(Untitled)

[shadowdream]

Mind kicking me in the butt if I don't have at least part of my story done by tomorrow night?

I have the whole story playing in my mind like a movie. Perfect and clear. However... I am NOT good at sitting down and getting it out without the pressure of a deadline. heh.

Edit: Wrote some tonight. Egad. This is going to be long, but then, when are my

Comments

[shadowdream]

*nods* I totally get that. I have a little advantage there. Shadorn and I are writing together. I have the skills in telling the story, in creating characters, making a believable world, and making said world come alive (at least I think I do). Shadorn is fantastic at plots, deep characters, dialogue and incidentals. So, when a particular part falls into one of my weaknesses, I tend to get him to read over it and we will talk it out. Usually ends up with something MUCH better than I'd manage on my own coming out of it.

I just can't seem to do that with myself. I usually just say "Eh. It's been a busy week. I shouldn't add this as one more stress. I'll go play games." heh. I have discipline in many areas, but that's not one of them. I should try the low word count goal. I think just having it done would be enough of a reward.

What kind of gimmicks do you give yourself? That is one of those things I am just entirely not good at coming up with. The thing that has worked the best for me has been getting input. I'm inspired to write more when the story is enjoyed. I've talked a couple of close friends into being sounding boards, and when I hear "When do I get to read more?!?" it gives me those warm fuzzies and makes it all worth it.

I have a trial of Liquid Story Binder, and I LOVE the idea of it. I just can't quite get the hang of it. It can do so much, but it just isn't intuitive. At least to me. Did it take you long to learn?

*grins* Yeah, I'm with you. I once thought the same thing, those illusions have been quite well shattered now. ;) It can be frustrating at times, and yes, definitely hard, but it is enjoyable, or we wouldn't do it.

Thank you for the encouragement and the discussions as we go along. :) It always helps to have someone understand and be able to kvetch with you. ;)

Re: Part Two

[shadowdream]

*nods* I can see that, where writing with others can be stressful. I find I'm the same way if it is not Shadorn. It works like this for us... We brainstorm and character/world build together. We work on plot together. I write it. We read it over, and any spots I feel are trouble spots, we flesh out together. This works because, well.. We've been described as one person in two bodies before. We are usually on the same wavelength. When we are not, it can be a little difficult. He has an easier time putting characters through hell than I do, but that is a good thing. We butt heads on ideas rarely, but it happens. We're both the type to compromise though, so it works out, and is usually the better for it.

I do write FOR myself. I have to do it. I have to get it out or it sits in my head and won't leave me alone. I find when I don't get the writing done that I need to, I sleep horribly because I will think about it as I'm trying to sleep, and then dream about it when I do sleep. Having friends to read it is just the encouragement to get past the procrastination.

*nods* My biggest hurdle is procrastination. I have the story running through my head pretty much all day every day, but I always find something else to do. Part of that is just that I lead a busy life. Right now I have about 4 part time jobs, and only one of them has a set schedule. This makes it hard to set a time to sit and write, as well as making it hard to have the energy/focus on the really busy days. Not impossible though. I make the time to play video games. I could be writing. I like the 300+ word count idea, but I'm pretty sure once I get started, I'll end up with 3000. That's good, in that I'll be getting something done, bad in that time will get away from me and I won't get other things done. I'm not good at walking away unless I'm done or stuck. heh.

I understand feeling like a failure if the first draft isn't perfect. I'm getting past that. I'm learning that, especially when the scenes are not flowing perfectly, I can do much better if I write what will come, and then come back a day or two later and fill it in/cut things out. I'm good with that now.

I think my worst problem comes in that I like to be read, and have input on what I write, but when say, I post it here and get no comments, I feel like it must be terrible. Which, in reality isn't true. It usually just means people don't have anything to say, or are like me and don't tend to just write brief comments. When it's a piece for Brigit's flame, I'll see it get voted on lots, and get no comments, so I should KNOW that it really doesn't mean it's bad. But you know how that goes, I'm sure. The flip side of that is that putting it out there to be read actually encourages me to write more. The little group of friends is good for responding, though, and this second pass with Brigit's Flame is more because of the all-stars contest. I'd still have it secreted away otherwise. So, I suppose it balances out.

Ok. I need to run or I'm going to be late for my patient. I'll respond more later! I'm enjoying this conversation as well! :)

Re: Part Two

[shadowdream]

(to clarify a little. That is where I beat myself up, I mean.)

"Some days I feel like I'm writing like a poet laureate, and other days I know that a fifth grader could probably come up with better." Yes. I can entirely empathize with this. Though, it is funny. Sometimes I'll go back a couple days later and read over the stuff I thought was incredible and facepalm, and sometimes I'll read over what I thought was utter crap and find it's actually pretty salvageable. heh. All depends on the day.

I have finally gotten past the need to edit myself. I was much in the same boat. I found that it flowed better and I got more done if I just let it go, and worried about filling it in/editing it later. I have my golden days where one pass is good, and I have my days everything gets scrapped. Usually, though, on about the third pass I have something I'm really happy with, and I'm good with that.

Blank page syndrome. Yeah. It is coming less as the world is fleshed out and is begging to be written, but it still happens. For me, even just having the headphones on helps. It cuts out one more distraction. Usually, I have pandora going on a station I created just for my writing. Music themed to the world, well, as best I can get it anyway (and it's pandora.. I get weird tracks on occasion, but it is amusing). It helps, a lot.

If that doesn't work, yes, meditation, or a long soak in the bathtub. The ideas and perfect wordings are certain to come when I have no way of recording them. *grins*

I'll have to poke more with LSB. I've been thinking the planners and the timeline would be VERY helpful with all the world building stuff that I have scattered amongst numerous files. Might help me get the crossed off ideas separated from the pure genius ones. ;)

Bed for me. Thanks for the discussion. :) It is great to talk with someone going through the same pains, but from different angles and different ways. It is encouraging. *hugs*

Re: Part Two

[shadowdream]

*nods* I totally understand. Being that I'm part of that writer's community, there is always writing up on my f-list and I rarely have the time to read and comment myself. I do understand this, but insecurities don't always listen to the logical mind. ;)

That part wasn't directed at you at all, or anyone in particular. :) I don't just expect it of my friends. It *is* time consuming. I write long pieces to begin with, so after taking the time to read, having the time to write more than, "Nice!" or something, yeah, not likely. Didn't mean to make you think that was a poke in your direction, if I did.

I just mentioned it because I realized it is the big thing that shakes my confidence. What I had been doing, and will continue to do now that I'm out of the running for the All-stars contest, is keep my writing to just those who had expressed interest in reading and giving comments/critiques. Less let down there, and still I have someone else to be accountable to once in a while, when I say I'm going to send something along.

And yes, I do know how that goes. :)

It can get frustrating online, because it is so easy to read into things and take things the wrong way. Everyone's brain works a little differently, and with the lack of body language, it is easier to project our own way of thinking onto someone's written word.

That is one reason with the Brigit's Flame stuff, I don't really ask for edits. I can much more easily take a content edit when I'm talking to someone, where I can discuss the whys and where I'm going with things. Give me a few pages of red markups and I'll get mad at the changes most likely. (Used to happen in high school honors english a LOT. LOVED the teacher, HATED her edits because she'd make arbitrary changes.) Grammar/spelling/punctuation, the technical stuff, I have no problem with, that's either right or wrong for he most part. I've seen some of the edits people do though, and they tear the hell out of people's work and try to stuff them into what their idea of good pace, voice, description, etc are. I *like* my voice. Not that ALL suggestions aren't worthwhile. I'm not so arrogant as to think my writing is perfect and can't be improved. ;)

Hmmm. That became a little rant. Anyway, my point to that is that I understand taking a long time to put the comments just so. It is too easy to be offended when you can't immediately discuss and can't see body language. I don't ever really expect that unless its asked for. Actually, I don't *want* that, except when asked for, and only by someone I know won't shoehorn me into how they think things should be. ;) So it is all good. Don't worry about that.

Re: Part Two

[shadowdream]

I understand completely. :) No worries at all.

*grins* Those are my favorites as well. I always appreciate someone keeping me from looking like an idiot. ;) I also appreciate edits for clarity. My brain can be a little circuitous at times and what makes sense to me, doesn't always make sense to someone who does not think like me. I'm usually good at going over what I wrote and cleaning it up, but there are occasions where I miss it because it makes sense to me. "Can you explain here?" or "I don't quite get what you're getting at here." Will always go over well with me. :)