Am I supposed to be changing my clothes a lot? Is that the helpful thing to do?

Anya ,'Storyteller'


The Great Write Way, Act Three: Where's the gun?

A place for Buffistas to discuss, beta and otherwise deal and dish on their non-fan fiction projects.


Wolfram - Aug 14, 2008 11:18:50 am PDT #634 of 6681
Visilurking

Can you throw in some quicksand? Or a big grey fog? Or both. That would make a fun scene.

I find ideas come to me when I'm not looking for them. Of course I'm still staring at Chapter One of my novel/short story/screenplay, so there's that.


Typo Boy - Aug 14, 2008 11:24:45 am PDT #635 of 6681
Calli: My people have a saying. A man who trusts can never be betrayed, only mistaken.Avon: Life expectancy among your people must be extremely short.

For me, fiction is something where I have the talent but not the vocation. I can write very short fiction when inspired (usually by dreams) - otherwise sheer garbage. But I can write non-fiction professionally. I have a passion for it and sometimes inspiration, but I can put in the perspiration too - pound my head against that wall until it gives. Don't know why I can't take a professional approach to the first, but can to the second. Steven Brust claims the opposite is true for him, though his blog seems to belie this. Maybe it is a way around the block; he thinks of it as blogging, not non-fiction.


Typo Boy - Aug 14, 2008 11:28:19 am PDT #636 of 6681
Calli: My people have a saying. A man who trusts can never be betrayed, only mistaken.Avon: Life expectancy among your people must be extremely short.

MM - wish I could help you with the grey fog. When I hit it I normally end up filling a few pages with "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" and giving up.


Barb - Aug 14, 2008 11:34:42 am PDT #637 of 6681
“Not dead yet!”

There's always the DLD draft, aka, the Don't Look Down draft. You just write down the story in whatever language comes to you, without looking down, no editing allowed. In essence you're giving yourself permission to write crap and know that you can go back and fix it.

I have a very hard time with this method because the internal editor is a big pain in my ass, but I know people who have used the method to break out.

My way of breaking out of the writing fog is to write longhand on a legal pad or in a journal. It's kind of the same idea of the DLD draft because you have far less opportunity to go back and edit.


Allyson - Aug 14, 2008 11:39:50 am PDT #638 of 6681
Wait, is this real-world child support, where the money goes to buy food for the kids, or MRA fantasyland child support where the women just buy Ferraris and cocaine? -Jessica

Anyone around for a beta? I'm going bananas about chapter two.


Barb - Aug 14, 2008 11:47:37 am PDT #639 of 6681
“Not dead yet!”

::raises hand::

What do you need?


Allyson - Aug 14, 2008 11:50:47 am PDT #640 of 6681
Wait, is this real-world child support, where the money goes to buy food for the kids, or MRA fantasyland child support where the women just buy Ferraris and cocaine? -Jessica

I need to know if the story flows or clunks along, what resonates, what falls on its face, what seems trite/dumbed down (which is my biggest ish with writing for kids, it seems I'm afraid I'm talking down to them).


Barb - Aug 14, 2008 11:51:54 am PDT #641 of 6681
“Not dead yet!”

Send away if you want-- Fashionista35@comcast.net


Liese S. - Aug 14, 2008 11:55:26 am PDT #642 of 6681
"Faded like the lilac, he thought."

I'm here, too, Allyson. Is this what you've posted on lj? 'Cause I'm about to comment over there. Sorry I've been such a flake about betaing for you. It's a marvelous story.


Allyson - Aug 14, 2008 11:57:15 am PDT #643 of 6681
Wait, is this real-world child support, where the money goes to buy food for the kids, or MRA fantasyland child support where the women just buy Ferraris and cocaine? -Jessica

oooh! Comment! Comment!

I've been horribly nervous.