Writing, and readers: the force that drives it.
So, I just want to share this example for anyone who is interested, or that writes, or that doesn't write but is sort of interested in the mystery of writing.
I used to write TVD fic, Damon and Elena. Like, all the time, right? Some of you may remember. For those that don't, check out my masterpost list; there are like 80 fics. Anyway, needless to say I don't write them anymore...and I've thought about it a lot, the cycle of writing. How the love of characters and the potential of things often is what gets you started, but at least for fanfic writers, who don't get paid for this fun little hobby, the other thing that feeds the muse is response, right? As fewer and fewer people respond to what you put out, the less appealing it is to write it. It's the sad truth I've become infinitely familiar with over the last year or two. I think in the past my love of writing a particular character, pairing, or show died a natural death and I moved on to something else, but with TVD, that's not what happened, and I'm just starting to really figure it out.
Example: in March I started writing Walking Dead fic. It happened, as most obsessions do, slowly and then all at once: I was interested in the idea and before I really knew what had happened, I'd written almost 10,000 words.
But what kept me writing was the response. And I realized this again a few weeks back when I wrote this little smutty one-shot. And people were like MOAR, MOAR! And I was like, okay, yeah, I could keep writing in this space. And then I posted a second story and they were all, MOAR, MOAR, MOAR!!!!!!!!!! And I continued to write. I came to the end of it before the reader did. On the third piece, I had to say, No, that's the end, but I'm sure there will be more stories later, and I'm sure there will.
But really, it got me to thinking. Certain characters will captivate you, and if you are a writer, it often comes to a point where you feel compelled to write about them. But whether or not that continues, or grows into anything else is often dictated by the response.
The reason I feel inclined to share this is because I am guilty of reading something and NOT commenting on it, even though I was moved. But really, I should always bother to take the time, because maybe my comment is going to inspire more creativity in that writer. And maybe those of you who love to read, but don't always comment don't realize this at all, and it might inspire you to encourage those writers that you read and enjoy. Because you just never know.
Writing is such a strange experience, and it never fails to amaze me how another's enthusiasm can keep you in the pocket, can keep that creativity flowing. It's such a communal experience; writers without readers are just trapped in their ivory towers wondering if they'll ever escape.
So set someone free: leave them feedback. Maybe you'll get a whole lot more fic to read!
I used to write TVD fic, Damon and Elena. Like, all the time, right? Some of you may remember. For those that don't, check out my masterpost list; there are like 80 fics. Anyway, needless to say I don't write them anymore...and I've thought about it a lot, the cycle of writing. How the love of characters and the potential of things often is what gets you started, but at least for fanfic writers, who don't get paid for this fun little hobby, the other thing that feeds the muse is response, right? As fewer and fewer people respond to what you put out, the less appealing it is to write it. It's the sad truth I've become infinitely familiar with over the last year or two. I think in the past my love of writing a particular character, pairing, or show died a natural death and I moved on to something else, but with TVD, that's not what happened, and I'm just starting to really figure it out.
Example: in March I started writing Walking Dead fic. It happened, as most obsessions do, slowly and then all at once: I was interested in the idea and before I really knew what had happened, I'd written almost 10,000 words.
But what kept me writing was the response. And I realized this again a few weeks back when I wrote this little smutty one-shot. And people were like MOAR, MOAR! And I was like, okay, yeah, I could keep writing in this space. And then I posted a second story and they were all, MOAR, MOAR, MOAR!!!!!!!!!! And I continued to write. I came to the end of it before the reader did. On the third piece, I had to say, No, that's the end, but I'm sure there will be more stories later, and I'm sure there will.
But really, it got me to thinking. Certain characters will captivate you, and if you are a writer, it often comes to a point where you feel compelled to write about them. But whether or not that continues, or grows into anything else is often dictated by the response.
The reason I feel inclined to share this is because I am guilty of reading something and NOT commenting on it, even though I was moved. But really, I should always bother to take the time, because maybe my comment is going to inspire more creativity in that writer. And maybe those of you who love to read, but don't always comment don't realize this at all, and it might inspire you to encourage those writers that you read and enjoy. Because you just never know.
Writing is such a strange experience, and it never fails to amaze me how another's enthusiasm can keep you in the pocket, can keep that creativity flowing. It's such a communal experience; writers without readers are just trapped in their ivory towers wondering if they'll ever escape.
So set someone free: leave them feedback. Maybe you'll get a whole lot more fic to read!