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Author Topic: 2 Writing 2 Thread  (Read 122165 times)

nicksgal

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2 Writing 2 Thread
« 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?
« Last Edit: January 29, 2021, 05:17:37 PM by nicksgal »
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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

mare

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #1 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
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Writing is something you do alone. Its a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don't want to make eye contact while doing it. ~ John Green

RokofAges75

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #2 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:

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)
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~Julie

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nicksgal

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #3 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.
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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 #4 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.
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~Julie

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nicksgal

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #5 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!
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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 #6 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.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2021, 07:38:25 PM by RokofAges75 »
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~Julie

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RokofAges75

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #7 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!
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~Julie

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RokofAges75

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #8 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?
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nicksgal

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Re: 2 Writing 2 Thread
« Reply #9 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.
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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 #10 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.
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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 #11 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
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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 #12 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.
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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 #13 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.
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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 #14 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.
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~Julie

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