My semi-annual writerly freak out
I decided that I was going to make a real, honest attempt today to fix the dS rentboy!Fraser AU I've been working on since forever. jamethiel_bane was kind enough to edit half of an early draft for me and suggested several changes that should be made, and I find myself completely unable to make them. Like, I know that she's right, and I know exactly what's wrong, but I haven't got the faintest idea how to fix it.
And this is frustrating, because the story is *good*. The pacing is fine, the plot is working okay, and I'm very proud of the writing in the individual scenes. But the story needs a much better beginning. And more sex. (Because, um, rentboy!Fraser? Hello). I just have the mother of all writer's blocks when it comes to this story. I'm not sure if it would be kosher to post a short scene just to get some feedback from the dS community in general; I'm usually against posting anything from a WIP or even presenting a scene divorced from its context in the rest of the story. But I think I need some perspective. jamethiel_bane did a terrific job beta'ing, but at this point I'm not sure what's working and what's not and if the problems are fixable or if the whole thing is a mess and needs to be chucked. I just...ugh. Writerly angst. It's not your friend, folks. And considering I've only posted short stories for this fandom when my real bread and butter comes from ginormous overly-ambitious epics...well, it's frustrating. Because I should find it easy to write this shit. Length and complexity doesn't scare me; it's the shorter stuff that makes me nervous as hell because I'm a plotter at heart and *not* a "moment in time" kind of gal.
Plus I've been rereading a couple of cesperanza's epics (Eight Sessions, Some Strange Prophecy and An Admirable Solution for the curious) and her brain makes me so damn envious. *sigh*
But llassah just posted a brilliant Slings and Arrows fic (now that lady, she can do the short form with her eyes closed) and it made me happy. Go read.
And this is frustrating, because the story is *good*. The pacing is fine, the plot is working okay, and I'm very proud of the writing in the individual scenes. But the story needs a much better beginning. And more sex. (Because, um, rentboy!Fraser? Hello). I just have the mother of all writer's blocks when it comes to this story. I'm not sure if it would be kosher to post a short scene just to get some feedback from the dS community in general; I'm usually against posting anything from a WIP or even presenting a scene divorced from its context in the rest of the story. But I think I need some perspective. jamethiel_bane did a terrific job beta'ing, but at this point I'm not sure what's working and what's not and if the problems are fixable or if the whole thing is a mess and needs to be chucked. I just...ugh. Writerly angst. It's not your friend, folks. And considering I've only posted short stories for this fandom when my real bread and butter comes from ginormous overly-ambitious epics...well, it's frustrating. Because I should find it easy to write this shit. Length and complexity doesn't scare me; it's the shorter stuff that makes me nervous as hell because I'm a plotter at heart and *not* a "moment in time" kind of gal.
Plus I've been rereading a couple of cesperanza's epics (Eight Sessions, Some Strange Prophecy and An Admirable Solution for the curious) and her brain makes me so damn envious. *sigh*
But llassah just posted a brilliant Slings and Arrows fic (now that lady, she can do the short form with her eyes closed) and it made me happy. Go read.