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Author Topic: 2 Writing 2 Thread  (Read 122856 times)

nicksgal

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #525 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.
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

nicksgal

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #526 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.
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

RokofAges75

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #527 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?
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~Julie

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RokofAges75

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #528 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.
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~Julie

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nicksgal

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #529 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.
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

nicksgal

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #530 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.
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

RokofAges75

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #531 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.
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~Julie

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RokofAges75

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #532 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!
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~Julie

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #533 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.
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~Julie

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nicksgal

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #534 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. ;)
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

nicksgal

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #535 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.
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

RokofAges75

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #536 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..."
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~Julie

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nicksgal

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #537 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.
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey

Rose

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #538 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.
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nicksgal

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #539 on: February 25, 2021, 07:36:41 PM »

Yay! Opening counts as writing here!
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~*Dee*~

People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening.

From "And Now, Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey
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