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I think I finally no why the writing process has been slow for me, when it used to be that I would whip out one to two chapters a week, instead of a chapter every three weeks (if I'm lucky).
When writing a story, I write in parts or scenes. I will plan in detail the part I'm about to write, then write it. For example, in the story I'm currently writng the next part involves the intorduction of a few more characters. During the planning stages of the story, I didn't have a scene in mind that would introduce the characters, just various vague ideas of how to go about it. During the writing process, with each scene I've written I plan the next scene as well as ponder the scenes that are soon to follow. This eventually led me to settling on an idea of how to introduce the new characters. As I continued writing and planning what happens next, I formed a more exact scene in my head down to possible diaologue (even though what the character's say in the story will probably end up being totally different from what they say in my head.)
Now that I am at the scene (yet to be written) I know exactly what I want to happen, and because I know exactly what I want to happen - even if things take a slight or even major turn - the writing will still flow much easily. I was able to get a lot of writing done today because I had the scene planned out in my head for a while and, therefore, was totally ready for it.
But it's a practice I'm afraid I haven't been adhering to like I used to. With my previous story - the one I didn't like - I wasn't planning ahead like I usually do. I would just force myself to write, hoping things would become clear as I wrote. Problem was, everytime I wrote a few sentences, I would have to pause for a long time to figure out what happens next. In turn, I would lose interest, go off and do other things, dread writing any more of the story so do what could to keep myself from writing.
I wasn't thinking first then writing. I was just writing. And, yes, I also blame fanfiction. It's very distracting ;)
But I'm finally getting back into the habit of planning first then writing. Because I'm back in that habit, the writing has flowed much more easily and I've been getting a lot down in just little over an hour. The going is still slow - again, fanfcition's fault ;) - but I'm okay with that, especially with my current story. The current story I didn't plot out as heavily as I usually do. I know what I want to happen, but left a lot of room for just about anything to happen. In other words, I'm kind of making it up as I go, so of course it's going to take a little longer to plan and write. I'm just happy it's happening, and that my desire to write this story is staying strong.
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Speaking of fanfic as a distraction.... not complaining or anything but I hope SGA Big Bang starts up soon. I really want to participate and have been holding off on writing anything long and involved so as not to get jaded, as writing long fanfic is wont to do to me sometimes. The thing is, I'm coming up with a lot of chapter-fic ideas I really want to write, and I'm getting itchy typing fingers to get started on something.
I've also figured out what it is about my fanfic that has been making me unhappy lately. I don't get into the character's heads like I used to. I like getting inside a character's head, but every time I write our favorite team - or more specifically a certain favorite flyboy - I feel detached from the characters, resulting in what, to me, are rather blah stories. There's no... personality, I guess you could say. Or not as much personality as there used to be, or I thought there used to be, can't say for sure. I just know that my stories have making me less than pleased and I think I know why. I'm trying to remedy that with one-shots.
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Is it just me, or does the whump in SGA fanfic seem to go through fads? I remember when I first started reading SGA fanfic, chest wounds and broken ribs were all the rage. After a while, a lot of whump stories featured more leg and head injuries. Lately, much to my own chagrin, it's been abdominal whump. Not in every story, of course, just a lot. I was reading two stories today, one with whump in the abdominal region and another with broken ribs but most of the pain described in the abdominal region.
Anway, I'm not complaining... well not totally considering what the current fad seems to be ;). I just got to wondering if there was such thing as whump fads. It seems like it, or at least to me it does, but then I tend to notice the oddest things.
When writing a story, I write in parts or scenes. I will plan in detail the part I'm about to write, then write it. For example, in the story I'm currently writng the next part involves the intorduction of a few more characters. During the planning stages of the story, I didn't have a scene in mind that would introduce the characters, just various vague ideas of how to go about it. During the writing process, with each scene I've written I plan the next scene as well as ponder the scenes that are soon to follow. This eventually led me to settling on an idea of how to introduce the new characters. As I continued writing and planning what happens next, I formed a more exact scene in my head down to possible diaologue (even though what the character's say in the story will probably end up being totally different from what they say in my head.)
Now that I am at the scene (yet to be written) I know exactly what I want to happen, and because I know exactly what I want to happen - even if things take a slight or even major turn - the writing will still flow much easily. I was able to get a lot of writing done today because I had the scene planned out in my head for a while and, therefore, was totally ready for it.
But it's a practice I'm afraid I haven't been adhering to like I used to. With my previous story - the one I didn't like - I wasn't planning ahead like I usually do. I would just force myself to write, hoping things would become clear as I wrote. Problem was, everytime I wrote a few sentences, I would have to pause for a long time to figure out what happens next. In turn, I would lose interest, go off and do other things, dread writing any more of the story so do what could to keep myself from writing.
I wasn't thinking first then writing. I was just writing. And, yes, I also blame fanfiction. It's very distracting ;)
But I'm finally getting back into the habit of planning first then writing. Because I'm back in that habit, the writing has flowed much more easily and I've been getting a lot down in just little over an hour. The going is still slow - again, fanfcition's fault ;) - but I'm okay with that, especially with my current story. The current story I didn't plot out as heavily as I usually do. I know what I want to happen, but left a lot of room for just about anything to happen. In other words, I'm kind of making it up as I go, so of course it's going to take a little longer to plan and write. I'm just happy it's happening, and that my desire to write this story is staying strong.
Speaking of fanfic as a distraction.... not complaining or anything but I hope SGA Big Bang starts up soon. I really want to participate and have been holding off on writing anything long and involved so as not to get jaded, as writing long fanfic is wont to do to me sometimes. The thing is, I'm coming up with a lot of chapter-fic ideas I really want to write, and I'm getting itchy typing fingers to get started on something.
I've also figured out what it is about my fanfic that has been making me unhappy lately. I don't get into the character's heads like I used to. I like getting inside a character's head, but every time I write our favorite team - or more specifically a certain favorite flyboy - I feel detached from the characters, resulting in what, to me, are rather blah stories. There's no... personality, I guess you could say. Or not as much personality as there used to be, or I thought there used to be, can't say for sure. I just know that my stories have making me less than pleased and I think I know why. I'm trying to remedy that with one-shots.
Is it just me, or does the whump in SGA fanfic seem to go through fads? I remember when I first started reading SGA fanfic, chest wounds and broken ribs were all the rage. After a while, a lot of whump stories featured more leg and head injuries. Lately, much to my own chagrin, it's been abdominal whump. Not in every story, of course, just a lot. I was reading two stories today, one with whump in the abdominal region and another with broken ribs but most of the pain described in the abdominal region.
Anway, I'm not complaining... well not totally considering what the current fad seems to be ;). I just got to wondering if there was such thing as whump fads. It seems like it, or at least to me it does, but then I tend to notice the oddest things.
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no subject
Date: 2009-04-02 10:48 pm (UTC)From:Part of my demented brain says, "Just start a fic! Don't wait for the Big Bang!" While the other part is more compassionate, "Wait for the prompt. You don't want to bite off more than you can chew." When it comes to fanfic, I can be so frelling selfish. So, I can't give any suggestions.
I think you're right about the H/C whump fics. They do cycle around. I'm a huge fan of ice and cold whump. I haven't seen any of that in a while....
no subject
Date: 2009-04-02 11:21 pm (UTC)From:"I think you're right about the H/C whump fics. They do cycle around. I'm a huge fan of ice and cold whump. I haven't seen any of that in a while..."
I hope the current fad doesn't last long. It's making me nervous every time I read something new by a new author. I'm not totally opposed to abdominal wounds, but depending on how it's handled they sometimes squick me.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 12:23 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 12:36 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 01:07 am (UTC)From:Hmmm about the trends. I used to notice them and when I did, I tried writing the opposite type of thing. I recall the days or broken ribs and blind fics :--D
I'm still hoping no one does a big desert epic before I post mine..how silly is that?
I hope you write in Big Bang, there should be something about it soon, but I don't know.
Maybe you could write something medium length? Or is that impossible? 20k or something?
no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 02:33 am (UTC)From:I kind of miss the days of broken ribs, but then it is one of my favorite whump methods ;).
"I'm still hoping no one does a big desert epic before I post mine..how silly is that?"
Utterly not silly at all. I'm totally nervous about people using ideas before I have a chance to use them, and some ideas I'm holding off on because I know people are writing something similar and don't want the stories to clash.
I hope they come out with something. I'm anxious to know whether my current ideas can be used, and if not to start fleshing something out.
"Maybe you could write something medium length? Or is that impossible? 20k or something?"
I've been trying to come up with something but haven't yet. Everything I have come up with I already know are going top be doozies.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 05:47 am (UTC)From:I've noticed this too. I think Jung might have been on to something with his whole "collective unconscious" theory. Most writers I know don't just whip out a story in a day. Usually they get an idea, they think about it for awhile, they start outlining or brainstorming, they flesh it out a little more, then they write. I think this process can take weeks, even months. (I realize there are some writers out there who can churn out stories in a day or two...maybe they're the exception to the rule?) You might have an idea involving a certain type of whump that is fresh when you first think of it, but then three or four other people have also thought of it at the same time and you all end up posting your stories together. It's a curious phenomenon...
And I'm always terrified someone will come up with an idea so similar to mind and then post it right before I do. That has actually happened to me a couple of times - so nerve-wracking!
no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 06:35 am (UTC)From:There's a lot of good ideas out there but it's very first come, first serve. I know people say to go ahead and run with ideas even though they've been done, but it's hard. For one thing, everyone wants their story to be a little unique. For another, there's the worry of people not reading because your plots already been done. And for another, there's always the risk of people accusing you of plagerism (Which I have seen happen, although I would think it still pretty rare.)
All together, it makes for a lot of hesitation that eventually, mostly, leads to the ideas being scrapped.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 04:35 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 04:39 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 03:13 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 06:00 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 06:20 am (UTC)From:But, again, that's just the really basic gist and based on what I'd seen.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 06:33 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 06:36 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 05:12 pm (UTC)From:Ha! I've noticed that. I'm a fan of inner whump, as you know. I get my jollies from emo whump, but I do love a good head injury. The other stuff is too complicated! Internal injuries, blood, broken things... too much for me. This is why I like the aftermath. Recovery is such an emotional thing. All that pain, inside and out... *sigh* Only thing is, I've never broken anything, or been in a hospital, or even injured badly, so I have no idea how anything comes across. I do, however, ask a lot of questions, interrogating – er, interviewing friends who have gone through such things.
As for Big Bang, YES! I would like to participate myself. I'm saving a large just for it.
no subject
Date: 2009-04-03 08:40 pm (UTC)From:Heh, I'm the same way kind of. I do enjoy the complicated stuff, but I'll admit I'm lazy about it. I like to keep things simple and stick with what's obvious just so I don't have to do research (which is also why I like to get creative with the whump - i.e. alien diseases that resemble the flu but are worse ;) So much easier just to make stuff up :D).
Although I will research when absolutely needed, of course. But besides laziness, I'm not a fan of all those technical details. Yes, they are mostly necessary, and when the author is moderate about it - putting those details in because they're necessary and not because the author is trying to eityher be super accurate or show-off how much they know - then I actually pay attention to those details. But when the author jam-packs a story with nothing but details, I end up skimming over most it.
the whump in SGA fanfic
Date: 2009-04-12 02:01 am (UTC)From:If they are going to put him through the paces, then make
it something significant.....
He can take it
:P
Re: the whump in SGA fanfic
Date: 2009-04-12 02:41 am (UTC)From:These days, though - except for a few new authors and, of course, those who have been around a while - it feels like whump stories aren't as whumpy as they used to be. They're either generic or light on the whump - not that there's anything wrong with that. I've just been spoiled by all the hard-core whump stories of the early days, and I've come to greatly miss them. ;) there are a few good hard-core whump stories out there, but they're few and far-between.