Anesor

Yeah, I had a three week block on one story as I stopped in the middle of a speech where one char was setting up a prank that tied into the final challenge and close. When I came back to the tale, all I had was the look of mischief in one character’s eyes and the sinking feeling in the POV that they might not find the learning experience was not going to be fun for them. And that was ALL I remembered about the next sentence and scene. I knew where the tale would end, but this is fluff with serious undertones, so it was no joy buzzer prank. So I really empathize with getting lost. I originally wrote most stories with rotating 1st person POV, and I got to calling each persona like a Lon ballcap I could put on, and then the next lead’s ball cap. I’ve noticed the ballcaps were stronger the characters had a stronger voice and smaller canon. The SW ones now are wispier. Anyone else remember the Bugs Bunny/Elmer Fudd toon where new hats kept landing on their heads and they’d swap from hunter to judge to bride and groom? That’s the way I handled it for a while.

I have far too many cool ideas for my time and RL ability to record them. On occasion I manage to farm them to another writer in a story comment. Got one adopted just last night. I only use Excel during a complex plot or combat. For story ideas, I keep ideas in plain text files by broad topic areas. Right now I have one for original fiction, for Star Wars fics, for DA, and for NWN. I also have a folder on my desktop where I drop shortcuts for possible blog posts. These files all grow faster than they shrink. But answering the original posting (got the digest late today) I have three SW fics, one big and two smaller, posted within the last month. Two others are ready to start as soon as I close at least one down. I have a whole bunch of hiatus’d stories, that I want to continue. Most stopped from block, and some as I realized that juggling more than three brings me to a stop in all of them. Of course I don’t like having only one as swapping stories lets me sidestep block most of the time. Three stories seems to be my sweet spot. Raw Counts: Book4 choices, Book3 AMT, side novella AMT, DA2 alt, another DA2 alt, Serial original novella. And two original novels awaiting enough cash to get an dev editor. Only one or two SW are hiatused, and I know one will start the sequel before Easter. I’m getting better at keeping a lid on new stories. All hiatused are less than seven years, most less. Three active, ten hiatus, and 2 in between. I think I’ll stop babbling now.

Thing is, affording an editor is prohibitive for me. I just don’t have it, nor am I likely to have it in the foreseeable future. I’d love one, because I can almost see the edges of problems. Finding betas has also been a problem, the ones accepting new projects at a meet place seem to be newer writers than me, finding only typos. One way to really, really kill my muse is to have stories just sitting around waiting for a second opinion/editing. And running through it over and over for typos and grammar kills any life in the tale. I’ve got two Nano original novels stalled at that point. I used to have up to two betas at a time, but RL and time take that. For fanfic, I clean it up as best I can. But I have seen abysmally bad proofreading in fanfic and profic. And lately it is patently clear which people are using voice input by the wacky similar words and dropped suffixes in their story. (insider<>initiate, not like they were suppose to) Sometimes they note betas, and I want to weep. And when I see it in major authors or from a major publisher it’s worse. Read older books and there were fewer, so I think it’s industry wide. Some big authors are reputed to have ditched editing, I can’t verify as I don’t read them. I’m hoping to find a beta or editor, but if the choice is putting out with some errors and not publishing at all, I’ll put it out and let the devil take the hindmost.

Feedback affects my stories, but often in indirect ways. Critical reviews don’t bother me the way they used to, partly because it’s often clear they are bringing some huge bias by what they say. I can’t stop that. One troll went away after I thanked them for a page length list of spelling and grammar. I got some outrage and anger on my first story, and I tried to diplomatically tell them to flake off when I calmed. More recent I try to tag what might set people off, and haven't really had any jerks in years. Confused readers are either explained in a reply or I may make a fix. The last irate one came from when a reader thought my lead hated an entire class of people. I was already fice chapters ahead and I was confused. After a little back and forth when I asked what gave them that impression (many reviewers never reply when you do want to fix it) and it ended up being basically pronoun confusion. They thought the lead was hating the slaves, instead of the slavers. A couple chapters later they included a comment that they liked the changes. One or two commenters, by their language they are very young or have developmental issues… so I’m just glad they’re reading, period. And feedback comes in where I'm wondering if they read the story I wrote. An early confused person accused the story of a kink I would not write... Sometimes I may do minor shifts if some feedback gives me an idea that sparkles. I don't make structural changes from feedback. Selfpub is a blessing and a bane. there is no longer an excuse for a wannabe writer to complain about the pressure of finding a publisher. It is a lot more work today, even if you have a pub. I could not believe an aspiring writer couldn’t find any ideas… My files of ideas keep growing faster than I can write... I adore insightful comments that a reader is thinking about events and what's happening off camera or might be coming. That they get the themes or subplots I’m building. I also really appreciate if someone points out an accidental grammar or spelling problem. Feedback affects much more in longer stories. and hits aren’t really enough warm fuzzies for my muse. I’ve pulled very few stories, because of my own dislike or career plans. One shots or three shots, I’m just not as emotionally invested in the feedback. The bigger issue is that a total lack of feedback just kills my motivation to continue when the writing gets tough from block or RL. I had a DA2 story that just withered and died. I knew how it was ending the schroedinger’s viscount problem. No one else seemed to care enough to read for several chapters, so I didn’t care enough to write it. I have plenty of other ideas. (I’ve written about 200k in a different fandom since this) = = = On the good side I found out a college bud I lost touch with is a part-time editor, but I haven't decided how stalker or pitiful I want to appear when I ask.

agreement.

(Anesor) I think there are a lot of group enterprises where the leader must have a vision that moves the story/election/season/series forward. The success of that project depends on how well the group implements that idea. If the group nerfs the project is can still suck. And an enthused group can’t fix a broken or weak idea. ST:TMP springs to mind. J Michael Strazinski and Joss Whedon’s signature creations depended on that vision, that they implemented despite hirdles involved. It take a team to implement, but one person with a vision to have something to implement. (anesor) I think we should be careful about overusing the term ‘rut.’ What is it, there’s only X number of basic plots? And one we prune for setting, there’s fewer. But the basic quest, the basic hero of a thousand faces has a billion stories. And how many times have you read a story where a clever writer may make no particular change to an old trope, but it is written so well, you don’t care. I suspect there is no trope that cannot be revived by a good writer. What we’re really meaning as rut, are things like when it’s done by the numbers, rut by publisher design. Repeating themes, character-types, settings are the meat and potatoes of fanfic. They repeat because I think many enjoy the tropes of that fandom. Also 2nd kind of repeat/rut, is because the readers and writers are still coming to terms with broken or abandoned themes and events of canon. (Wait! this makes no sense in canon! ‘if it’s not alright, it’s not the end’ You can’t kill that character, they’re the heart of the series!) Other so-called third ruts, are themes the writer’s muse may get off on. I know my muse loves doing struggling for redemption and forgiveness. Figuring out doing the right thing when that can be very slippery and the stakes are high. Scripted ‘hack’ writing as it’s seen by outsidersoften is not. Dickens and Alcott write stiff that ha dno respect, but they also wrote classics. A lot of big name writers started in harlequin and potboilers. Ruts are only bad if they are boring and you no longer enjoy it. And, if I get stuck, I change fandoms or projects. My favorite theme remains, though.

I don’t worry about ‘the,’ I worry more about using my lead’s first name all the time, so I make the effort for that. I checked my 13 chapter fic that is today’s project and only one chapter used ‘the,’ So I think that’s okay.

I lose the notebooks too, and I have issues putting pen to paper. computers are bigger and never go >2m away.

I’ve lost more ideas when away from my computer and I don’t write it down. Many good ones do not survive the maelstrom of my attention. Scraps of paper get lost. I don’t have to start writing it right away, I can start on an idea from my idea files much later. I have lots of ideas, but I am planning for the new year to stop chasing fanfic as much, I need more for my Kindle releases. Feeding and encouraging my muse is important: reading fiction I like, watching TV and documentaries, reading thoughtful and wide ranging columns… all work as muse fodder. Of course I can get a story idea that I can tell is hugs and far too big and I almost mourn it. When writing I can sustain a roll if I have music in the mood I want. Finding and remembering songs is a challenge. NB: I’m closing in on my Nano total, but had an employee pull a no show…

“Outshining the canon characters” Excess competence/talent for an OC almost is required for many settings, like superheroes or videogames, especially for female OCs. There’s been so many decades of Lois Lane and little Nell, we can’t (and probably should not) accept the trophy-helpless female love interest. Leia was much later than the previous two, but both she or her mom being rescued with less agency as they didn’t use the force. The market has the catch-22 that we expect more liberated and powerful heroines, but cannot stand starshine-Sues. So OC’s have to be strong enough to be equals to canons but not overpowering. They have to flirt with being a Sue, just to be able to run with the boys and participate in the on-camera action. That is a tougher nut than the Gary-Stus usually have to deal with. It is a double standard, and I suspect it’s because, despite Lara Croft and Flemeth, there are still far more male action characters and power brokers in most universes. It’s easier to accept the male ‘special’ characters, be they Greystoke, Doc Savage, Wesley Crusher, or Encyclopedia Brown. It’s not fair but it will take a generation or more after there is parity for that to be absorbed by the next generations. We are all too used to Rick and Indy, so Lara isn’t s much fun. (especially when other themes conflict) “over described clothing” That has become my go-to litmus test for Sue-dom. There may be other markers, but I think it is the quickest marker. Clothing and hair can set many shades of character, but excess appearance wordage, down to sparkly marks and which store they bought their clothing in tells me to not waste my time. It’s because their clothing and hair have nothing to do with their character arc or important plot. I haven’t seen any Sue griping in years, though I know I walk the line in some stories. Of course some professional canon characters are Sues/Stus as well. Anakin/Vader becomes his own anti-Stu. I think the reason its fading a little is that major characters at least start as Sues, or the Sue-haters run away screaming before they finish the preview on Amazon. I want to be beaten with a rubber hose if mine ever got at bad as some Sues I’ve seen. Shame and fear are great motivators to watch out for as a writer.

I’m not quite that much doing it for the art. A lot of my stories go counter to the fandom tastes, including my first. But I really want some feedback from my audience, or why go to the effort to write, polish, and post? I need the feedback to know that others partake in. So to circle back to the original question for my writing, 3 parts creativity (then what happened? what if? +common sense vs dramaz, etc) makings things, finding another way... 2 parts feedback (comments, thumbs up, money) Comments and discussion are the best. Money has the perk of buying me things I need. Thumbs ups are like the ugly sweater from your aunt at christmas, appreciated but don’t fit well). These feed my tiny writer’s ego, without which I’d wander off and do some other creative pursuit. 1 each for frustration at bad writing, challenge/competition, achievement. These usually act like spurs to get started or continue when I hit a bump. So that makes about six parts of why, without the two parts, stories dwindle into stasis. I have plenty of ideas, and christmas cards that need making.

That is apparently exactly what happened with my father, and it took about thirty-five years for me to write outside dreaded school assignments. I don’t remember the incident, but it had a clear effect on my writing and willingness. Moral: don’t over crit kids.

Just got my digest and I don’t think this can be a binary for love or money question. Nor are these mutually exclusive goals. I’ve written up story ideas I hoped would be marketable, but I sincerely doubt I could write an assigned story. My muse rarely takes requests, and less often orders. One of my worst trainwrecks of a NaNo was trying to write a mainstream mystery. I had setting and a trace of plot, but these carefully planned characters were flopping like dead fish. I didn’t care about them or the story, but I was hoping to write something sell-able. Bad, bad writer. If there were only two reasons, it would be a sliding scale. The reason slides from end to end depending on finances and story involved. So different days and different works might move the marker up and down that bar. I think Bujold’s Spirit Ring was much of the way is it is because business reasons were choking her muse. It’s okay, but far below her other books. Paladin of Souls has similar themes, but love of writing dominated. Actually, I’m sure there are many more reasons. Some stories, my conclusion is clear from first inspiration. My one active looks to take at least a dozen chapters to get to the climax that got me started. My first long form, I had the characters set, but I didn’t know where it would end for them personally. But most of the time I know the ending crisis I’m aiming at. I like words, wordplay, and puns, but spent a very long time as only a avid and greedy consumer and sometime con writers’ groupie; I only started writing at about 42. I want all my brain cells working so I can write, so I avoid the pigskin. That communication is probably the best thing. My favorite comments are when readers manage to express that they got that I was expressing. The most frustrating when it is clear they haven’t comprehended, like when they request a canon death not happen three chapters after it did… (critics can be amusing or I revise if I wasn’t clear.) The grammar I hated as a kid is so necessary to send those images and feelings into my story. Yeah. Choosing the best word was always important to me. I don’t remember family comments, but I saw comments from elementary report cards where the teachers were alarmed by my 35-year old vocab. I was too busy reading to realize they were upset. This comes to a third reason for writing: frustration at bad writing. It doesn’t really matter why to my muse, but when characters or plot jump the shark in a broad and profound way, my muse jumps up and down shouting, ‘I can do better than this!!!’ It has to be a character and setting that I care about. A lot of shows, movies, and games have disappointing turns. But it takes a special level of meta-writing that breaks with common sense to put my foot into the door for a new fandom. (and break said door) There’s more supporting reasons: accomplishment in finishing a story, challenges/competitiveness, an idea that won’t go away, and others I will remember later when I fall asleep… So the slider bar becomes a spider web with the writer moving between different drives. I would like to shift a little closer to monetary, but originals demand more uninterrupted work time than I’ve had. I can manage fanfic and sometimes original shorts but not the original novels.

This was more to show the numbers a published writer with many books gets. I get numbers similar to this (30-70% depending on format) but she sells a LOT more than my handful. She sells thousands of copies. Established is colloquial for multiple books in print from big publisher, multiple major awards in the field like Hugo and Nebula, and is well known enough for active fanbase and steady sales..

Lois McMaster Bujold, multi-Hugo winner, just answered on this on Goodreads for established writer.

Writer beware is to warn and advise writers about scams and sharks, from vanity presses and small publishers and agents who have already turned to the dark side. Ebook publishing is faster, and you get a larger share of the money the reader throws in for your story. That and self publishing often overlap. BW’s advice for small press is better there. Large house/traditional publishing is more likely to include editing, cover, and publicity, but it’s not a guarantee anymore. I simply cannot afford an editor, so I’m up a creek.

Some authors of different genres go over their business trials and tribulations in their blogs. I follow Jim C. Hines, Holly Lisle, and Judith Knight, though if you can at convention panels you will hear more entertaining stories. If there is a professional organization, find their site and see if they have advice for that genre or a new writer program. I know of RWA (romance writers of America which has many face to face chapters), SFWA science fiction, along with mystery and horror. The SFWA operates Writer beware website and blog where they track best practices and the bad actors. It’s co sponsored by the other groups mentioned above and is very educational. More people than Writer beware track major events/scandals like the way the erotic publisher Elora’s Cave just stopped paying promptly after sales. (that is the usual thing before a pub goes belly up). This the the blog of one savvy reporter, but just google or bing the company name and problems. Small presses seem to collectively have fairly short lifespans, so do your research and get help to understand the fine print of contracts. (Writer beware has a lot on recommended contracts) I’ve self-pubbed some short stories through createspace and kindle, and sold some, but marketing is a bit beyond me. I really need a second eye on the two books I have in trunks that I’d like to send to a publisher. (SF still has a tradition of accepting on solicited novels, unlike other genrea) Good luck.

I use those stages for grief of many kinds. that’s a good tip.

What do you mean by computer desktops?

I’m looking for a beta for multiple projects, and have a lot of stuff in various stages. If there’s anything egregiously badly spelled or phrased, I’d like to know. (Though sometimes it’s a choice in the POV) But what I want most are to catch brain farts in story or theme. I look at my original Nano’s and the bones of the story are okay but the tendons are missing. I would like to finish 1-2 story chunks a week, though they average 2.5k words. The specific projects on my list right now are Star Wars AUs(book2 and a shorter one) original short stories/flash and 2 unfinished NaNo books, and a bunch of orphan NWN2 and DA stories. I lean toward adventure with some romance, with sparse violence or smut. I really don’t like to write or read explicit violence/torture/rape. Kink depends on the setting and detail. Though my first story dealt with those aftermaths and affects. If there is slash it will be ‘off camera,’ as lead is het. Most of the time I write rotating first person POV, with an absurd word count over three fandoms in my seven longest postings. My fandoms are fantasy, and my originals are across science fiction, fantasy, and light horror. I would like samples to see if I think writing styles are similar. I prefer email and use Libre office but I can contrive. The originals especially, I’d be willing to trade beta. I have self published, but there is no way I can afford to pay for professional editing. Here is a filler cover for my one NaNo: Let me know if you need more information.

Another NaNo! I approve! I’m in a similar case and I’m way behind, with this year’s NaNo getting closer. I’d be interested in seeing a sample, as there are genres I don’t care for. If you want to see my writing I use the same penname here, AO3, FFN, and deviant art. Trade would be okay too. [hope this reply isn’t too old]

That can be powerful but hard to pull off if it’s awkward to write. I did something like that for a recent fic, switching out of my usual first person POV and into something starker. I tried for more poetic and strong images and third person. Reaction was very good, but when the shock and devastation wore off for the character, I shifted back to my usual style. (it’s a canon char, so I didn’t need to introduce him and I start in middle of the canon trainwreck) This is a long way to say that shifting your writing style shows more than italics, what your char does, or how they see these events.