Writing stuff
Sep. 13th, 2006 11:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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schehrezade_1 and enigmaticblues
Keyboard or [insert various local names for pen-type implements] Keyboard, that's me. I'm a very non-linear writer, and I need the ability to go back are re-write immediately. Not to mention, my handwriting is atrocious. Of course sometimes I do write on my palm pilot, but I don't use the hand writing thing, I tap away at the virtual keyboard there too.
Beta or no beta? I must have a beta. Not only has my grammar improved from constantly making the corrections my betas suggest, but it often gives you an idea if something doesn't sound the way you meant it to.
Plot? Almost always. Sometimes I write things that I think of as being more character sketches but mostly there must be plot. I do enjoy the reading the occasional PWP but when I try and write that stuff, plot creeps in.
Title? Titles are important. It's funny though, when I was a kid and thought of being a writer, all these titles would occur to me and I would figure out the stories to go with them. Now I have a hard time finding title's for my stories.
Smushy or smutty? I think I tend towards the smutty more. I guess I'm not sure of the exact definition of smushy. I like to have both humor and "awww" moments in my stories, but I wouldn't say that's my focus.
Summary? Ah the dreaded summary. I have a hard time with these because I usually don't want to give away much of the story, but I have to find some way to hook readers. I think half the time my summary's only tell what happens in the first chapter or two because I don't want the reader to know exactly where I'm going. But maybe that's a mistake.
Funniest fic? I'm not sure. I think my funniest moment is probably Spike driving Angel's viper naked in Midnight Clear, but that was my second story and it's got so many flaws. On the other hand the morgue scene in Sinews of the Heart is also pretty funny I think. I guess I just haven't written any stories that I think of as primarily comedy.
Most popular fic? I think that would be Nothing to Fear. . .
Most fun to write? I think I had the most fun with Freedom. It's the best planned of all my stories, but even so Buffy's character there kept surprising me. She went off in her own very fun direction that I loved.
Best and worst? I think my worst was Midnight Clear. There's a lot of good stuff in there, but overall I just don't think it makes for that great a read. As for my best? I really don't know. I guess Freedom would have to be my choice. There are a few things I would have done differently, but overall I love how I portrayed the characters, the plot works exactly like I thought it did, and I think most people bought into the big surprise that came halfway through, and that I was afraid would loose me all my readers.
Coulda been contenders? I think of Family, Blood, and Prophecy as my noble failure. It was a really ambitious idea, that I just wasn't ready to write yet. There are so many mistakes that I made in writing it, which is why I've had so much trouble getting back to it to finish it. But so many people like that fic, and feel bad about the fact that it's basically been abandoned.
Strengths? I think I'm really good with dialogue and my character's voices. I also think I do a nice job of inserting the occasional bit of humor where it's appropriate.
Weaknesses? Well, my punctuation and spelling aren't the best, but that's what betas are for :) Actually my biggest weakness probably has to do with only having about the first half of a story planned out when I start it. Sometimes good things come out of this because the story takes some great twists and turns, but sometimes I write myself into a corner, and I think that's why I'm starting to be one of those authors with lots of WIPs.
Dirty little secrets? My dirtiest little secret? There's no way you'll ever get me to admit to that. But after that. . . hmmm maybe that I have a hard time writing kissing because honestly, I'm not really into being kissed. Or maybe I just have a way of picking men in real life who aren't good kissers because the only kiss I've ever enjoyed was actually from a guy who I didn't like at all. Oh, that and part of the plot to Freedom was stolen from some of the actual published Buffy books. If I could remember the title I'd tell you, but I can't.
In other writing news. I did do a lot writing yesterday, but sadly it wasn't on any of my current WIPs, at least none of the ones you know about. Instead I went back and looked at a story I started after the convention in Houston, and I absolutely loved what I'd written, and wanted to write more.
I'm not sure what to do since I don't want to start putting up another WIP. On the other hand part of the problem I've been having writing Spuffy lately has to do with the fact that right now I'm bored writing a young Buffy, and this story takes place 5 years after Chosen, so she's much more adult, and much more interesting to me right now. I'm hoping that working on this story will help me fall back in love with Buffy. We'll see.
schehrezade_1 and enigmaticbluesKeyboard or [insert various local names for pen-type implements] Keyboard, that's me. I'm a very non-linear writer, and I need the ability to go back are re-write immediately. Not to mention, my handwriting is atrocious. Of course sometimes I do write on my palm pilot, but I don't use the hand writing thing, I tap away at the virtual keyboard there too.
Beta or no beta? I must have a beta. Not only has my grammar improved from constantly making the corrections my betas suggest, but it often gives you an idea if something doesn't sound the way you meant it to.
Plot? Almost always. Sometimes I write things that I think of as being more character sketches but mostly there must be plot. I do enjoy the reading the occasional PWP but when I try and write that stuff, plot creeps in.
Title? Titles are important. It's funny though, when I was a kid and thought of being a writer, all these titles would occur to me and I would figure out the stories to go with them. Now I have a hard time finding title's for my stories.
Smushy or smutty? I think I tend towards the smutty more. I guess I'm not sure of the exact definition of smushy. I like to have both humor and "awww" moments in my stories, but I wouldn't say that's my focus.
Summary? Ah the dreaded summary. I have a hard time with these because I usually don't want to give away much of the story, but I have to find some way to hook readers. I think half the time my summary's only tell what happens in the first chapter or two because I don't want the reader to know exactly where I'm going. But maybe that's a mistake.
Funniest fic? I'm not sure. I think my funniest moment is probably Spike driving Angel's viper naked in Midnight Clear, but that was my second story and it's got so many flaws. On the other hand the morgue scene in Sinews of the Heart is also pretty funny I think. I guess I just haven't written any stories that I think of as primarily comedy.
Most popular fic? I think that would be Nothing to Fear. . .
Most fun to write? I think I had the most fun with Freedom. It's the best planned of all my stories, but even so Buffy's character there kept surprising me. She went off in her own very fun direction that I loved.
Best and worst? I think my worst was Midnight Clear. There's a lot of good stuff in there, but overall I just don't think it makes for that great a read. As for my best? I really don't know. I guess Freedom would have to be my choice. There are a few things I would have done differently, but overall I love how I portrayed the characters, the plot works exactly like I thought it did, and I think most people bought into the big surprise that came halfway through, and that I was afraid would loose me all my readers.
Coulda been contenders? I think of Family, Blood, and Prophecy as my noble failure. It was a really ambitious idea, that I just wasn't ready to write yet. There are so many mistakes that I made in writing it, which is why I've had so much trouble getting back to it to finish it. But so many people like that fic, and feel bad about the fact that it's basically been abandoned.
Strengths? I think I'm really good with dialogue and my character's voices. I also think I do a nice job of inserting the occasional bit of humor where it's appropriate.
Weaknesses? Well, my punctuation and spelling aren't the best, but that's what betas are for :) Actually my biggest weakness probably has to do with only having about the first half of a story planned out when I start it. Sometimes good things come out of this because the story takes some great twists and turns, but sometimes I write myself into a corner, and I think that's why I'm starting to be one of those authors with lots of WIPs.
Dirty little secrets? My dirtiest little secret? There's no way you'll ever get me to admit to that. But after that. . . hmmm maybe that I have a hard time writing kissing because honestly, I'm not really into being kissed. Or maybe I just have a way of picking men in real life who aren't good kissers because the only kiss I've ever enjoyed was actually from a guy who I didn't like at all. Oh, that and part of the plot to Freedom was stolen from some of the actual published Buffy books. If I could remember the title I'd tell you, but I can't.
In other writing news. I did do a lot writing yesterday, but sadly it wasn't on any of my current WIPs, at least none of the ones you know about. Instead I went back and looked at a story I started after the convention in Houston, and I absolutely loved what I'd written, and wanted to write more.
I'm not sure what to do since I don't want to start putting up another WIP. On the other hand part of the problem I've been having writing Spuffy lately has to do with the fact that right now I'm bored writing a young Buffy, and this story takes place 5 years after Chosen, so she's much more adult, and much more interesting to me right now. I'm hoping that working on this story will help me fall back in love with Buffy. We'll see.
