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Author Topic: The Writing Thread  (Read 146494 times)

RokofAges75

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #330 on: January 08, 2021, 11:39:37 PM »

Ooh, that's a nice picture of Leo!

LOL I haven't posted "Oh noes!" in forever either.  High time we brought it back.
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~Julie

"Sometimes writers and sociopaths are hard to tell apart." -J.K. Rowling

nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #331 on: January 08, 2021, 11:45:50 PM »

Y'all bring it out of me. I also saw in the "Bingo 2" thread that I promised you some word egg laying chickens with prosthetic limbs, so if you never saw that, let me get on that in the next week or so.
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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: The Writing Thread
« Reply #332 on: January 08, 2021, 11:57:56 PM »

Stumbled on this thread Kelly started way back!

Anyone want to take a stab at these again? If you posted in the original thread, do you still feel the same as you did then? On a side note, not sure how I missed this one last time, I love stuff like this (clearly).

I'm surprised that thread only went one page.  I read my post, and I feel like I have made improvement in the areas where I thought I was weak in 2008.  One was creativity.  While I know I'm still not the most creative writer, I have definitely broadened my horizons and come up with some stuff I'm pretty proud of.  00Carter was great for bringing out my creative side and challenging me to write in different genres than what I was used to.  I think the challenges I've written for here and my pandaskunk stories were pretty creative too (if parody counts as being creative).  Apparently I still associate creativity with fantasy and sci-fi - kudos to those of you who regularly write in those genres.

The other weakness I said was a balance between being too wordy and not detailed enough.  I was still in a bit of a purple prose phase in 2008, but I think I have found that balance now.  My writing is still detailed, but not as flowery as it was back in the Broken/BMS era.  Writing a couple novels in first person point of view instead of third really helped me reign that in.

I don't know if this is a new weakness to add or not, but one thing that has changed about my writing since 2008 is how much slower I am now LOL.  I used to average a page/500 words an hour, and now I can hours "writing" and only have 1000 words to show for it.  I think part of this is that I overthink things and edit too much as I write instead of just doing a quick draft and going back to edit later like I know a lot of professional writers do.  The upside of this is that I don't have to do as much editing later because I'm usually happy with the first draft, but the downside is that I feel less productive.  I also blame social media.  Twitter is very distracting LOL.  So is this forum lately, but I love it!

I still feel good about the strengths I mentioned then - grammar, research, and dialogue.  None of that has changed.
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~Julie

"Sometimes writers and sociopaths are hard to tell apart." -J.K. Rowling

RokofAges75

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #333 on: January 08, 2021, 11:59:28 PM »

Y'all bring it out of me. I also saw in the "Bingo 2" thread that I promised you some word egg laying chickens with prosthetic limbs, so if you never saw that, let me get on that in the next week or so.

LMAO!  I don't remember seeing those, but I would love some!
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~Julie

"Sometimes writers and sociopaths are hard to tell apart." -J.K. Rowling

nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #334 on: January 09, 2021, 12:09:15 AM »

LMAO!  I don't remember seeing those, but I would love some!

Done. They'll come your way soon!
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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: The Writing Thread
« Reply #335 on: January 09, 2021, 12:28:46 AM »

00Carter was great for bringing out my creative side and challenging me to write in different genres than what I was used to.  I think the challenges I've written for here and my pandaskunk stories were pretty creative too (if parody counts as being creative).  Apparently I still associate creativity with fantasy and sci-fi - kudos to those of you who regularly write in those genres.

Creativity is in all things! Even coming up with a new twist on something that's been done before is creative! Fantasy/Sci-Fi takes a lot of creativity, but it also takes a lot of research, which is something you're great at! I'll nudge you when I talk about my big research hole from October that was to finalize something creative in my author talks (end of March). I think you'll enjoy that one.

Writing a couple novels in first person point of view instead of third really helped me reign that in.

I don't know if this is a new weakness to add or not, but one thing that has changed about my writing since 2008 is how much slower I am now LOL.  I used to average a page/500 words an hour, and now I can hours "writing" and only have 1000 words to show for it.  I think part of this is that I overthink things and edit too much as I write instead of just doing a quick draft and going back to edit later like I know a lot of professional writers do.  The upside of this is that I don't have to do as much editing later because I'm usually happy with the first draft, but the downside is that I feel less productive.  I also blame social media.  Twitter is very distracting LOL.  So is this forum lately, but I love it!

I still feel good about the strengths I mentioned then - grammar, research, and dialogue.  None of that has changed.

Oh, our purple prose phases. I found a couple "eyes as orbs" and I was like, what was wrong with just calling them "eyes"? How did calling them "orbs" make it anymore descriptive?

I write so much slower too unless I have a major burst of creativity about something. Knowing that I will go back and do a deep edit, I've been cognizant about just getting words out and trying not to get hung up on "the right word(s)."

I was a little sad once you started school again this week and if I happened to pop over at a 2pm or something, it was still the same as the last time I checked it. I gotta know that this is more of an evening thing now. Maybe we should all make a "shh, I'm writing thread" or something to be slightly more productive, haha.

I'd agree with your strengths for sure!
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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: The Writing Thread
« Reply #336 on: January 09, 2021, 12:48:37 AM »

Thank you!

Yeah, we're back to evenings.  But at least it's the weekend, so I'll be around more the next two days!  I just need to have more willpower when it comes to staying focused on my writing.  If I'm really determined to not get distracted, I will hide my bookmarks bar or turn off wi-fi so it takes an extra step to get to Twitter, the forum, or anywhere else.  That does help.  I also have better luck if I try to do my writing first thing in the morning, before I even check social media or forums.  If I get something done early, I don't feel as guilty for focus-failing later in the day.  I've become more of a morning/early afternoon writer than a late night writer, which is weird for me because I'm such a night owl.
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~Julie

"Sometimes writers and sociopaths are hard to tell apart." -J.K. Rowling

nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #337 on: January 09, 2021, 12:49:50 AM »

Stumbled on this thread Kelly started way back!

Anyone want to take a stab at these again? If you posted in the original thread, do you still feel the same as you did then? On a side note, not sure how I missed this one last time, I love stuff like this (clearly).

Still not sure why I didn't respond to this the first time. So, who knows what I would have said then. Kind of wish I had so I could reflect.

Strengths:

1. Characters. I love a great character more than a great story, so I try my best to always make strong characters who can do anything from make you laugh to make you think to make you cry to make you want to strangle them, even if they are a main character that you love! I definitely spend most of my early time figuring out the characters and the plot just kind of falls into place after them.

2. World building. I wasn't great at it when I started, but I practiced a lot and by the time I got to PBox, I was pretty good at it, but I think I've gotten even better since then. And I'm not sure if that's because I try to find more ways to show "yo, this is all bigger than you think" in my more recent writing or if I've just gotten better at the research and planning aspects of it. I think there's something fun about creating a whole little world.

3. Balance between descriptions/dialogue/action. I always get told that I am good at this, so I'll include it here. I definitely think I've improved on adding more body language in as time as gone on, subtle things, like fiddling with finger nails when anxious.

Weaknesses:

Updating Consistently? Let me poke fun at myself here. If history says anything, I let my creative muse rule me and then do a whole lot of nothing otherwise. Productivity is not my strong point. I get stuck in research black holes all the time. I get distracted by things like this place when it's busy really badly. We'll see if I get better knowing I'm way ahead of you all.

I know back then I probably would have said not following through on projects as well. I started so many things I never finished, I just wanted to share. You would have thought that I would have liked blogging way better because I love to ramble, but I ended up hating it after several years. Maybe we can call this "aimlessness"? Maybe I just hadn't settled into the right projects back then. Maybe PBox was always the project. I don't know.

Getting stuck on finding the right word(s) is probably one too. I could probably keep editing forever if I though it would turn a story into an immaculate masterpiece.
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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: The Writing Thread
« Reply #338 on: January 09, 2021, 12:55:46 AM »

Thank you!

Yeah, we're back to evenings.  But at least it's the weekend, so I'll be around more the next two days!  I just need to have more willpower when it comes to staying focused on my writing.  If I'm really determined to not get distracted, I will hide my bookmarks bar or turn off wi-fi so it takes an extra step to get to Twitter, the forum, or anywhere else.  That does help.  I also have better luck if I try to do my writing first thing in the morning, before I even check social media or forums.  If I get something done early, I don't feel as guilty for focus-failing later in the day.  I've become more of a morning/early afternoon writer than a late night writer, which is weird for me because I'm such a night owl.

I am also at work most of the day, so I should have known, haha. I have been editing during my lunch breaks this week though and I've found that I get through more than I do in the evening. I also like to write with my coffee, so I guess I'm the same: more productive in the morning/early afternoon. I check all my things I keep up  on in the morning when I first get up, so I do my best to get distractions out of the way early on. I have not been much of a night owl overall until I came back to you all. What's this called? Revertigo?
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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: The Writing Thread
« Reply #339 on: January 09, 2021, 12:56:05 AM »

Judging by my experience writing with you, I think you're spot on with all of those.  Especially the characters.  I hope this isn't awkward for you, but you created a strong character in Kayleigh in Song for the Undead.  In just a couple chapters, we felt like we had a sense of who she was and how she would handle a zombie apocalypse, and that made it easy to continue writing her.  Same with Howie, whom you wrote in the beginning, as well as Diamond Divine in 00Carter.
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~Julie

"Sometimes writers and sociopaths are hard to tell apart." -J.K. Rowling

RokofAges75

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #340 on: January 09, 2021, 12:57:47 AM »

I am also at work most of the day, so I should have known, haha. I have been editing during my lunch breaks this week though and I've found that I get through more than I do in the evening. I also like to write with my coffee, so I guess I'm the same: more productive in the morning/early afternoon. I check all my things I keep up  on in the morning when I first get up, so I do my best to get distractions out of the way early on. I have not been much of a night owl overall until I came back to you all. What's this called? Revertigo?

LOL The fact that I'm still up at 1 a.m. on a Friday night (technically Saturday morning) suggests revertigo for sure.  I normally end up going to bed earlier on Friday nights than I do the rest of the week because I'm so exhausted by the end of the week - and this week has been especially bad, adjusting to back to school schedule with everything that's been going on.
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~Julie

"Sometimes writers and sociopaths are hard to tell apart." -J.K. Rowling

nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #341 on: January 09, 2021, 01:22:59 AM »

Judging by my experience writing with you, I think you're spot on with all of those.  Especially the characters.  I hope this isn't awkward for you, but you created a strong character in Kayleigh in Song for the Undead.  In just a couple chapters, we felt like we had a sense of who she was and how she would handle a zombie apocalypse, and that made it easy to continue writing her.  Same with Howie, whom you wrote in the beginning, as well as Diamond Divine in 00Carter.

I've told y'all many times, it's no longer awkward/a sore spot for me as long it's neither of those things for you both. I'm happy that you were both able to finish it and turn it into something that seems well loved. And I'm happy that I got to contribute to that at all, no matter how small; I always kind of figured you killed off any of the original characters I helped with, haha. Sorry that Kevin tripped me up so much.

I'm surprised (and delighted) to hear that you think I did Howie well, because he always gave me trouble in my early fanfic career, way more than the other Boys! And I think now that it's because he has so many facets, but he's surrounded by people who demand attention, praise, command of the room, etcetera (like I for sure always figured Nick has a mean streak of "if I yell the loudest, I win," and then saw it confirmed many times in HOC and even the documentary) and Howie's just happy to be whatever the situation needs at the time to get it all ironed out smoothly. I think Kevin falls into this too, but a little less, as we all know he'll literally break down doors if he needs to get something done. Howie's a complicated kind of guy! I wonder if he even thinks "Oh, so and so needs xyz right now, so I'll just be over here Howie-ing until they get that."
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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: The Writing Thread
« Reply #342 on: January 09, 2021, 01:26:41 AM »

LOL The fact that I'm still up at 1 a.m. on a Friday night (technically Saturday morning) suggests revertigo for sure.  I normally end up going to bed earlier on Friday nights than I do the rest of the week because I'm so exhausted by the end of the week - and this week has been especially bad, adjusting to back to school schedule with everything that's been going on.

I've done it a few times here and there, especially when a group of friends and were doing corona-tine happy hours, but that was only Fridays. Even if I'm exhausted from the week, I typically stay up late on Fridays unless a home football game was really early on Saturday morning. Consistently for days is this, definitely. I'll be exhausted tomorrow at like 6pm? Then catch a second wind? Maybe I'll be tired forever now, haha.
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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: The Writing Thread
« Reply #343 on: January 09, 2021, 12:14:03 PM »

I've told y'all many times, it's no longer awkward/a sore spot for me as long it's neither of those things for you both. I'm happy that you were both able to finish it and turn it into something that seems well loved. And I'm happy that I got to contribute to that at all, no matter how small; I always kind of figured you killed off any of the original characters I helped with, haha. Sorry that Kevin tripped me up so much.

I'm surprised (and delighted) to hear that you think I did Howie well, because he always gave me trouble in my early fanfic career, way more than the other Boys! And I think now that it's because he has so many facets, but he's surrounded by people who demand attention, praise, command of the room, etcetera (like I for sure always figured Nick has a mean streak of "if I yell the loudest, I win," and then saw it confirmed many times in HOC and even the documentary) and Howie's just happy to be whatever the situation needs at the time to get it all ironed out smoothly. I think Kevin falls into this too, but a little less, as we all know he'll literally break down doors if he needs to get something done. Howie's a complicated kind of guy! I wonder if he even thinks "Oh, so and so needs xyz right now, so I'll just be over here Howie-ing until they get that."

Well (spoiler alert), we did kill Kayleigh off later in the story LOL, but she made it 70 chapters!  We killed off one of the other OCs too.  We figured we had to kill some of them to keep it realistic; not all of them were going to survive the zombie apocalypse.  But her death was very sad and was mourned by the other characters.

As for Howie, you gave us the beginning of a great character arc for him.  He started off so stiff and serious and businesslike, and over the course of the story, he breaks down and builds himself back up to become better suited for the apocalypse.

I agree with your take on real life Howie.  He had never been my favorite to write about because he's kind of boring by comparison, but I've found the way to make him more interesting is to make him more flawed.  My favorite Howie character is, of course, Dr. Rough... who is very out of character and yet, his character traits are based on Howie's real life insecurities about being short and being relegated to the role of a back up singer for the first half of BSB's career.  The only Howie novel I've written is my slash, Sick as My Secrets, and in that one, he was the catalyst for all the drama.  You get more out of him when you go beyond his "Sweet D" persona.
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~Julie

"Sometimes writers and sociopaths are hard to tell apart." -J.K. Rowling

nicksgal

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Re: The Writing Thread
« Reply #344 on: January 09, 2021, 01:02:31 PM »

Well (spoiler alert), we did kill Kayleigh off later in the story LOL, but she made it 70 chapters!  We killed off one of the other OCs too.  We figured we had to kill some of them to keep it realistic; not all of them were going to survive the zombie apocalypse.  But her death was very sad and was mourned by the other characters.

Spoil away! I hadn't planned on reading it just because I worry that reading it (more than talking about it) would bring up more of those guilt feelings for me. I'm touched, I always figured it would be more of a "kill off this character early, replace with a new character, wipe our hands of it" sort of thing, haha. I think unless a zombie/apocalypse story was focusing on a bunch of military types, there's no way everyone would survive. So even if you like characters, you've gotta kill some of them. That's the only situation where I would maybe believe it. That's one of the things that bugs me about Zombieland, for instance. Abigail Breslin's character was so young in the first one. She should have for sure died between the movies, no matter how hard everyone tried to protect her or how good she was getting with a firearm.

As for Howie, you gave us the beginning of a great character arc for him.  He started off so stiff and serious and businesslike, and over the course of the story, he breaks down and builds himself back up to become better suited for the apocalypse.

I agree with your take on real life Howie.  He had never been my favorite to write about because he's kind of boring by comparison, but I've found the way to make him more interesting is to make him more flawed.  My favorite Howie character is, of course, Dr. Rough... who is very out of character and yet, his character traits are based on Howie's real life insecurities about being short and being relegated to the role of a back up singer for the first half of BSB's career.  The only Howie novel I've written is my slash, Sick as My Secrets, and in that one, he was the catalyst for all the drama.  You get more out of him when you go beyond his "Sweet D" persona.

Good for Howie! I'm glad he was able to get through it and become a better person, haha.

I think Howie probably has a lot of flaws, he's just really good at carefully crafting his "persona" and focuses less on allowing the flaws to come out. He's always struck me as someone who can get pretty "green-eyed monster," but also as someone who has a strong grasp on emotional intelligence to deal with those things. I feel like out of all of them, he'd be the most likely to pursue therapy, for instance.

I mean, I think everyone is a little OOC in 00Carter, but less in the "I saw you at Starbucks and must marry you now, you have consumed my life" way and more in the "these traits, good or bad, are taken to their logical extremes for comedy" way.

In going back to PNecklace, I think out of the Boys that aren't Nick (demander of attention that he is), Howie has been my favorite to write. He's got this whole aspect where you're never really sure if he's speaking for himself or the country with his "royal we," but he always seems genuine in what he's doing, then he has this whole mysterious aspect to his powers like Nick, but for completely different reasons. I wrote a Nick & Howie chapter where they have a serious talk that has major story implications, but it was also just nice to see them play off each other when none of the other characters are involved. It's definitely one of my favorites.
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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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