, Nick licking his lips because he's worried about something seems counter productive.

"I'm worried that dude will punch me in the face." Licks lips. "Yup, now he thinks I'm flirting with him and he did not like it. I've made a huge mistake!"

lol!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 08, 2021, 09:38:48 PM
Unfortunately, Nick licking his lips because he's worried about something seems counter productive.

"I'm worried that dude will punch me in the face." Licks lips. "Yup, now he thinks I'm flirting with him and he did not like it. I've made a huge mistake!"

lol!

LOL!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 09, 2021, 09:19:40 PM
Do you ever find yourself wishing you were writing a screenplay instead of a novel?  I've never seriously considered writing a screenplay, but sometimes when I want to skip time in a story, I wish there was a way of showing a montage with words.  I guess we would call that a summary, but it comes across so much better on the screen, where you can show a bunch of clips of the characters doing things set to music to show what happened between actual scenes.  I can picture the perfect movie montage for my story.  But in a novel, it's just like, "Okay, before we skip ahead to the next interesting event, let me quickly summarize in a paragraph or two what not-so-interesting things happen in the meantime."

Or I could always use Stephenie Meyer's tactic from New Moon and just write "October... November... December... January..." across four otherwise blank pages to dramatically show the passing of time.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 09, 2021, 09:35:38 PM
Stumbled on some fun questions to answer (and whittled it down from 50 to less than twenty!). I took out a few repetitive ones (and ones that didn't make sense), but if there's something you feel like we've already talked about, skip it.

1. Without looking at any numbers, what’s your most popular fic? Why do you think that is and is it the same one you would say is your best one?

2. Have you ever written a fanfic for a concept you know someone else has done before? How did it impact your writing process or feelings after posting?

3. Have you ever written a fanfic and decided never to publish it? Why?

4. What’s the biggest change between your style when you started in fandom and today? Could you stand to reread your first fanfic?

5. What’s the biggest change in your taste between when you started in fandom and today?

6. Have you ever purposefully written one fandom/fic idea over another because you knew it’d be more popular?

7. If you had to pick one scene to describe your entire portfolio to a stranger, which would you pick? Would you be willing to share it with us?

8. Have/would you ever rewrite a fanfic? If yes, would you take the original down?

9. What aspect of your writing do you most enjoy to see praised?

10. Who’s the one character you’ve just never managed to get perfectly right?

11. Who’s the one character who shines without you even trying?

12. Is there any particular character whose scenes always wind up being longer/more frequent than you expected? Does the quality hold up?

13. Was there any fanfic that you wrote that really surprised you in the fandom reaction? Was it just by the numbers or did they take it an entirely different way?

14. If you cross-post your fanfics on multiple sites, do you have a favorite? Are there certain fics you would only post on certain site?

15. If someone you know who isn’t involved in BSB fanfic fandom asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first?

16. Does anyone you know from outside of BSB fanfic know you write fanfic? Are they involved in the same BSB fandom too?

17. Has anyone in your life ever read your fanfic just because you wrote it?

18. What kind of impact has writing fanfic had on your life?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 09, 2021, 09:40:59 PM
Do you ever find yourself wishing you were writing a screenplay instead of a novel?  I've never seriously considered writing a screenplay, but sometimes when I want to skip time in a story, I wish there was a way of showing a montage with words.  I guess we would call that a summary, but it comes across so much better on the screen, where you can show a bunch of clips of the characters doing things set to music to show what happened between actual scenes.  I can picture the perfect movie montage for my story.  But in a novel, it's just like, "Okay, before we skip ahead to the next interesting event, let me quickly summarize in a paragraph or two what not-so-interesting things happen in the meantime."

Or I could always use Stephenie Meyer's tactic from New Moon and just write "October... November... December... January..." across four otherwise blank pages to dramatically show the passing of time.

"Dramatically." lol

Having written in "script format," I think I prefer writing novels, but I feel you on the passage of time thing. I had one of those in a recent chapter where I just didn't want to go into in a preference to get a move on. I honestly just wrote the tiniest snippets of scenes to "peek" into it. Which felt kind of like a montage. I think there's probably a way to do a lot of "cinematography things" in a novel, it just all comes down to scene framing and word choice.

Maybe there's a way you can make it seem "montagey" without going too far into it, but something more than a couple paragraph summary?
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 09, 2021, 10:08:16 PM
"Dramatically." lol

Having written in "script format," I think I prefer writing novels, but I feel you on the passage of time thing. I had one of those in a recent chapter where I just didn't want to go into in a preference to get a move on. I honestly just wrote the tiniest snippets of scenes to "peek" into it. Which felt kind of like a montage. I think there's probably a way to do a lot of "cinematography things" in a novel, it just all comes down to scene framing and word choice.

Maybe there's a way you can make it seem "montagey" without going too far into it, but something more than a couple paragraph summary?

I definitely prefer writing prose to script format, but it would be different if I were actually going to make a movie out of the script.

I think that's probably what I will end up doing.  My story takes place while Kevin was out of the group, so there's going to be a part where the Boys are on tour, and Kevin is somewhere else doing stuff that I don't necessarily want to write about in great detail, nor do I want to write a bunch of tour stuff... I just want to skip ahead to when Kevin and the Boys can be back together again, which is where the heart of the story will be.  I'm alternating first person POV between Kevin and Nick, so I'll probably give them each at least a chapter or two to cover that time period and then move on.  Or maybe I'll think of more ideas for specific scenes that are interesting when I actually get to that point in the story.  But right now it's just kind of a vague montage in my mind, and the ideas for specific scenes I have all come later.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 09, 2021, 10:24:11 PM
I definitely prefer writing prose to script format, but it would be different if I were actually going to make a movie out of the script.

I think that's probably what I will end up doing.  My story takes place while Kevin was out of the group, so there's going to be a part where the Boys are on tour, and Kevin is somewhere else doing stuff that I don't necessarily want to write about in great detail, nor do I want to write a bunch of tour stuff... I just want to skip ahead to when Kevin and the Boys can be back together again, which is where the heart of the story will be.  I'm alternating first person POV between Kevin and Nick, so I'll probably give them each at least a chapter or two to cover that time period and then move on.  Or maybe I'll think of more ideas for specific scenes that are interesting when I actually get to that point in the story.  But right now it's just kind of a vague montage in my mind, and the ideas for specific scenes I have all come later.

I feel you on wanting to skip along to the heart of the story. That was a lot of my reason too, I didn't want to drag out what I felt like wasn't as important and Nick was getting impatient to move on as well, haha.

Maybe make a list of the montagey stuff you'd want to cover (even if you feel like there's not a whole scene you would want to write on any of the items), then see if there's a lyrical way you could describe or present it succinctly.

I'll ponder on this and see if the internet has suggestions. Tumblr might be a good place to check? I perused some things I'd saved because this sounded like something I read once and found a discussion about "slow motion montage backed by Gregorian choir," so I can't imagine there's not ideas for "upbeat pop montage" too. Repetition of similar words is likely the musicality piece? Anaphora (repeating the same words at the beginning of several phrases) or epizeuxis (repeating one word for emphasis) might help with that, but I don't know if they would slow the scene down too much.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 09, 2021, 10:44:35 PM
On my first, not super detailed, pass of the internet, I mostly found a lot of "why would you put a montage in a novel when narrative bridge exists?" So... the repetition I initially suggested and short sentences would likely evoke a montage?  :shrug:
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 09, 2021, 11:17:35 PM
Yay, more questions!

1. Without looking at any numbers, what’s your most popular fic? Why do you think that is and is it the same one you would say is your best one?

On AC, it's definitely Curtain Call.  I can say that without looking at the numbers because I already know it has the most reviews and favorites of all my stories.  But if I include the pre-AC era, it may actually be Broken.  Broken and BMS are the stories I got the most email feedback for, by far, and they may still be the stories I'm best known for, at least around here.  They're probably comparable to the average number of reviews and tweets I got for Curtain Call.  I guess people like reading Nick cancer stories with romantic subplots?  I get it; I like reading stuff like that too.  I feel like I'm just repeating myself from the questions I posted over the weekend, but yeah, I would say Curtain Call is probably my best one, as was Broken at the time I wrote it.


2. Have you ever written a fanfic for a concept you know someone else has done before? How did it impact your writing process or feelings after posting?

Of course.  Broken was inspired by another Nick cancer story (Swollen Issues II).  I didn't want to completely copy, so I purposely picked a different type of cancer, which is how I came up with bone cancer and the choppage storyline to set it apart.  While there are certainly similarities between Broken and Swollen, the two stories and their sequels ended up going in very different directions, so I feel okay about that.  It also helped that the author of Swollen, Jenna, ended up reading Broken and loving it, just as I loved her stories.  We were very supportive of each other.


3. Have you ever written a fanfic and decided never to publish it? Why?

I've never finished a fanfic and decided not to publish it.  Of course I have stories I've started and not posted.  I just can't imagine putting the time and effort into writing an entire story and not posting it or sharing it somewhere, which I guess proves that I don't write just for myself... because if I did, then maybe I would keep more stories to myself.  But if I'm being honest, I like the reaction (and, if I'm lucky, the accolades) from fellow fanfic readers.  To me, that's a big part of the reward for putting in that time and effort.  I think the only reason I would write a whole story and not post it is if it was deeply personal, to the point that I felt uncomfortable sharing it with the world.  I'm curious to know if anyone else here has done that.


4. What’s the biggest change between your style when you started in fandom and today? Could you stand to reread your first fanfic?

Showing, not telling.  I'm a lot better at weaving together dialogue, description, action, etc. to create a scene instead of a summary.  I did use those elements to a certain degree when I first started writing, but it was much more simplistic, less detailed.  My first fanfic is super cheesy, so all I can do is skim through it and cringe.


5. What’s the biggest change in your taste between when you started in fandom and today?

I've gotten pickier as a reader.  I used to read just about anything featuring Brian as a main character, especially if it was dramatic - bonus points for featuring a hospital scene.  Quality didn't matter to me much.  Now I don't care as much about which boy it's about, but the storyline has to interest me, and it has to be at least decently written to get me to stick with it.


6. Have you ever purposefully written one fandom/fic idea over another because you knew it’d be more popular?

Not that I can remember.  If I choose one idea over another, it's because it's more interesting to me or because I've tried writing both, and that one is going better.  I don't worry as much about which one other people will like more.


7. If you had to pick one scene to describe your entire portfolio to a stranger, which would you pick? Would you be willing to share it with us?

Ooh, this is a good question and a tough one.  In thinking of types of scenes that would best embody my work, I decided it would have to involve some medical drama and feature Nick and/or Brian.  I'm going way back with this, but I thought of Chapter 102 of Broken, which is when distraught emo Broken Nick calls Brian after getting the news that he needs to have his leg amputated, and Brian comes over to comfort him.  It's the kind of angsty, overwrought, bromantic fanfic drama I adore and features some delightful examples of purple prose, such as my description of the sadness Nick saw in the "cerulean depths" of Brian's eyes LOL.  http://dreamers-sanctuary.com/stories/mystories/broken/broken102/


I'm gonna have to answer the rest of these tomorrow night; I've gotta get to bed! LOL
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 10, 2021, 05:30:31 PM
8. Have/would you ever rewrite a fanfic? If yes, would you take the original down?

The only one I've rewritten was Code Blue.  I did take the original down to replace it with the rewritten version.  I regret rewriting it and will probably never do that again.


9. What aspect of your writing do you most enjoy to see praised?

Characterizati on.  I love when readers say they thought the Boys and their relationships with each other were portrayed realistically or that they liked one of my original characters.  That is something I value in other people's writing as well, and I know how hard it can be to create a great character (or, in our case, write the guys in a way that captures their essence in real life).


10. Who’s the one character you’ve just never managed to get perfectly right?

Wow, these next few questions are the perfect follow up to what I just wrote about.  I would say Howie has been the hardest character for me to get "right."  I think it's because he's just seems kind of quiet and mild-mannered in real life.  I feel like I have a sense of his general personality, but I also think there must be other sides to him that he hasn't shown us as much as maybe some of the other guys have.  This may be why people enjoy finding his hidden dark side in fiction and turning him into a villain - it makes him more interesting LOL.  I've only written one Howie novel, and it was definitely a challenge to write him in a way that felt realistic, but also fit the story I was trying to tell.  I think I did okay with it, but I don't feel as confident about Howie as a character as I do the other boys.


11. Who’s the one character who shines without you even trying?

I feel like Nick and AJ tend to give me the best material.  Their dialogue in particular usually comes easily to me.  I stayed up too late Sunday (or Monday?) night writing an argument between them that I hadn't planned; I kept trying to go to bed, but then I'd think of another line of dialogue, so I'd have to open the Chromebook again and add it before I forgot it.  They're also good for banter and comic relief.  I write Nick as a main character more than I do AJ, so I probably put more effort into him.  AJ is the one who tends to shine as more of a supporting character.  


12. Is there any particular character whose scenes always wind up being longer/more frequent than you expected? Does the quality hold up?

Probably Nick or Brian.  They're my favorites, so even in a group story where I'm trying my best to keep it balanced between all five, the focus tends to shift to Brian or Nick or both.  In my current story, I'm alternating between Kevin's and Nick's first person POV for each chapter.  The number of chapters per character will be the same, but the length may vary.  I just finished a monster Nick chapter that ended up being almost 5000 words, when the rest of the chapters are more like 2000-3000.  I think I'm at my best when I'm writing about Nick or Brian though because they're the ones I feel most passionate about.


13. Was there any fanfic that you wrote that really surprised you in the fandom reaction? Was it just by the numbers or did they take it an entirely different way?

The fanfic that surprised me most with its reader reaction in terms of numbers is Broken.  Before Broken, I had a handful of faithful readers and would get maybe one or two pieces of feedback when I updated a story.  Once I started posting Broken, that number started going up.  At its peak, I was getting more like ten pieces of feedback for every chapter I posted, which was a lot for me.  That is the story that put me on the map within the BSB fanfic world and built up my base of readers.  A lot of my longtime online friends are people I started talking to because they emailed me about Broken.  That is one reason that story and era will always be so special to me.

I think the one that surprised me the most with how it was taken is A Heart That Isn't Mine.  I've never been more nervous to post a story than I was with that one, and the reaction I was expecting was "WTF is wrong with you?"  But that's not the reaction I got.  It seems like people who read that story actually really liked it, which made me feel more comfortable taking risks and writing about topics that may be taboo.


14. If you cross-post your fanfics on multiple sites, do you have a favorite? Are there certain fics you would only post on certain site?

I post my stories on my site Dreamer's Sanctuary, AC, and AO3.  Of course my own site is my favorite LOL.  After that, I'd still have to say AC because of the culture here - more so the forum than the actual site.  The writers here seem to be more diverse, more supportive of each other, and more interested in writing stories with a plot beyond sex.  The only things I like better about AO3 are that you can give and respond to feedback right on the story and that it's less glitchy.

The only place all my stories are posted is my site.  I didn't start posting on AC until like 2005, so I didn't post all of my old stories here.  I wish I had because it would have put me much higher on the Most Prolific Authors list LOL.  I just started posting my stuff on AO3 last year.  I started by posting all the short stories and novellas I've written since 2008, since those were quick and easy to put up.  The only novels I've posted there so far are Secrets of the Heart, Song for the Undead, Curtain Call, and The Road to Bethlehem.  I'm planning to eventually post Sick as My Secrets and A Heart That Isn't Mine there too.  I probably won't post Broken and BMS there because they're so long, and I definitely don't plan to post anything older than Broken because the quality is not up to my current standards.


15. If someone you know who isn’t involved in BSB fanfic fandom asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first?

Absolutely not, LOL.  But if I had to pick a story for them to read, it would probably be Song for the Undead.  I think it's a cool story, and it wouldn't cause anyone to question how many hours I had spent researching prosthetic legs and stuff like that LOL.  And because it's AU, it doesn't scream "Backstreet Boys fanfic!" like most of my other stories do.


16. Does anyone you know from outside of BSB fanfic know you write fanfic? Are they involved in the same BSB fandom too?

Only my parents and sister.  They knew I wrote fanfic back in the day when I lived with them.  I'm not sure they realize I still do.  I forbid them to read anything on my site, and as far as I know, they always respected that request (or just didn't care enough to bother reading a story about the Backstreet Boys LOL).  They're not involved in the fandom at all.


17. Has anyone in your life ever read your fanfic just because you wrote it?

Outside of the fandom, no, not that I'm aware of.  (I hope not!)  Within the fandom, I'm sure I have friends who have continued to read my fanfic just because we're friends.


18. What kind of impact has writing fanfic had on your life?

Fanfic has had a huge impact on my life.  It's given me a hobby I'm passionate about, even if I don't talk about it with people in my real life.  It's helped me develop my creative writing skills and given me a confidence I didn't have before.  It's also taught me technology skills such as web and graphic design.  It's introduced me to people I never would have met otherwise and fostered some of the best and longest-lasting friendships I have.  Because of those friendships, I've been to places and had experiences I probably never would have had otherwise, like meeting the Boys, going on cruises, traveling to different states for concerts and conventions, etc.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 10, 2021, 05:38:45 PM
I feel you on wanting to skip along to the heart of the story. That was a lot of my reason too, I didn't want to drag out what I felt like wasn't as important and Nick was getting impatient to move on as well, haha.

Maybe make a list of the montagey stuff you'd want to cover (even if you feel like there's not a whole scene you would want to write on any of the items), then see if there's a lyrical way you could describe or present it succinctly.

I'll ponder on this and see if the internet has suggestions. Tumblr might be a good place to check? I perused some things I'd saved because this sounded like something I read once and found a discussion about "slow motion montage backed by Gregorian choir," so I can't imagine there's not ideas for "upbeat pop montage" too. Repetition of similar words is likely the musicality piece? Anaphora (repeating the same words at the beginning of several phrases) or epizeuxis (repeating one word for emphasis) might help with that, but I don't know if they would slow the scene down too much.

That's a good idea to make a list of what I want to include.  It doesn't even have to go together in a lyrical way; I just need to figure out what seems important to actually show and what I can just briefly tell about before moving on.  I have not done much research for that part of the story yet; I might get into it more and think of more scenes to show once I actually do.


On my first, not super detailed, pass of the internet, I mostly found a lot of "why would you put a montage in a novel when narrative bridge exists?" So... the repetition I initially suggested and short sentences would likely evoke a montage?  :shrug:

Thanks for searching for me!  I'm sure I'll figure it out when I get there.  I have a ways to go yet.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 10, 2021, 05:56:36 PM
That's a good idea to make a list of what I want to include.  It doesn't even have to go together in a lyrical way; I just need to figure out what seems important to actually show and what I can just briefly tell about before moving on.  I have not done much research for that part of the story yet; I might get into it more and think of more scenes to show once I actually do.


Thanks for searching for me!  I'm sure I'll figure it out when I get there.  I have a ways to go yet.


Yay, lists! lol I agree, you never know until you get there, but I figure it's always good to start prepping as soon as the thought crosses your mind. :)

Always happy to go on lengthy internet searches, as you know.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 10, 2021, 06:17:56 PM
Yay, more questions!

1. Without looking at any numbers, what’s your most popular fic? Why do you think that is and is it the same one you would say is your best one?

I guess people like reading Nick cancer stories with romantic subplots?  I get it; I like reading stuff like that too.

Yay, questions!

After last weekend, I felt like those two might be the answers, but I laughed at this phrasing. It reminded me of the James Earl Jones guest appearance on BBT ("Let me guess, you like Star Wars? Well guess what... I like Star Wars too!" lol) While you have a breadth, Nick cancer stories are probably your bread and butter. :)


2. Have you ever written a fanfic for a concept you know someone else has done before? How did it impact your writing process or feelings after posting?

It also helped that the author of Swollen, Jenna, ended up reading Broken and loving it, just as I loved her stories.  We were very supportive of each other.

I love this. It's what makes our little BSB fanfic community so nice, all the support.


3. Have you ever written a fanfic and decided never to publish it? Why?

I think the only reason I would write a whole story and not post it is if it was deeply personal, to the point that I felt uncomfortable sharing it with the world.

Any ideas bopping around in your head for something like that? How often would you say life inspires you with plot ideas?


4. What’s the biggest change between your style when you started in fandom and today? Could you stand to reread your first fanfic?

Showing, not telling.  I'm a lot better at weaving together dialogue, description, action, etc. to create a scene instead of a summary.  I did use those elements to a certain degree when I first started writing, but it was much more simplistic, less detailed.  My first fanfic is super cheesy, so all I can do is skim through it and cringe.

Which of those areas (dialogue, description, action, etcetera) do you think improved the most in "showing instead of telling"?


5. What’s the biggest change in your taste between when you started in fandom and today?

I've gotten pickier as a reader.  I used to read just about anything featuring Brian as a main character, especially if it was dramatic - bonus points for featuring a hospital scene.  Quality didn't matter to me much.  Now I don't care as much about which boy it's about, but the storyline has to interest me, and it has to be at least decently written to get me to stick with it.

Okay, but I assume that if it was a decently written interesting and dramatic storyline with Brian as a main character and a hospital scene!... you would still be all over that, haha.


7. If you had to pick one scene to describe your entire portfolio to a stranger, which would you pick? Would you be willing to share it with us?

Ooh, this is a good question and a tough one.  In thinking of types of scenes that would best embody my work, I decided it would have to involve some medical drama and feature Nick and/or Brian.  I'm going way back with this, but I thought of Chapter 102 of Broken, which is when distraught emo Broken Nick calls Brian after getting the news that he needs to have his leg amputated, and Brian comes over to comfort him.  It's the kind of angsty, overwrought, bromantic fanfic drama I adore and features some delightful examples of purple prose, such as my description of the sadness Nick saw in the "cerulean depths" of Brian's eyes LOL.  http://dreamers-sanctuary.com/stories/mystories/broken/broken102/


I'm gonna have to answer the rest of these tomorrow night; I've gotta get to bed! LOL

Glad you went to bed, haha. I want to refresh myself on that one before commenting fully (as it represents your entire portfolio and all), but I also thought this question was great and have been agonizing over what to pick that I think is me since posting these questions.

I do love that Brian had so much sadness in the cerulean depths of his eyes over his buddy Frack having bone cancer and impending choppage. ;) So perfectly purpley.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 10, 2021, 06:42:52 PM
After last weekend, I felt like those two might be the answers, but I laughed at this phrasing. It reminded me of the James Earl Jones guest appearance on BBT ("Let me guess, you like Star Wars? Well guess what... I like Star Wars too!" lol) While you have a breadth, Nick cancer stories are probably your bread and butter. :)

LOL!  Yeah, Nick cancer stories are definitely my bread and butter.  But I guess I'm on a low-carb writing diet because I have cut myself off from writing any more of them. LOL


Any ideas bopping around in your head for something like that? How often would you say life inspires you with plot ideas?

Nope!  Very rarely.  My life is pretty boring!  But that's okay - I'm glad I haven't had to go through most of the crap I put my characters through LOL.  Just researching for this Kevin story I'm writing has made me so grateful for my mundane life.


Which of those areas (dialogue, description, action, etcetera) do you think improved the most in "showing instead of telling"?

Definitely description.  I always included dialogue and a basic amount of action, but not a lot of description.  By the time I wrote Broken, I had realized that and made an effort to be more descriptive, which led to my wordy purple prose phase.  Now I think I've found a happy medium where I describe what's important without bogging the story down with paragraphs upon paragraphs describing the sunset. LOL


Okay, but I assume that if it was a decently written interesting and dramatic storyline with Brian as a main character and a hospital scene!... you would still be all over that, haha.

Oh absolutely!  I think every story I've read on AO3 that isn't by an AC author whose work I was already reading has been a Brian medical drama.  I haven't found many, but I definitely click on the ones I do.


Glad you went to bed, haha. I want to refresh myself on that one before commenting fully (as it represents your entire portfolio and all), but I also thought this question was great and have been agonizing over what to pick that I think is me since posting these questions.

I do love that Brian had so much sadness in the cerulean depths of his eyes over his buddy Frack having bone cancer and impending choppage. ;) So perfectly purpley.

LOL I am already rethinking that scene because it's so old.  Does it really represent me as a writer now?  It does represent what I like to write, but it's definitely more melodramatic and purpley than my stories these days.  A more recent example would be the gunshot scene from Road to Bethlehem - all the delicious Frick & Frack life or death drama without the purple prose (or maybe I'll call mine 'cerulean storytelling' LOL).  There's a scene in A Heart That Isn't Mine that came to mind too, but I'm not ready to post spoilers for that one.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 10, 2021, 06:48:29 PM
8. Have/would you ever rewrite a fanfic? If yes, would you take the original down?

The only one I've rewritten was Code Blue.  I did take the original down to replace it with the rewritten version.  I regret rewriting it and will probably never do that again.

Other than the collaborative aspect, what other regrets do you have about rewriting it?


9. What aspect of your writing do you most enjoy to see praised?

Characterizati on.  I love when readers say they thought the Boys and their relationships with each other were portrayed realistically or that they liked one of my original characters.  That is something I value in other people's writing as well, and I know how hard it can be to create a great character (or, in our case, write the guys in a way that captures their essence in real life).

As a characters over plot person, I think this is essential. :) Great characters make great stories.


10. Who’s the one character you’ve just never managed to get perfectly right?

Wow, these next few questions are the perfect follow up to what I just wrote about.  I would say Howie has been the hardest character for me to get "right."  I think it's because he's just seems kind of quiet and mild-mannered in real life.  I feel like I have a sense of his general personality, but I also think there must be other sides to him that he hasn't shown us as much as maybe some of the other guys have.  This may be why people enjoy finding his hidden dark side in fiction and turning him into a villain - it makes him more interesting LOL.  I've only written one Howie novel, and it was definitely a challenge to write him in a way that felt realistic, but also fit the story I was trying to tell.  I think I did okay with it, but I don't feel as confident about Howie as a character as I do the other boys.

Howie is the most likely to have deep dark secrets! Since Howie is all of us, maybe we should just start picturing we have a friend group like the Boys and that we're the Howie. Maybe that would help unleash his hidden depths?


11. Who’s the one character who shines without you even trying?

I feel like Nick and AJ tend to give me the best material.  Their dialogue in particular usually comes easily to me.  I stayed up too late Sunday (or Monday?) night writing an argument between them that I hadn't planned; I kept trying to go to bed, but then I'd think of another line of dialogue, so I'd have to open the Chromebook again and add it before I forgot it.  They're also good for banter and comic relief.  I write Nick as a main character more than I do AJ, so I probably put more effort into him.  AJ is the one who tends to shine as more of a supporting character.

Oh man! Unplanned Nick and AJ arguments get me every time, and surprise Nick, lol. If they keep wanting to add things and I'm already in bed, that's when I pull my phone out to write, unless I felt like it was going to be another hour of me feeling ridiculously inspired.


12. Is there any particular character whose scenes always wind up being longer/more frequent than you expected? Does the quality hold up?

Probably Nick or Brian.  They're my favorites, so even in a group story where I'm trying my best to keep it balanced between all five, the focus tends to shift to Brian or Nick or both.  In my current story, I'm alternating between Kevin's and Nick's first person POV for each chapter.  The number of chapters per character will be the same, but the length may vary.  I just finished a monster Nick chapter that ended up being almost 5000 words, when the rest of the chapters are more like 2000-3000.  I think I'm at my best when I'm writing about Nick or Brian though because they're the ones I feel most passionate about.

How do you feel when your chapters are usually a certain length and then one just balloons to thousands and thousands of words? Would you try to give a Kevin chapter a similar word count? Split the monster one into two chapters? Let it ride?


13. Was there any fanfic that you wrote that really surprised you in the fandom reaction? Was it just by the numbers or did they take it an entirely different way?

I think the one that surprised me the most with how it was taken is A Heart That Isn't Mine.  I've never been more nervous to post a story than I was with that one, and the reaction I was expecting was "WTF is wrong with you?"  But that's not the reaction I got.  It seems like people who read that story actually really liked it, which made me feel more comfortable taking risks and writing about topics that may be taboo.

I just can't imagine anyone telling you "WTF is wrong with you?" after reading a story, even one that could be taboo.

14. If you cross-post your fanfics on multiple sites, do you have a favorite? Are there certain fics you would only post on certain site?

The only place all my stories are posted is my site.  I didn't start posting on AC until like 2005, so I didn't post all of my old stories here.  I wish I had because it would have put me much higher on the Most Prolific Authors list LOL.  I just started posting my stuff on AO3 last year.  I started by posting all the short stories and novellas I've written since 2008, since those were quick and easy to put up.  The only novels I've posted there so far are Secrets of the Heart, Song for the Undead, Curtain Call, and The Road to Bethlehem.  I'm planning to eventually post Sick as My Secrets and A Heart That Isn't Mine there too.  I probably won't post Broken and BMS there because they're so long, and I definitely don't plan to post anything older than Broken because the quality is not up to my current standards.

You gotta have the accolades! In my mind you're high up on the "most prolific" list, if my opinion counts for anything like that, lol!


15. If someone you know who isn’t involved in BSB fanfic fandom asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first?

Absolutely not, LOL.  But if I had to pick a story for them to read, it would probably be Song for the Undead.  I think it's a cool story, and it wouldn't cause anyone to question how many hours I had spent researching prosthetic legs and stuff like that LOL.  And because it's AU, it doesn't scream "Backstreet Boys fanfic!" like most of my other stories do.

That's how you get people interested in your BSB fanfics, AU! I'll sing the praises of an AU whenever; they're awesome.


16. Does anyone you know from outside of BSB fanfic know you write fanfic? Are they involved in the same BSB fandom too?

Only my parents and sister.  They knew I wrote fanfic back in the day when I lived with them.  I'm not sure they realize I still do.  I forbid them to read anything on my site, and as far as I know, they always respected that request (or just didn't care enough to bother reading a story about the Backstreet Boys LOL).  They're not involved in the fandom at all.


17. Has anyone in your life ever read your fanfic just because you wrote it?

Outside of the fandom, no, not that I'm aware of.  (I hope not!)  Within the fandom, I'm sure I have friends who have continued to read my fanfic just because we're friends.

If they had ignored the request, would they tell you? I feel like they would have to go through some serious hoops to find your stuff now that you no longer live together.

I always prefer to read the stories of people I know (especially these days), so I feel you on that last point.


18. What kind of impact has writing fanfic had on your life?

Fanfic has had a huge impact on my life.  It's given me a hobby I'm passionate about, even if I don't talk about it with people in my real life.  It's helped me develop my creative writing skills and given me a confidence I didn't have before.  It's also taught me technology skills such as web and graphic design.  It's introduced me to people I never would have met otherwise and fostered some of the best and longest-lasting friendships I have.  Because of those friendships, I've been to places and had experiences I probably never would have had otherwise, like meeting the Boys, going on cruises, traveling to different states for concerts and conventions, etc.

I was excited to read everyone's answers to this one! :) Let's sing some praise for fanfic!
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 10, 2021, 07:00:04 PM
LOL!  Yeah, Nick cancer stories are definitely my bread and butter.  But I guess I'm on a low-carb writing diet because I have cut myself off from writing any more of them. LOL

There's plenty of time to give Nick new illnesses. Perhaps you can expand to Nick potentially terminal illness stories... Is that the gluten free version?


Nope!  Very rarely.  My life is pretty boring!  But that's okay - I'm glad I haven't had to go through most of the crap I put my characters through LOL.  Just researching for this Kevin story I'm writing has made me so grateful for my mundane life.

I often find myself being grateful for my abundance of mundaneness, especially while I was reading Bethlehem!


Definitely description.  I always included dialogue and a basic amount of action, but not a lot of description.  By the time I wrote Broken, I had realized that and made an effort to be more descriptive, which led to my wordy purple prose phase.  Now I think I've found a happy medium where I describe what's important without bogging the story down with paragraphs upon paragraphs describing the sunset. LOL

I don't know, I've seen some pretty great sunsets in my life that beg to be described over and over again. ;)


Oh absolutely!  I think every story I've read on AO3 that isn't by an AC author whose work I was already reading has been a Brian medical drama.  I haven't found many, but I definitely click on the ones I do.

I feel like there must still be people out there writing Brian medical dramas. It was such a defining part of early fanfic!


LOL I am already rethinking that scene because it's so old.  Does it really represent me as a writer now?  It does represent what I like to write, but it's definitely more melodramatic and purpley than my stories these days.  A more recent example would be the gunshot scene from Road to Bethlehem - all the delicious Frick & Frack life or death drama without the purple prose (or maybe I'll call mine 'cerulean storytelling' LOL).  There's a scene in A Heart That Isn't Mine that came to mind too, but I'm not ready to post spoilers for that one.

Hang on, hang on, I will go refresh myself on it.

The Frick and Frack piggyback still pops up in my mind sometimes and then I remember how tragic it was and I get so sad... You're a monster.

Can you please call it "Cerulean Compositions"?  :bateyes: I would love that alliteration, lol.  :-*
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 10, 2021, 07:23:05 PM
7. If you had to pick one scene to describe your entire portfolio to a stranger, which would you pick? Would you be willing to share it with us?

Ooh, this is a good question and a tough one.  In thinking of types of scenes that would best embody my work, I decided it would have to involve some medical drama and feature Nick and/or Brian.  I'm going way back with this, but I thought of Chapter 102 of Broken, which is when distraught emo Broken Nick calls Brian after getting the news that he needs to have his leg amputated, and Brian comes over to comfort him.  It's the kind of angsty, overwrought, bromantic fanfic drama I adore and features some delightful examples of purple prose, such as my description of the sadness Nick saw in the "cerulean depths" of Brian's eyes LOL.  http://dreamers-sanctuary.com/stories/mystories/broken/broken102/

I do love that Brian had so much sadness in the cerulean depths of his eyes over his buddy Frack having bone cancer and impending choppage. ;) So perfectly purpley.

LOL I am already rethinking that scene because it's so old.  Does it really represent me as a writer now?  It does represent what I like to write, but it's definitely more melodramatic and purpley than my stories these days.  A more recent example would be the gunshot scene from Road to Bethlehem - all the delicious Frick & Frack life or death drama without the purple prose (or maybe I'll call mine 'cerulean storytelling' LOL).  There's a scene in A Heart That Isn't Mine that came to mind too, but I'm not ready to post spoilers for that one.

Okay, I'm back! It was melodramatic, but that was emo Broken Nick, kind of melodramatic; it suits him. I mentally noted a couple of things you would have probably omitted if you were writing it now: like specifically mentioning that Brian was older when Nick sat next to him or you probably would have cleaned up the ordering on the bit about cold tiles and air conditioning in the beginning (these are meant as examples, but not as judgement). Overall, it's got the brotherly love and the angsty drama that you like while being from one of your more popular stories that also has a soft spot in your heart.

And as we all know that we all like to agonize over things before making decisions, if you agonized and chose it, then there's a reason it stuck out in your mind. You can always caveat it with "and then I kept writing for another decade." :)

I did laugh about Nick's diatribe about how no one would ever want to birth his children again if he only had one leg, lol. Now why would anyone say things like: "There's Nick Carter, the one-legged Backstreet Boy that hops around like a salmon. He must be so unloved." If anything, it would make me love him more, because he could pull it off if he tried. :D
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: RokofAges75 on March 10, 2021, 07:23:35 PM
Other than the collaborative aspect, what other regrets do you have about rewriting it?

Aside from the collaborative aspect, my main regret is that the time and effort it took to rewrite it killed any momentum it still had.  I might be remembering it wrong because I think one of the reasons we started rewriting it was to try to fix the issues that had caused us to slow down on it in the first place, but we probably would have been better off trying to push through it instead of backtracking on a story that had already been posted.


Howie is the most likely to have deep dark secrets! Since Howie is all of us, maybe we should just start picturing we have a friend group like the Boys and that we're the Howie. Maybe that would help unleash his hidden depths?

In all honesty, I think I AM the Howie of most of my friend groups LOL.  I'm the nice, quiet one that does have a hidden dark side that people don't discover until they really get to know me.  (Nothing you guys don't already know - I just mean people in my real life are usually surprised to learn I have a twisted sense of humor and love horror movies, true crime documentaries, serial killers, creepy clowns, zombies, cemeteries, and other morbid stuff.  And those people don't even know how much of my free time I spend torturing fictional versions of the Backstreet Boys LOL.)  So it probably helps to put some of myself into the way I write Howie.


Oh man! Unplanned Nick and AJ arguments get me every time, and surprise Nick, lol. If they keep wanting to add things and I'm already in bed, that's when I pull my phone out to write, unless I felt like it was going to be another hour of me feeling ridiculously inspired.

Yeah, poor Nick was blindsided LOL.  I have to get it out of my system, or I won't be able to turn my mind off to sleep, so it's quicker to just type it in the actual story than on my phone.


How do you feel when your chapters are usually a certain length and then one just balloons to thousands and thousands of words? Would you try to give a Kevin chapter a similar word count? Split the monster one into two chapters? Let it ride?

It bugs me!  But it is what it is.  I'm not going to purposely stretch out the next Kevin chapter just to make it match, and splitting the Nick chapter into two wouldn't work for this one unless I messed up my Kevin-Nick-Kevin-Nick pattern and had two Nick chapters in a row.  I'd rather keep the pattern and just let the Nick chapter be long.  I'm sure there will be other long chapters down the road, but so far they've all been on the shorter side except this one.


I just can't imagine anyone telling you "WTF is wrong with you?" after reading a story, even one that could be taboo.

LOL They probably wouldn't actually say that to my "face" (or in a comment I could see).  The ones who thought it probably just clicked the back button and never said anything, which is fine with me.


You gotta have the accolades! In my mind you're high up on the "most prolific" list, if my opinion counts for anything like that, lol!

LOL Thanks!  I finally made the official top ten list on AC last year, something I had been striving to do for a long time.  Too bad it didn't happen until AC was on its last legs, but at least it happened while the site's still alive.


If they had ignored the request, would they tell you? I feel like they would have to go through some serious hoops to find your stuff now that you no longer live together.

I don't know, probably, but I'm not going to ask them because I don't want to bring it up LOL.  If I knew my sister had a fanfic site, I would look at it out of curiosity, even if it wasn't for a fandom I was interested in reading - and if she told me not to, I would be even more tempted to find out why she didn't want me poking around.  But that's just me.  My mom definitely knows my pen name and site URL because she used to pay for my domain before I had my own credit card as a teenager LOL.  So she could easily find my stories if she really wanted to read them.  I just think she would have said something by now if she ever had.
Title: Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
Post by: nicksgal on March 10, 2021, 08:25:10 PM
Aside from the collaborative aspect, my main regret is that the time and effort it took to rewrite it killed any momentum it still had.  I might be remembering it wrong because I think one of the reasons we started rewriting it was to try to fix the issues that had caused us to slow down on it in the first place, but we probably would have been better off trying to push through it instead of backtracking on a story that had already been posted.

I feel you. I think it really takes the right rewrite project to really keep momentum going on it. Rewriting and reworking anything is a laborious effort for sure!


In all honesty, I think I AM the Howie of most of my friend groups LOL.  I'm the nice, quiet one that does have a hidden dark side that people don't discover until they really get to know me.  (Nothing you guys don't already know - I just mean people in my real life are usually surprised to learn I have a twisted sense of humor and love horror movies, true crime documentaries, serial killers, creepy clowns, zombies, cemeteries, and other morbid stuff.  And those people don't even know how much of my free time I spend torturing fictional versions of the Backstreet Boys LOL.)  So it probably helps to put some of myself into the way I write Howie.

The bombshell if they found out about your dark side and then found out how much time you spend torturing fictional Backstreet Boys! lmao I don't think being Howie is the worst, you could get away with murder.

This is only slightly related, but there's this silly online game you can play on your phone called "Role Models" where you give people roles based on categories and one of them is "Boy Bands" and I got the "cute tiny one," and I was so excited. "Apparently I'm 90's Nick!" haha.


Yeah, poor Nick was blindsided LOL.  I have to get it out of my system, or I won't be able to turn my mind off to sleep, so it's quicker to just type it in the actual story than on my phone.

Nick never expects it.


It bugs me!  But it is what it is.  I'm not going to purposely stretch out the next Kevin chapter just to make it match, and splitting the Nick chapter into two wouldn't work for this one unless I messed up my Kevin-Nick-Kevin-Nick pattern and had two Nick chapters in a row.  I'd rather keep the pattern and just let the Nick chapter be long.  I'm sure there will be other long chapters down the road, but so far they've all been on the shorter side except this one.

Nick's just wordy. I think the pattern is fun, especially if it's in first person POV. Just playing devil's advocate. :)


LOL Thanks!  I finally made the official top ten list on AC last year, something I had been striving to do for a long time.  Too bad it didn't happen until AC was on its last legs, but at least it happened while the site's still alive.

I'm sensing a resurgence! It will be long lasting and eternal!


I don't know, probably, but I'm not going to ask them because I don't want to bring it up LOL.  If I knew my sister had a fanfic site, I would look at it out of curiosity, even if it wasn't for a fandom I was interested in reading - and if she told me not to, I would be even more tempted to find out why she didn't want me poking around.  But that's just me.  My mom definitely knows my pen name and site URL because she used to pay for my domain before I had my own credit card as a teenager LOL.  So she could easily find my stories if she really wanted to read them.  I just think she would have said something by now if she ever had.

I don't have a sibling, so I guess I'm not sure how evil siblings are. I asked my husband and he said "I guess maybe," so... the jury's undecided on this one, haha.

I think parents are more likely to respect your "don't poke into it" requests than siblings, probably.