~Shipping Authors' Café~

[scarecrow62]

I woud say its at least worth a try right? anything is worth a try....

[Skiyomi]

Well, basically I've said I'll host it if no one else wants to step up to the plate. Oh Lord, Winter term is going to murder me. So it'll get tried this year and we'll see if results improve at all or if we just can't have nice things.

I hope we can have nice things because I've got some ideas percolating away.

And now for something completely different:

You know how you sometimes get all jazzed up for a chapter? It's all dazzlingly clear and planned out in your mind and all, but something keeps you from actually writing it--social obligations, work, school, a broken computer, the biological need for sleep, or what have you--and then when you're finally in a place where you can write it later on, all your inspiration is dried up and you've forgotten the masterful things you planned earlier? ...Don't you hate it when that happens? What do you do about it?

Wow. That was a long, ranty question, but it's happened to me SO MANY times.

Yes, I do hate it. I hate it very, very much. But it's pretty much par for the course. Inspiration pops up so much more easily when I'm about to collapse from exhaustion, am far away from my computer, or I have a ton of work to do. Inspiration is kind of obnoxious that way.

But basically it's been the philosophy as a writer that I've tried to live by that you can't wait around for inspiration--you've got to chase after it. Sometimes I forget this philosophy and whine over my fleeting inspiration. But I always get back in there eventually... What usually happens is:

1. I'm able to retrace my steps with the very vague things I remember about my plans and the even vaguer notes I leave for myself and reconstruct my plans pretty much in their original form. Though I'll always have the nagging suspicion that I've forgotten something great.

2. I go in a differnet direction--there's some of the original plan still there, but in the course of writing--and because I don't remember what the hell I was going on about before--it changes. Sometimes it changes for the better; sometimes I'm sure what I had before was superior.

3. I have negated this whole problem by taking scrupulous notes of the events/lines from the story. The only problem now is the lack of inspiration, which will probably come back if I tackle it and don't let go. This one really doesn't happen often enough anymore. I used to be a better note-taker.

[Kutie Pie]

You know how you sometimes get all jazzed up for a chapter? It's all dazzlingly clear and planned out in your mind and all, but something keeps you from actually writing it--social obligations, work, school, a broken computer, the biological need for sleep, or what have you--and then when you're finally in a place where you can write it later on, all your inspiration is dried up and you've forgotten the masterful things you planned earlier? ...Don't you hate it when that happens? What do you do about it?

Holy cow, I'm going through that right now.

Well, sorta. I have the ideas all written down as notes, but I just can't seem to bring myself to add in the descriptions and everything. It could be because my mind's associating with this chapter with a previous one that took me four months to do, and so it's a bit worried it'll end up taking four months as well. It could also be that I really really want to write out something else, but I can't get there yet unless I finish this specific chapter. (Happens a lot.) However, I think it's also because I've been struggling with my classes the past few weeks, so it's taken a lot out of me.

What do I do about it? I dunno. I guess I try to find inspiring music and/or force myself to start writing. I can't remember how I last did that.

[scarecrow62]

You know how you sometimes get all jazzed up for a chapter? It's all dazzlingly clear and planned out in your mind and all, but something keeps you from actually writing it--social obligations, work, school, a broken computer, the biological need for sleep, or what have you--and then when you're finally in a place where you can write it later on, all your inspiration is dried up and you've forgotten the masterful things you planned earlier? ...Don't you hate it when that happens? What do you do about it?

Well thats a tasy little morsel isnt it.....haha.....

Indeed i have this problem but for the most rediculous of reasons.

Exhibit A: I remember all of what i was originally thinking, save for a few minor details that didnt even matter in the first place, and can easily be replaces by something equally genereic, though when i come to sittig down to write, everything goes perfect, i sit, i fire up the laptop, i open my documet file, and I freeze, minimize the file, and got to the internet for less intensive entertainment. In the end, im basically saying.... Im Lazy.....

Exhibit B: I make up a brilliant scenario, but am in no position to take note of it, and then lose it to forgetfulness.

Exhibit C: I make up that aforementioned brilliant scenario, remember most of it (what i assume at the time are the most important parts) and begin to write it, but by the time i begin to lead in, i only rmember "Most of it" and in the process of filling in the rest, i write something that changes the situation completely. (the sometimes works in my favor, but not often.)

Exhibit D: (This is rediculous, but i suppose the circumstances created it.) I was going to say something else here, but in the process of writing "C" I forgot it, and am now using the circumstances of that forgotten idea, to create another. (i have done this before as related to a story.)

In the end the breakdown goes like this

A= 70%
B= 9%
C= 20%
D= 1%

In the end (this is really the end, i was just teasing you before)

Yes, that does happen!

[Encyclopika]

You know how you sometimes get all jazzed up for a chapter? It's all dazzlingly clear and planned out in your mind and all, but something keeps you from actually writing it--social obligations, work, school, a broken computer, the biological need for sleep, or what have you--and then when you're finally in a place where you can write it later on, all your inspiration is dried up and you've forgotten the masterful things you planned earlier? ...Don't you hate it when that happens? What do you do about it?
LOL Silently cry to myself. XD It's happened and I hate it.

A lot of the time this will happen to me because I have a great scenario, but I don't know how to get there from where I am at the moment in the story...and trying to get there is such a pain that I end up forgetting what I wanted to put in. That's what's happened to my current fic, and I'm waiting on a bout of inspiration to get me to the next chapter. :|

[Lord Zant]

You know how you sometimes get all jazzed up for a chapter? It's all dazzlingly clear and planned out in your mind and all, but something keeps you from actually writing it--social obligations, work, school, a broken computer, the biological need for sleep, or what have you--and then when you're finally in a place where you can write it later on, all your inspiration is dried up and you've forgotten the masterful things you planned earlier? ...Don't you hate it when that happens? What do you do about it?

...procrastinate. Tell myself I'm too busy to sit down and remember my plans, even though I REALLY WANT TO (haaaa ha ha). etc.

A month later I'll have literally nothing to do, so I'll go cook myself something.

Sometime within the next month I'll actually write it. It's usually like that.

But if you were asking for ways to get out of it, I'd suggest mind mapping (remember those "spiderweb" graphic organizers you had to fill out in elementary school to pre-write assignments? kind of like that. It can really free up the mind) your ideas for next chapter. I don't personally do this, but if I was a more together person when it comes to writing fiction for fun, I would. :P

[AquaRegisteel]

You know how you sometimes get all jazzed up for a chapter? It's all dazzlingly clear and planned out in your mind and all, but something keeps you from actually writing it--social obligations, work, school, a broken computer, the biological need for sleep, or what have you--and then when you're finally in a place where you can write it later on, all your inspiration is dried up and you've forgotten the masterful things you planned earlier? ...Don't you hate it when that happens? What do you do about it?

I haven't had this happen to me often, but I would be annoyed. I would drag myself to my bed, sleep, wake up and try again.

[Simon Alexander]

You know how you sometimes get all jazzed up for a chapter? It's all dazzlingly clear and planned out in your mind and all, but something keeps you from actually writing it--social obligations, work, school, a broken computer, the biological need for sleep, or what have you--and then when you're finally in a place where you can write it later on, all your inspiration is dried up and you've forgotten the masterful things you planned earlier? ...Don't you hate it when that happens? What do you do about it?

This happens to me a lot. It's broken my swing at fics, and I'll leave them for months, years, without writing another word on it. It sucks monkey balls. But then, when I do go back to those stories at last, I see they weren't really good anyway XD I guess for me, it's a good thing, because it allows me to step back, take a break and then see the fic with new eyes.

I can't say my readers are very happy about it, though XD

But I'm trying to break out of that now. Now, if I lose the inspiration for a piece of a fic, I just walk away for a bit. I don't stress over it. I just do something else, get my mind off of it. I generally write in the morning while waiting for the bus to go to work, so if during the day while I'm writing, I lose my train, hit a wall, whatever, I'll stop and leave it for the morning. It seems to work a lot these days.

[Skiyomi]

Hey folks. Sorry I've been a bit out to lunch in this thread for... y'know, weeks, but I'm glad to see that my long rambling question got a lot of responses and that I AM NOT ALONE! *tears of joy*

So I guess here are two new questions that have occured to me...

Do you ever feel like one particular pairing is completely monopolizing your attention in fanfics?

Now, I'm sure we all have our favorites, but I'm talking about to the detriment of other things you write. I haven't been in the fanfiction game that long relatively speaking (though I did a lot of original fiction before that) and most of the time I've been writing Xellos/Filia, a pairing from Slayers. I really enjoy writing for those two, obviously.

Now, taking a look at the multi-chapter fanfics I've written for other couples... A Little Opposition (another Slayers fic, but with different couplings) and my current one The Kingdom of Illusions (Pokeshipping)... I've noticed that I experienced much more frustration and annoyance in writing those two then any of my other long-term Xellos/Filia fics--and I'm not sure if there are other elements at play here or if I simply resented the fact that they didn't contain my favorite pair.

I'm not entirely sure how to deal with this... indulge myself and go all Xellos/Filia, all the time; bite the bullet and force myself to explore other pairings that I like; or go middle of the road and do a multi-shipping fic with Xellos/Filia as one of the couples (I've done this once before and the problem is that they're epic scene-stealers).

The internet: distraction or resource?

Both. It's really helpful for fact checking and research, but I've gotta admit that for me, at least, it's more of a distraction. The urge to search the net often either completely derails me from writing or slows me down as a ping-pong between the two.

[AquaRegisteel]

(^I wouldn't mind helping for the oscars actually, so if you or Encyclopika want some help, I'd be glad to)

Anyways, this may be a question someone could assist me with(be aware, it's about Contestshipping):

I want to write a Contestshipping story with a good plot going on in the background. But I'm usually quite short. Can anyone suggest a plot that could/would work well with May and Drew? Even a vague description could help.

[Kutie Pie]

Do you ever feel like one particular pairing is completely monopolizing your attention in fanfics?

8B DURRRRRRRR...

Yeah, I have that xD. I do try to branch out, but if I can't come up with anything proper for that pairing, I don't bother with it. Which is sad when I want to contribute to that pairing. But every once in a while, I get the motivation and inspiration to write out something different to what I like, and all I can do is hope I don't lose interest or get stuck and leave it to sit around on my computer for years.

Though I think it all depends on my obsessions at the moment... I've noticed my trends lately, and if I'm ever in a certain mood, I just write/draw things accordingly to that obsession until it passes. It's not healthy for my psyche, lol.

The internet: distraction or resource?

Oh goodness gracious, you have NO IDEA. Even as I'm writing right now, this is a distraction that is preventing me from writing when I am clearly in the mood to write right now. But my brain and fingers wants to keep stalling as long as they can, I swear they're plotting against me or something.

Wait what?

But the resource is great while it lasts, because then I just get distracted some more. Again, not healthy for my psyche.

[Skiyomi]

(^I wouldn't mind helping for the oscars actually, so if you or Encyclopika want some help, I'd be glad to)

I've been doing a lot of planning for the Oscars actually and, at the risk of totally disappointing myself and dashing my hopes, I'm getting excited about it. As it gets closer to Oscar-time if I need any help I'll definitely remember to ask you, though, and this applies to everyone: the help that the Oscars will need the most this year is voting.

[Nightlingbolt]

Will you be handling the nominees, or do we have to nominate stories?

Also, there are Grammar Nazis, and then there's Microsoft Word. Christ.

[Skiyomi]

I'm planning kind of a different system for it, so we don't have to deal with the nominating process, but that all kind of depends on the level of activity in this section so I don't really want to commit to anything at this point in case what I think will happen and reality don't line up which never ever happens, right?

Meeeehhhhhh. I've really gotta get myself in gear and write the last chapter of Kingdom of Illusions. I said I wanted to finish that and Legal Matter: From Now On (thankfully that one's done) before I start back at school on... Monday.

[AquaRegisteel]

I need to start something new to crack on with.

Oh, I remember I need to edit a story. The story being the one that I started after many years of doing nothing concerning stories.

[scarecrow62]

Wow, this entire section has been pretty dead recently, not saying that ive done a whole lot to contribute, but in essence to try and liven it up, let see what everyone has been up to.

Recently, what has been keeping you from writing?

As for me, definately school, and everything that comes along with it, until the end of this month, it will be hard to get any writing done, between school, homework, football practices, and play practices, i will have no time at all.

[Skiyomi]

Recently, what has been keeping you from writing?

That's a big ditto to school. The terms we have are very fast paced and I don't have much time for other things. When I do have spare time all I want to do is crash and give my brain a break. So... not much writing has happened. Maybe when December rolls around I'll have more time.

Another big thing is that I recently finished a longer project and without having it to keep me focused I'm kind of in a rut. It's hard to get a new project off the ground and until I get that started I'm adrift in the land of oneshots. *sigh*

[Encyclopika]

Recently, what has been keeping you from writing?
School, definitely. I don't think I need to get into details on that - it's pretty understandable.
But then also, I have to say my boyfriend. It's nothing he's done, but he takes up a lot of my time. I don't sit home bored with nothing to do much anymore, and if I do, I want to do artwork more than write. And, if this makes any sense, I suppose I get my fill of romance because of him. I don't need shipping fics anymore for my fill of fluff. lolol I still love this place...but I think my shipping fic days are pretty much over...I don't have any drive to write them, nor do I ever even think of it. o.o

[Kutie Pie]

Recently, what has been keeping you from writing?

If not school, just the lack of a muse/motivation. It sucks it has to happen, since I'm almost done with the story...

Oh wait, I know another reason. It could be because I'm trying to get back into drawing. It's difficult, juggling talents... never noticed that until now. And also, the Internet distracts me. *gives SPPF the death glare*

*points to user rank* You don't help one bit.

Pichu: o.o

[Lord Zant]

Recently, what has been keeping you from writing?

School, work, and my recently-formed band... That poor collection of musicians barely gets any of my time as it is. Also, I'm an anime binge-watcher. Every few weeks I'll stay up horribly late watching 5 - 8 episodes a night of an anime series until I've finished it. Just finished season 1 of Code Geass. Like juuuust now.