Question:

[simplykitten]

Who do you write for

Comments

[confidentsoba]

I'd like to think I mostly write for me, because as of right now I literally have an audience of one (two if I count myself). And while I love to get feedback from my one-person audience, the vast majority of the stories that I've written for the past few years got done because I had an idea that I wanted to explore. (Of course, there are a few that got done---or were born in the first place---at Lexi's urging, so I can't say "completely.") I also can't say I write for myself "completely" because otherwise I'd have written some of the ideas that I've gotten that really only do appeal to me. When I was writing fanfic on a regular basis it was generally the other way around---I was still writing things because I wanted to explore the ideas, but I was also taking more direct requests and I was definitely driven by a want of comments.

If you're specifically reading nothing but romance, I'd imagine that's probably what's making you write romance now; I'm a big believer in the idea that people end up writing what they're most

[simplykitten]

Thank you for the recommendation, but The Graveyard Book kind of depresses me. While I understand it, it goes in with the ending of Escaflowne for its reason of being unsatisfying (although its ending is possibly the right one, still makes me sad).

Writing because I have ideas I want to explore is what I want to get back to--not that I'm *not* doing it now, necessarily. I just want to explore more plots/events rather than people and relationships. I guess I feel like I'm writing the same story over and over again. But your point definitely makes me think I need to read more outside the genre.

*snuggle* thanks for the reply!

[frogs_of_war]

I write for both. But audiences tend to like the same characters over and over or side stories when I'm ready to start something new. One story I'm working on came for a conversation after reading a story where I thought "Could I make a threesome a logic option?", so it's both for the people I was talking to and myself. The other is from a based-on-a-true-story book where the trans character stole the show (at least the first half because that's all I read), but knew that her romance was doomed because her boyfriend would eventually leave her for a girl with the 'right' parts. I wanted to give her a happy ending

[simplykitten]

You did answer my question, and I thank you for it. Specifically for this: Shake it up a bit and those plots/events might fall into you lap. I think you're right, which you touched upon, about taking one event from a different story and making it into something else. The Graveyard Book (mentioned above) is like that. It takes the basic concept of The Jungle Book and makes it its own.

Thank you!

PS. While I doubt it'll help me with my writing ideas, I have been reading nonfiction (The Lexicographer's Dilemma). It does cheer me up when I read it.

[frogs_of_war]

That sounds like a great book. I just put a hold on it. I love books about language.