On Writing!

[zeitgeistic]

Finished my do-me-veela fic and came in at 12k which is AMAZING for me. The only thing that saved this from turning into 50k of me fucking around is the fact that it has absolutely zero plot.

Okay let's talk about fic/fiction writing strategy

I've gotten 4 inquiries on my writing process for Azoth now, which is just mind-blowing to me since I never felt like I did anything special writing-wise, but I know this is a question I've often had of other writers, too, so maybe it would be fun to talk about what we all do when we're planning a fic. We can compare/contrast, share tips and tricks, or maybe just bitch about the process.

I'll get us started. Feel free to share this post around to other writers. I'd loooove to hear what you guys do when you're planning a fic (or when you're writing if you don't pre-plan).

I support making your comments all about *you* so I don't feel like a douche for talking about this in my journal. :D

THINGS I DO. Could be spoilers here. Actually, there are.

1. I always start with a title-even if the title later changes. Often I'll have a title in my head just sitting around for weeks or months, waiting for a fic (or original novel) to be written about it. This has been the case with Every Single Thing I've Ever Written Even Poetry. Last year, I really wanted a fic called "Manticoria," and it took me weeks to figure out what "manticoria" actually was (it turned out to be a potion-a topic I seem to be fond of). This year, I wanted a fic called "Inner Alchemy," so I wrote an entire fic about the inner alchemy inherent in life changes and then angsted to eidheann-writes about changing it to "Azoth" all of 10 minutes before I submitted it to the mods.
2. I always know what's going to happen in the end-even if it later changes. I never start writing unless I know where the story's going. I might not know what's happening in the middle (often don't), but I know what the ~big revelation~ will be. I write towards this scene. Everything that goes into the beginning and middle of the story is there to get me closer to that ending scene. With Azoth (since people are asking), I knew that the big revelation would be [Spoiler (click to open)]when Harry saw the boggart again and realized that he wasn't truly happy without Draco, he just couldn't know what he was missing until he had it.
   
   Things I didn't know: How the alchemy would work; that there would even BE alchemy; that there would be five fucking cats plus Hermione and McGonagall; whether or not Harry would apprentice under Snape or a foreign master; what Draco would study; which side characters would be present; why Terry Boot was there; whether or not Harry would recognize what Ron really means to him; other things.
3. I look for ways to make every character complex, flawed, and meaningful. This is a cheap trick. I just add props and I pretend they're character development. I give Harry a cat that looks like him because he misses Hedwig and the cat vaguely represent how he feels inadequate post-war. I make Hermione and Draco struggle with something that comes easily to Harry. I make other characters laugh at their screw-ups. I put Terry Boot in to reflect how jaded Harry feels and to show that he's not really unhappy, he just doesn't know what he wants or needs. I also tend to make Harry an unreliable narrator when it comes to Ron, just because bromance isn't always perfect...even if it's perfect.
4. I research the most mundane shit. Like which art movements Snape will look best in; what color sulfur turns when it heats up; the layout of Diagon Alley in canon; types of magic used in other fandoms; how the fuck chemistry works; major cities between London and Brisbane; CPR; everything I could possibly find on ancient alchemy; philosophies on balance; how fantasy football works; other things.
5. I never write a scene if it doesn't move the plot or characterization forward. Let's be real: I have enough trouble as it is keeping things short. I don't waste page space writing things that I don't think are necessary. Or sometimes, I'll write entire scenes that I later realize are pointless, and even though it pains me, I'll snip that shit right out.

How about you guys? What are your writing tips and tricks?