General Writing Discussion Thread | Current Topic: NaNoWriMo
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RE: The Writing Café General Discussion Thread
I must say, the hardest challenge for me in writing is always writing conversation. I've never been good at it and the way I've been told to do it have varied greatly. After that I would have to say it would be my introductions, it is hard for me to find a way to get everything off the ground.
I must say, the hardest challenge for me in writing is always writing conversation. I've never been good at it and the way I've been told to do it have varied greatly. After that I would have to say it would be my introductions, it is hard for me to find a way to get everything off the ground.
RE: The Writing Café General Discussion Thread
Two words: Writer's block.
I also tend to be easily distracted when I get to a new series. For example, I'm writing for a particular series, and then I discover and like another one, and I find it more difficult to write for the first series again. This is why I have more unfinished multi-chapter stories than completed ones, and also why I'm better off writing one-shots. I could probably last for a story with less than 10 chapters, but if it's an epic with 20+ chapters? It will be a miracle if I even make it past the half-way point. However, I'm slowly trying to change that because in this new series I'm in, all story ideas I'm thinking of writing are long with complex plots.
As for reading, I generally have no problem even if I have long breaks in between a chapter, I can still continue on fine, as long as the story keeps my interest. I think my only problem is that... I can't read when I'm in a moving vehicle because I get dizzy easily. Hahaha.
Two words: Writer's block.
I also tend to be easily distracted when I get to a new series. For example, I'm writing for a particular series, and then I discover and like another one, and I find it more difficult to write for the first series again. This is why I have more unfinished multi-chapter stories than completed ones, and also why I'm better off writing one-shots. I could probably last for a story with less than 10 chapters, but if it's an epic with 20+ chapters? It will be a miracle if I even make it past the half-way point. However, I'm slowly trying to change that because in this new series I'm in, all story ideas I'm thinking of writing are long with complex plots.
As for reading, I generally have no problem even if I have long breaks in between a chapter, I can still continue on fine, as long as the story keeps my interest. I think my only problem is that... I can't read when I'm in a moving vehicle because I get dizzy easily. Hahaha.
RE: Writer's Corner - General Discussion Thread
Heh, I wonder if it's because I'm not used to it? Because I see that reading a book or newspaper in the bus or train is actually common both in television and in real life. I could argue that it's because I wear glasses and so being in a moving vehicle makes my eyes tired and dizzy from trying to focus while the reading material slightly shakes from the movement of the vehicle but, I've seen others with glasses being able to do otherwise so... Yeah, maybe it's really just me not trying to get used to it or making a habit out of it.
DNA said:
Heh, I wonder if it's because I'm not used to it? Because I see that reading a book or newspaper in the bus or train is actually common both in television and in real life. I could argue that it's because I wear glasses and so being in a moving vehicle makes my eyes tired and dizzy from trying to focus while the reading material slightly shakes from the movement of the vehicle but, I've seen others with glasses being able to do otherwise so... Yeah, maybe it's really just me not trying to get used to it or making a habit out of it.
RE: The Writing Café General Discussion Thread
Inspiration. Sometimes it feels as if you never have any when you need it the most. As for reading, the only trouble I find is when I read at 3am using the light from the 3DS and get a nice headache.
Turtwig said:
Inspiration. Sometimes it feels as if you never have any when you need it the most. As for reading, the only trouble I find is when I read at 3am using the light from the 3DS and get a nice headache.
RE: Writer's Corner - General Discussion Thread
My biggest problem with writing is losing interest due to knowing what happens. If I start think too far ahead and plotting things out, my brain gets fed up being secondary to my imagination and writing stops happening. I have to keep myself on my toes a lot of the time. Also, there's that stupid pesky life thing that keeps me from spending time on writing, but I guess everyone has that.
For reading, my biggest problem is running out of books! I devour them very quickly, even though I reread favourites rather often. I try to hold back, but it's hard. Also, I totally get the "can't read in a moving vehicle" thing, but I've always had terrible motion sickness, so I ascribe it to that. As such, I generally don't even bother trying to read in such instances, instead listening to music or napping (or both!) or portable video games, or whatever. It's not worth puking over.
My biggest problem with writing is losing interest due to knowing what happens. If I start think too far ahead and plotting things out, my brain gets fed up being secondary to my imagination and writing stops happening. I have to keep myself on my toes a lot of the time. Also, there's that stupid pesky life thing that keeps me from spending time on writing, but I guess everyone has that.
For reading, my biggest problem is running out of books! I devour them very quickly, even though I reread favourites rather often. I try to hold back, but it's hard. Also, I totally get the "can't read in a moving vehicle" thing, but I've always had terrible motion sickness, so I ascribe it to that. As such, I generally don't even bother trying to read in such instances, instead listening to music or napping (or both!) or portable video games, or whatever. It's not worth puking over.
RE: Writer's Corner - General Discussion Thread
This is so true--especially for my situation. Going back to the outline question, I've outlined about 5 chapters ahead of where I'm at in my Hoenn story. It's so boring to just type what I previously thought because there's no excitement in it. I haven't updated it in a while because of that. It truly is the hardest obstacle--I lose motivation quickly. And for that last part, exams have kept me from writing for two weeks now. I'm going into withdrawal!
Athena said:
This is so true--especially for my situation. Going back to the outline question, I've outlined about 5 chapters ahead of where I'm at in my Hoenn story. It's so boring to just type what I previously thought because there's no excitement in it. I haven't updated it in a while because of that. It truly is the hardest obstacle--I lose motivation quickly. And for that last part, exams have kept me from writing for two weeks now. I'm going into withdrawal!
RE: Writer's Corner - General Discussion Thread
Writer's Block, or outright illness. When I'm sick, I can't write for nuthin', and if I do try to do it, my writing suffers, and I hate reading over things that I have done and seeing half-witted work. Same with Writer's Block. Sometimes, I just get to where my mind will_not do anything on a certain project, and when I force myself to write just a couple of paragraphs, I look back over them and cringe. But then I read something during NaNoWriMo; a method to overcome it. It simply said to write. Write anything, about anything, anywhere, any time, and have anything happen. It could be about anything, and so I wrote. Darned if I didn't return to my book with a renewed vigor and creative flair.
When reading, obnoxious people is something I could really do without. Nothing like someone sitting down next to you and blatantly yelling into your ear to beg for attention to ruin your immersion. You can't really deal with this one too easily, but usually I simply apologize for my silence and explain the matter.
Turtwig said:
Writer's Block, or outright illness. When I'm sick, I can't write for nuthin', and if I do try to do it, my writing suffers, and I hate reading over things that I have done and seeing half-witted work. Same with Writer's Block. Sometimes, I just get to where my mind will_not do anything on a certain project, and when I force myself to write just a couple of paragraphs, I look back over them and cringe. But then I read something during NaNoWriMo; a method to overcome it. It simply said to write. Write anything, about anything, anywhere, any time, and have anything happen. It could be about anything, and so I wrote. Darned if I didn't return to my book with a renewed vigor and creative flair.
When reading, obnoxious people is something I could really do without. Nothing like someone sitting down next to you and blatantly yelling into your ear to beg for attention to ruin your immersion. You can't really deal with this one too easily, but usually I simply apologize for my silence and explain the matter.
RE: The Writing Café General Discussion Thread
My memory. I have a terrible memory; even when I have an absolutely marvelous idea for a story and tell myself to write it down, I forget to write it down. In effect, I forget what the plot of my story was/is/and will be. I have proclaimed that I will write, I think, three fan fictions. Ha! I lost the inspiration because I forgot to write things down!
This is why I stick to writing poems and short commentaries.
Turtwig said:
My memory. I have a terrible memory; even when I have an absolutely marvelous idea for a story and tell myself to write it down, I forget to write it down. In effect, I forget what the plot of my story was/is/and will be. I have proclaimed that I will write, I think, three fan fictions. Ha! I lost the inspiration because I forgot to write things down!
This is why I stick to writing poems and short commentaries.
RE: Writer's Corner General Discussion Thread
Mine drastically changes. I expect one thing in the beginning, but as my writing continues over time, I think of new ideas that end in triumph over my previous expectations. It probably happens because I used to outline my stories, but my temptation to build off of them always brings me to adding new things and tying them all together in the end. My Kalos story (which I may be updating within the next few days) has brought me to a different outcome in nearly every chapter. I love not knowing how it's going to end until the very last chapter.
Questions for Readers and Writers
Question 5
How rapidly does your story change from what you expected the outcome to be? Why do you think that happens?
Mine drastically changes. I expect one thing in the beginning, but as my writing continues over time, I think of new ideas that end in triumph over my previous expectations. It probably happens because I used to outline my stories, but my temptation to build off of them always brings me to adding new things and tying them all together in the end. My Kalos story (which I may be updating within the next few days) has brought me to a different outcome in nearly every chapter. I love not knowing how it's going to end until the very last chapter.
RE: Writer's Corner General Discussion Thread
That varies greatly based on the story itself. Sometimes things take really wacky turns, sometimes things stay more or less how I imagined them. Mysteries, for example, has stayed on the same general path, though some of the smaller details have changed greatly. Other stories have worked on have changed more drastically, sometimes to the point where I end up scrapping them because they've just changed too much for it to be workable, at least in its current form.
That varies greatly based on the story itself. Sometimes things take really wacky turns, sometimes things stay more or less how I imagined them. Mysteries, for example, has stayed on the same general path, though some of the smaller details have changed greatly. Other stories have worked on have changed more drastically, sometimes to the point where I end up scrapping them because they've just changed too much for it to be workable, at least in its current form.
RE: Writer's Corner General Discussion Thread
Well, when I used to write actual stories, I would have a nice, solid foundation for my writing and I knew exactly how the story would go. Oftentimes, though, a new idea would spawn, and from there, my entire story would derail. I cannot answer this question fully, as I have never actually finished a story (because they always derail so quickly), but I have gotten rather deep into the plot and just quit because it isn't even the same story anymore (e.g. Deception).
Turtwig said:
Well, when I used to write actual stories, I would have a nice, solid foundation for my writing and I knew exactly how the story would go. Oftentimes, though, a new idea would spawn, and from there, my entire story would derail. I cannot answer this question fully, as I have never actually finished a story (because they always derail so quickly), but I have gotten rather deep into the plot and just quit because it isn't even the same story anymore (e.g. Deception).
RE: Writer's Corner General Discussion Thread
And a wonderful story it has become, Athena! Even if the characters lose, you are able to incorporate them into the intermissions and slowly reveal the subplot aside from the competition.
Colress, I can relate to that. I'll probably end up scrapping my Hoenn story because it's just been changing so much and I've completely lost interest in it. If it comes to that, I won't feel guilty anymore about not updating it. You seem like the meaningful poem type, anyway. I've enjoyed reading every single one of them.
And a wonderful story it has become, Athena! Even if the characters lose, you are able to incorporate them into the intermissions and slowly reveal the subplot aside from the competition.
Colress, I can relate to that. I'll probably end up scrapping my Hoenn story because it's just been changing so much and I've completely lost interest in it. If it comes to that, I won't feel guilty anymore about not updating it. You seem like the meaningful poem type, anyway. I've enjoyed reading every single one of them.
RE: Writer's Corner General Discussion Thread
It changes radically before I even start writing. In fact, I only start writing it down when it's actually stopped changing. That way I know it's stable and not prone to random flights of fancy. All the changing occurs in the brainstorming phase, so that way it doesn't go weird on me when I actually type it up.
It changes radically before I even start writing. In fact, I only start writing it down when it's actually stopped changing. That way I know it's stable and not prone to random flights of fancy. All the changing occurs in the brainstorming phase, so that way it doesn't go weird on me when I actually type it up.
RE: Writer's Corner General Discussion Thread
For me, it's dependent on the story. I've had several stories wherein one of the first scenes I think of is the ending scene and I work on the story plot backwards. These are the ones I am often able to finish because even if I get a new idea to deviate from the story a bit, I'll know to tweak that new idea in a way that will still lead to the definite ending I have in mind. If that new idea makes things too complicated and the effort it's taking me to fit it in to the story is more than what I'm setting aside for the ongoing story, I'll just scrap it, especially when it doesn't really contribute much to the overall plot. I've learned from the numerous unfinished multi-chapter fics that I've left hanging that this happens because I lost track of what I originally wanted to go to from all the new ideas I crammed in mid-way. And then I'll get confused on how to resolve all those loose ends and in what order. The story has become a mess and you'll stop and scrap it simply because you don't know HOW to continue anymore.
If I start writing a story with no definite ending in mind and only the beginning and the over-all plot, most of the time I'm not able to finish it.
There are exceptions (I have a definite ending planned but then I think of a new one, and it's better so I use it instead), but that rarely happens.
For me, it's dependent on the story. I've had several stories wherein one of the first scenes I think of is the ending scene and I work on the story plot backwards. These are the ones I am often able to finish because even if I get a new idea to deviate from the story a bit, I'll know to tweak that new idea in a way that will still lead to the definite ending I have in mind. If that new idea makes things too complicated and the effort it's taking me to fit it in to the story is more than what I'm setting aside for the ongoing story, I'll just scrap it, especially when it doesn't really contribute much to the overall plot. I've learned from the numerous unfinished multi-chapter fics that I've left hanging that this happens because I lost track of what I originally wanted to go to from all the new ideas I crammed in mid-way. And then I'll get confused on how to resolve all those loose ends and in what order. The story has become a mess and you'll stop and scrap it simply because you don't know HOW to continue anymore.
If I start writing a story with no definite ending in mind and only the beginning and the over-all plot, most of the time I'm not able to finish it.
There are exceptions (I have a definite ending planned but then I think of a new one, and it's better so I use it instead), but that rarely happens.
RE: Writer's Corner General Discussion Thread
Happy Winter Solstice, writers!
Happy Winter Solstice, writers!