Leonhart29

This is a topic that's near and dear to my heart. A lot of my work is fly by the seat of your pants stuff. Everyone is different in how they approach things. I've tried to write an outline for my stories and by the time I'm finished with it it's so far off the mark from my original concept it's not even funny. I honestly feel stinted and chained when I try to keep to a plot that I've already come up with. Most of the time when I sit down at the keyboard I just let my fingers move for a few pages and then go back and re-read what I have, make a few changes and then pick up where I've left off. I'll finish a chapter and then sleep on it. The next morning (or night if I have to go to work ) I'll re-read it again and make what ever changes I feel are necessary. My brother hates me for it too. He'll agonize over a sentence for a week until he has it just right and then he's lost the thread of what he was trying to do. As far as research goes - I tend to do that as I go along. I'll go get my books and paper, pens and what not then I'll make sure they're near by for my every need. I also keep a notebook with me at all times so that if something strolls into my head I can write it down. I tend to put everything in there too - like what song I was listening to or what the weather was like - yada yada yada... I guess all I really wanted to say was it's all individual. You will find your way of doing things eventually and then wonder how in the hell you ever did it any other way.

What really gets me though, and maybe I'm just an attention hog, is that a lot of the times people aren't willing to even leave a review, and when they do it really doesn't say anything. I get the "update soon" crap but not the "that knocked my socks off" heaven more times than not. I was having a bit of a problem with my Realms of Reality (selfless plug ) fic, well actually lately it's been all of them, that if I don't see a review it's hard for my muses to sit my butt in the chair... you try telling Squall and Seifer "not tonight" - it ain't pretty.

I agree to a point with Iggy - I'm more of a foreplay kind of girl. Sometimes I have to force myself to write more than a sentence or two on the "culmination of the act". There are just so many ways that you can say "in and out" before you get dizzy.

I have played X-2 and I enjoyed it - to a point. The fan girl in me was drooling at the possibility of a Barali, Nooj, Gipal thing... *sigh* but I haven't found the time yet. Pain is by far the best female character, but I agree with an earlier statement about my games being "manly". If I don't have a guy to droll over (HELLO Squall!) I'm not too far into it. All in all, if I wanted something fluffy and girlish (I am female after all - even if I don't act like it sometimes) I put in the game - otherwise it stayed on the shelf.

[quote} I knew you'd pick up on that one horrorgal- Snuff fics aren't always bad fics - as long as the person writing them isn't trying to get rid of some deep seeded aggression or frustration that is. It depends on how it's done - is it a sacrifice for the greater good? (Again I go back to Rinoa) I felt much better about not having to write about a certain character - the only problem is that she keeps popping up - damn the luck.

I will probably take a beating for this one, but as I have killed her in one of my fics and found it EMENSELY enjoyable - I had to cast a vote for Rinoa. I know, I know - I can hear a few boo's and curses directed at me right now, but I can't help it. I hate it when someone uses their Shannon Dougherty looks and sex appeal to make a perfectly good lone wolf go bad *pout*

Oh yeah - and one more thing I forgot to mention - has anyone noticed that they are recycling parts of their score? I don't know how many of you have played that little known but very amusing pop-up book rip-off "Chocobo Racing" that came out right after VIII, but the music contained in that game is running rampant in XII. I popped in my much awaited (and saved for) XII disk, sat down on my bed, grasped my controller eagerly ... and my mouth hung open and tears sprang to my eyes when the music started. I swear to all I hold holy (I love that spell - big boom) all I could see was a Chocobo on roller-skates, a Moogle on a scooter, and a Behemoth in an ATV... I had to replay the opening four times (the last one with the mute button mashed in) just to get the basic gist of it.

I have the game, I'm playing the game, and I have been tied to my chair to do so. Something along the lines of "You paid $70.00 for the damn game and phonebook of a walk through you can damn well get your moneys worth out of it." Don't get me wrong - I am a FF Freak, but come on! Does anyone know what Vaan's purpose really is? I'm about 10 hours into it and unless I've spent way too much time getting loot to transform into money to blow into licenses and other must haves that you can't get anywhere else - I can't find a reason for his overly blond "hey look at me I'm an orphan" attitude. Could someone please tell me? I would really appreciate it. I have one request from a friend of mine to write a Vaan/Ashe pairing, and even though I have muddled my way through quite a few chapters I didn't want to write, but I don't think I could do that and live with myself.

Personally - I would buy it only because I'm a Final Fantasy Freak (So yes - I voted yes). Oh yeah! And because I love the game (one word - Vincent). Personally though, I want a FF VIII update ... movie, game - something, but I would prefer it to be a game. There's just something about Squall - FF VIII is the only game that takes more than 10 hours to complete that I've gone back to over and over again (and finished it) over the years (Incidentally, I was one of those lost souls that actually stood in line for the game and the walk through).

I was just reading over this discussion for the first time and I have to agree for the most part with all of you. As far as the "Let's get the lead out and have sex already" review... It's a pain in my back side. If I wanted to write smut and only smut that's what I would do - and I have on occasion, but plot always rears its nasty little, attention grabbing, shake you by the shoulders until your head spins, spoiled brat head eventually and ruins it (so to speak). But (bad grammar allert) I happen to like plot - it's more life like. The other point I wanted to add too was the whole "please update" review. Listen, that's not what the reviews are for. I mean if you want to tack one onto the end of a "I loved it" or "I hated it" (why you would want to if you hated it escapes me, but I've seen it) then that's fine, but if the author has a lot on his/her plate and writing isn't their only responsibility there is no use making them feel guilty and turn into a micro manager (I'm thinking about going to rehab for that by the way).

This may sound a bit out in left feild but for some reason I have a problem with Het sex - which if you stop to think about it is strange because that's the only kind I've ever had (LOL). I can write a yaoi like there's no tomorrow and I truely enjoy it. ANd that's odd too because I've never actually taken the time to watch two men... I guess I just have a really good imagination. I wouldn't mind some pointers on how to write something between a man and a woman that doesn't take me a week of agonzing over the how's and why's and semantics of the whole thing.

I am oh so much a review whore as SquallFan knows all too well. I really don't care much if it's bad or good just as long as those who leave said reviews are at least courtious about it. I have to tell you though - nothing puts a smile on my face as much as a glowing review for all to see, and I think that's the whole idea right there... I like the notoriety... at least I think that's what it is....