thoughts on writing and a meme
I was thinking thinky thoughts about my writing. Except that they aren't actually that thinky. But I'll tell you anyway. Or maybe I'm just writing this down for myself. Because otherwise I'll forget them and then have to think them all over again. Though maybe I should just forget them. You'll see.
The thoughts were this: I enjoy writing. A lot. Whatever it is I'm writing - if it flows, then I enjoy it all the more. It just happens and I don't quite know how I did it, but it's an awesome sensation and that's one of the reasons why I do it.
I think that writing fanfic is good practice. Better to be writing something that nothing, even it is something that breaches someone else's copyright or is potentially defamatory about someone you admire. *hand-wave* I also realise that when writing fanfic, you are playing with characters you are already familiar with. You don't have to invent them from scratch. You don't have to think about their pasts or how they talk or what they wear or what car they drive. Yes, you can think about these things - but often there is some sort of cannon to draw from, some agreed upon way of writing those people. (You just have to think about how they are in bed!) Of course, you don't have to write them that way, but it's a good starting point. Of course, if you are writing for a new fandom, maybe you are discovering how to write the characters from scratch. But you still have something to draw from - the film, the book, the TV show, the public persona or whatever it is that the person or the character is from.
And so writing original stuff is hard. It's harder. You have to invent whole new people and make them plausible and work out everything about them. And then write them in your story. Much easier to fall back to writing characters or people you think you know. Me and Nix sometimes meet in a cafe to brunch and "do work" - him on his PhD and me on my writing. I can always write fic a lot faster than original stuff and Nix has noticed this. Writing original stuff is a lot of thinking. Writing fic is thinking "ooh, I wonder what David would like to be doing to John now?" or "why is Tim thinking that Gary's thinking about buckets while Tim goes down on him?" Often with original stuff, I get stuck at the question of what to call my fecking characters. And that's just the first of many questions.
The other thing I was thinking was this. Writing for a fandom can be awesomely rewarding. You can get almost-instant feedback. You can hear how people enjoy reading your stuff. You can write things and know people will read them. You can write things for specific people and gain enjoyment that way. It's interactive. The readership is in-built and IT FUCKING ROCKS. For this, I love fandom and I love all you guys, my friends and readers.
Writing original stuff has none of that. OK, well, if you get published then there is an implied audience. You might get a bit of feedback. But none of it as quickly as in fandom, nor as much, I wager. The reward has to be more internal - the satisfaction of being published and the accomplishment and all that. And maybe some money and maybe some reviews - if you're lucky! And I do want that reward, that internal satisfaction, I do, I do. I do want to be published. I want to have a book (haha - instead of having a baby, I'll give birth to a book!). But being someone of rather low ambition and rather low drive, I find the rewards from fandom instantly more satisfying. And I might be willing to just let that be enough - to just write for fandom and fuck that other shit. I'd probably be happy with that. It would be easier in a lot of respects.
OK, but I'm gonna try and not go down that path, as tempting as it is. Of course I'll keep writing fannish stuff, I am a crack-fic addict after all. But I am also excited about doing Nanowrimo this year. And though I don't yet know much about my new characters, I am looking forward to finding out what they get up to in Strange Pursuits in Undead Melbourne (current working title. No prizes for guessing what it's gonna be about!) And this year, I'm aiming not just to get to the 50K word mark, but also to finish the story. To get to the end of it, close on my usual whimsical note and write fin. Let me state it now that this is my aim, that is my target. For November. Finish the thing in November.
Okey-dokie. What else? Oh yeah, that bucket. Also a thing I want to write about zips and The Stig. I am writing this post by way of procrastinating!
I was tagged for a meme by fyrethief:
A) People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.
B) Tag five people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by. Continue this game by sending it to other people. <----whatever to this last thing. If you want to be tagged, consider yourself tagged.
1. What do you usually wear to bed, pjs or boxer shorts?
What about "nighties"? Trackies? T-shirts? Undies? You should give a few other options, meme. Not everone conforms to a pjs or boxer short binary. Incidentally, I wear pjs.
2. What do you do before bedtime?
Most nights: Get off the internet. Heat up my wheat-bag in the microwave (in winter) and fill my water bottle (that is, drinking water_. Brush my teeth. Get changed in pjs. Set alarm for the next day and set out clothes for the next day (if it's a work day). Clean my face with a face-wipey thing (save water). Sometimes perform a cat-transplant, transplanting the cat from one chair in the lounge room to another chair in my room. Because sometimes in the night I get kitty snuggles, but only if he's sleeping in my room and only if it's cold enough. Then I get into bed and read for a bit with the wheat-bag on my shoulders or my feet if they're cold. Very occasionally I will also write a list of things I want to do the next day.
3. What's your perfect day?
Sunday. Also any day that includes: friends, delicious food, coffee, film/s, laughter, music, cats, purrs and cuddles.
4. What is the city of your dreams and why?
I have done this meme before. I said Melbourne and Berlin then. I went into great details. But right now I'm hungry and am not concentrating. Soz.
5. Who is your girl crush?
Only one? Pfft! Clea Duvall, Tilda Swinton, Kelley Hawes (except I try and downplay that one because she looks a bit like an ex and that's not why I like her!), Hermione Granger, Shirley Henderson (I always forget I love her so!), Patricia Clarkson, Penny Wong, Rose Tyler, Donna Noble, Freema Agyeman, Shane from The L Word, Tara from Buffy (also Willow but Tara more), Zoe, River and Kaylee from Firefly, KD Lang, Mia Dyson, Martha Wainwright ... erm ... I've probably forgotten someone really important!
6. When was the last time you checked out a book from the public library, and what was it?
I don't remember.
7. Ever cheated on someone?
Pashing doesn't count as cheating right? But never more than that and it was always as a reflection on the relationship at the time.
8. If the person you secretly like is already attached, what would you do?
Nothing. Forget about it. Watch a movie.
9. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
I had a little cry the other day while listening to this song and thinking about how our old cats (and even my young cat) are going to die some day.
10. What is your best quality?
I do enjoy my easy ability to laugh and find something funny or positive about most things.
11. What do you wish you could eat right now?
Oh man! Something delicious! My dinner! I'm so hungry.
12. What are your guilty pleasure shows?
Supernatural. But I am not guilty about it. The code-word brothers, I ship them.
13. What is your favourite way to be creative and express yourself?
Writing. But I also enjoy making little collagey cards for people.
14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
A lovely one! Creative and productive and friendly. And she has two OMG cute new little kittens!
15. What’s the last song that got stuck in your head?
Kissing Gary Oldman!
16. What’s your favorite item of clothing?
My jacobean ruff. OK, I'm just kidding with you guys. It's actually my leather arseless chaps, but only when I team them with my jacobean ruff and my hat with the big feather.
17. How do you see yourself?
As a curly haired person who is not as tall as she previously thought she is.
18. What really irritates you?
People who drive in the bike lane and people who open their car doors into the bike lane without looking for cyclists first. OMG! THOSE FUCKERS!
19. Would you bungee jump from the Empire State Building for $10,000,000?
Yes. Maybe. If it was safe and there were no daleks anywhere involved.
20. What were your parents going to name you if you'd been born the opposite gender?
Charles. I was all "ew, Prince Charles" for most of my childhood. But I don't mind the name these days. Also Charlie! It's not bad.
The thoughts were this: I enjoy writing. A lot. Whatever it is I'm writing - if it flows, then I enjoy it all the more. It just happens and I don't quite know how I did it, but it's an awesome sensation and that's one of the reasons why I do it.
I think that writing fanfic is good practice. Better to be writing something that nothing, even it is something that breaches someone else's copyright or is potentially defamatory about someone you admire. *hand-wave* I also realise that when writing fanfic, you are playing with characters you are already familiar with. You don't have to invent them from scratch. You don't have to think about their pasts or how they talk or what they wear or what car they drive. Yes, you can think about these things - but often there is some sort of cannon to draw from, some agreed upon way of writing those people. (You just have to think about how they are in bed!) Of course, you don't have to write them that way, but it's a good starting point. Of course, if you are writing for a new fandom, maybe you are discovering how to write the characters from scratch. But you still have something to draw from - the film, the book, the TV show, the public persona or whatever it is that the person or the character is from.
And so writing original stuff is hard. It's harder. You have to invent whole new people and make them plausible and work out everything about them. And then write them in your story. Much easier to fall back to writing characters or people you think you know. Me and Nix sometimes meet in a cafe to brunch and "do work" - him on his PhD and me on my writing. I can always write fic a lot faster than original stuff and Nix has noticed this. Writing original stuff is a lot of thinking. Writing fic is thinking "ooh, I wonder what David would like to be doing to John now?" or "why is Tim thinking that Gary's thinking about buckets while Tim goes down on him?" Often with original stuff, I get stuck at the question of what to call my fecking characters. And that's just the first of many questions.
The other thing I was thinking was this. Writing for a fandom can be awesomely rewarding. You can get almost-instant feedback. You can hear how people enjoy reading your stuff. You can write things and know people will read them. You can write things for specific people and gain enjoyment that way. It's interactive. The readership is in-built and IT FUCKING ROCKS. For this, I love fandom and I love all you guys, my friends and readers.
Writing original stuff has none of that. OK, well, if you get published then there is an implied audience. You might get a bit of feedback. But none of it as quickly as in fandom, nor as much, I wager. The reward has to be more internal - the satisfaction of being published and the accomplishment and all that. And maybe some money and maybe some reviews - if you're lucky! And I do want that reward, that internal satisfaction, I do, I do. I do want to be published. I want to have a book (haha - instead of having a baby, I'll give birth to a book!). But being someone of rather low ambition and rather low drive, I find the rewards from fandom instantly more satisfying. And I might be willing to just let that be enough - to just write for fandom and fuck that other shit. I'd probably be happy with that. It would be easier in a lot of respects.
OK, but I'm gonna try and not go down that path, as tempting as it is. Of course I'll keep writing fannish stuff, I am a crack-fic addict after all. But I am also excited about doing Nanowrimo this year. And though I don't yet know much about my new characters, I am looking forward to finding out what they get up to in Strange Pursuits in Undead Melbourne (current working title. No prizes for guessing what it's gonna be about!) And this year, I'm aiming not just to get to the 50K word mark, but also to finish the story. To get to the end of it, close on my usual whimsical note and write fin. Let me state it now that this is my aim, that is my target. For November. Finish the thing in November.
Okey-dokie. What else? Oh yeah, that bucket. Also a thing I want to write about zips and The Stig. I am writing this post by way of procrastinating!
I was tagged for a meme by fyrethief:
A) People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.
B) Tag five people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by. Continue this game by sending it to other people. <----whatever to this last thing. If you want to be tagged, consider yourself tagged.
1. What do you usually wear to bed, pjs or boxer shorts?
What about "nighties"? Trackies? T-shirts? Undies? You should give a few other options, meme. Not everone conforms to a pjs or boxer short binary. Incidentally, I wear pjs.
2. What do you do before bedtime?
Most nights: Get off the internet. Heat up my wheat-bag in the microwave (in winter) and fill my water bottle (that is, drinking water_. Brush my teeth. Get changed in pjs. Set alarm for the next day and set out clothes for the next day (if it's a work day). Clean my face with a face-wipey thing (save water). Sometimes perform a cat-transplant, transplanting the cat from one chair in the lounge room to another chair in my room. Because sometimes in the night I get kitty snuggles, but only if he's sleeping in my room and only if it's cold enough. Then I get into bed and read for a bit with the wheat-bag on my shoulders or my feet if they're cold. Very occasionally I will also write a list of things I want to do the next day.
3. What's your perfect day?
Sunday. Also any day that includes: friends, delicious food, coffee, film/s, laughter, music, cats, purrs and cuddles.
4. What is the city of your dreams and why?
I have done this meme before. I said Melbourne and Berlin then. I went into great details. But right now I'm hungry and am not concentrating. Soz.
5. Who is your girl crush?
Only one? Pfft! Clea Duvall, Tilda Swinton, Kelley Hawes (except I try and downplay that one because she looks a bit like an ex and that's not why I like her!), Hermione Granger, Shirley Henderson (I always forget I love her so!), Patricia Clarkson, Penny Wong, Rose Tyler, Donna Noble, Freema Agyeman, Shane from The L Word, Tara from Buffy (also Willow but Tara more), Zoe, River and Kaylee from Firefly, KD Lang, Mia Dyson, Martha Wainwright ... erm ... I've probably forgotten someone really important!
6. When was the last time you checked out a book from the public library, and what was it?
I don't remember.
7. Ever cheated on someone?
Pashing doesn't count as cheating right? But never more than that and it was always as a reflection on the relationship at the time.
8. If the person you secretly like is already attached, what would you do?
Nothing. Forget about it. Watch a movie.
9. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
I had a little cry the other day while listening to this song and thinking about how our old cats (and even my young cat) are going to die some day.
10. What is your best quality?
I do enjoy my easy ability to laugh and find something funny or positive about most things.
11. What do you wish you could eat right now?
Oh man! Something delicious! My dinner! I'm so hungry.
12. What are your guilty pleasure shows?
Supernatural. But I am not guilty about it. The code-word brothers, I ship them.
13. What is your favourite way to be creative and express yourself?
Writing. But I also enjoy making little collagey cards for people.
14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
A lovely one! Creative and productive and friendly. And she has two OMG cute new little kittens!
15. What’s the last song that got stuck in your head?
Kissing Gary Oldman!
16. What’s your favorite item of clothing?
My jacobean ruff. OK, I'm just kidding with you guys. It's actually my leather arseless chaps, but only when I team them with my jacobean ruff and my hat with the big feather.
17. How do you see yourself?
As a curly haired person who is not as tall as she previously thought she is.
18. What really irritates you?
People who drive in the bike lane and people who open their car doors into the bike lane without looking for cyclists first. OMG! THOSE FUCKERS!
19. Would you bungee jump from the Empire State Building for $10,000,000?
Yes. Maybe. If it was safe and there were no daleks anywhere involved.
20. What were your parents going to name you if you'd been born the opposite gender?
Charles. I was all "ew, Prince Charles" for most of my childhood. But I don't mind the name these days. Also Charlie! It's not bad.