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Author Topic: The Fanfic Rant Hole  (Read 51762 times)

Offline badsaints

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #20 on: October 21, 2009, 04:53:07 PM »
Am I late for this discussion? *feels bad*


I can understand rndmn's rant. ADHD is, after all, a cancer for all writers (a little exaggerating, but yeah :D) and it is frustrating when your mind keeps telling you to get on with it but your body is too lazy to listen to it. Not to mention having an attention span of three seconds doesn't help too when you are easily distracted by something as trivial as an ant walking in front of you :lol:


There will a point of time you will reach your stumbling block in connecting your ideas and having someone to talk to you will definitely help a lot. For me, even though my family and close friends know about my fangirling on MM (due to the fact I blast their songs at home and in the office XD), I can't discuss my stories with them without having them thinking that I'm crazy to write a fanfics on girls. So yeah, it can be a little lonely sometimes


Sometimes, it is choosing the right words that can cause frustration. Like, how do I portray the feelings/ideas to the readers. When you just can't get the ideas across, you tend to get very frustrated and that's when ADHD kicks in, and you just gave up.


The fact that you were able to write quite a few stories and completed a few of them are amazing. Even if there comes a point where you need a break, we will understand and still love you for it. If you need to get something off your mind, I'm sure all of us (including me) will be more than happy to listen to you :D


Wow! That's a long one. Brain fuel dangerously low...

Offline Estrea

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #21 on: October 21, 2009, 05:15:53 PM »
Good to hear that you're getting back in the groove rndmn! :D I always stop to play Solitaire when I get stuck in my writing. ^^; I'm a little strange like that. Don't worry too much about deadlines, this is why we're in fanfiction, cos there are no publishing deadlines to meet. :P

Speaking of writing, I should get back to my own stories. So many....@_@

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

Offline rndmnwierd

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #22 on: October 22, 2009, 04:07:57 AM »
Self imposed deadlines give me the pretense of a goal. So if I'm like, "Okay, I wanna finish this chapter in a week.... Oh look! I haven't seen this concert yet! Must write, write write. Uhp, that's finished downloading! Oh noes, I'ma miss my deadline....I'll extend another week."

Kinda.

Offline kawaii beam

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #23 on: October 31, 2009, 09:25:17 PM »
*pokes head in and looks around* ok i wanna put my 2 cents in too ^^

well 1st i wanna tell rwndy that i understand how she feels, i write fics on H!O and i'm always in the delema of focusing/lazy-ness. with school constantly slaping me i barely get anything done cus after all of the school drama and school work i just get creativly braindead>.< but now i just try to take if one day at a time and write a bit a day which leads me to my rant now^^; i hope noone minds it^^;

ok.. so as i said earlier i write on H!O and i have been debating if i should post my stuff up on here as well. i asked other people what they think but i still get the unsure-ness nomatter howmany times i say that today will be the day that i'll post up my fics and oneshots,but i just get the chiken-ness and not do it.

i mean i know that my work isnt the best,my spelling fails(eventhough english is my best subject) and my descripton of thisng never come out the way i want them to but i still post stuff up cus someone likes my crapy writings..

i'm always trying to write longer chapters and be more descriptive but the brain and the pen and paper/computer never comes out right..
I'm always asking myself why i even bother continuing cus there's somany stories that are in my head that i want to come out but i always end up forgeting them...

gosh i'm probably making nosense out of my frustrated-ness/unsureness so i guess i'll stop now^^; sorry if i annoyed anyone>.<
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Offline writerjunkie

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #24 on: October 31, 2009, 10:39:57 PM »
^ It just takes time to get things or to get them how you want them. Just keep writing you'll get there. I know writing long chapters are hard and so is writing description. It's tough for me, I never get my point across on what I want the readers to see that's in my head, but it takes time. I've noticed I've gotten better with writing and description and that's because I continued to write no matter what. So take your time and just keep on writing it doesn't matter. You learn from your mistakes and maybe when you're better you can go back to your old writings and fix them. I've been thinking about doing that with Chosen and The Calm Before The Storm. Don't give up just keep practicing or take a break. It helps to read books also. I used to do that, but I got tired of reading the same book over and over. I'm not sure if this helps, but it has with me.

Offline Estrea

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #25 on: October 31, 2009, 11:08:16 PM »
^Reading real books definitely helps. If nothing else, you learn proper grammar and syntax.

Practice also helps. Then again, doing the same thing over and over again might sometimes be counter-productive. It definitely helps to read good writing, hence where the real books come in. Though not everything out there that is published is necessarily "good writing". But then it really depends on how you define good writing I suppose. I'm more stringent about that qualification so a lot of books don't pass my judgment, but that's my own problem lol. XD

Making the connection between what you picture in your mind and what comes out through your writing is often one of the more difficult parts in writing. That's where "practice" comes in. In the early stages you might want to ask for help from a third party to look over your work, and ask them what they see directly, so you know if you managed to get your point across. Once you reach the point of knowing instinctively whether or not what you've just written is what you actually want to be said, half the battle is won. XD Yes, only half. But I won't get further into that today. :lol:

As for how to improve descriptive writing, let's just put it this way: practice isn't just by writing alone. Thinking about descriptions in your head while you're out doing other stuff also works. Look at the landscape outside a window, how would you describe it? Try different ways and use different words. See a person passing by? Think of how you would describe them. Little things like that all play a part in honing the mind to think of description in words, rather than them remaining merely in visual memory. That's my advice on descriptive writing. ;)

Ok, it's either really late or really early for me now, so I shall go sleep. XD

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

Offline kawaii beam

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #26 on: November 02, 2009, 03:28:59 AM »
thanks you guys^^ u actualy modivated me to actualy make the thread XD i know that i still have alot to learn but i'll just have to do it little by little^^; i hope that i can write a epicly as you all do oneday^^
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Offline rndmnwierd

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #27 on: November 03, 2009, 11:51:33 AM »
Wow, I'm late, but I couldn't just not say something and since everything has already been said, I guess I can only reiterate that you have support here. We love you and definitely want to read your stuff. :D

Offline Estrea

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #28 on: November 05, 2009, 07:40:24 PM »
Ok time for my own rant. :D


I'm really annoyed by my writing process. Half the time I just sit there and stare blankly. Then I type some, delete some, type some more, delete some more....

A lot of the time it's like two steps forward, one step back. Sentences don't flow right, paragraph lacking balance, a poorly turned phrase. Not to mention the flow of action needs to be exactly right or I'll be so pissed off that I'll delete the whole paragraph (or more).

What needs to happen vs what happens on the spot. Too many spontaneous moments. Spontaneity has its place, but too much drives the plot out of control. >_> It slows me down like a trainwreck...

And then there are times when I look at the finished product, and I'm like 'GOD I ABSOLUTELY HATE IT'. Which is then followed by the standard 'WHY WHY WHY DOES IT SUCK SO MUCH ARGH'. Then more self-hate, which leads to brooding. And less writing. Hmm.

I need to be less of a perfectionist...but if I'm not, I'll be more disappointed with myself. D: I need to find a balance...D:

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

Offline rndmnwierd

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #29 on: November 06, 2009, 09:13:12 AM »
*Pats Estrea* There there. You may think it sucks, but isn't that what most great writers think about their works? And you are definitely a great writer. I think maybe your perfectionism, even if it bothers you, is what helps to make you constantly work to improve. Hmm, is this comforting at all? It's kinda late for me and I've been a little off lately.

Offline kawaii beam

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #30 on: November 06, 2009, 11:44:02 PM »
same here! ur writing is truely epicX3 it is good to have a bit of perfectioism but too mch of it isnt good^^ i'm kinda the same way^^;
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Offline Comrade

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #31 on: November 07, 2009, 12:30:14 AM »
Awww, you da man, Es.

Hrrrmmm.  You're lucky you can evaluate your work that quickly.  It takes me at least a few months to look back at what I've written and go "GOD I ABSOLUTELY HATE THIS".  Hehe. 

You are "too much" of a perfectionist, but we'd have you no other way.  That's why we get quality work out of you.

The writing process is like weather.  You get droughts, flash floods, spitting rain, hailstorms, sunny and clear, cloudy and dark... (and sometimes even that effect where the clouds part and the sun shines through as a chorus of angels sing to Handel).  Roll with it.
Sweet dreams, Jab.  Love you forever.

Offline ShikyoxYaiba

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #32 on: November 07, 2009, 08:33:20 PM »
Essy, we love your writing~ D: But I understand what you mean by just staring blankly and typing something up and then just deleting it anyway. x_x I often do that myself. That's why I get almost nowhere when I start writing. ^^;;

Well you know what they say...you're your own worst critic. I look back at some of my own things right now and I wanna smack my head on my desk. Blah.

I know I'm been MIA for ages, including commenting on people's fics... I do still read everything, I just lack the will/time to comment. Damned college applications.  T__T Plus my shitload of regular homework. I'll be back to writing as soon as I can. D: (Probably the wrong place to be posting my 'pologies, but I can't be bothered to care. *gets her hand bitten by AP Biology book* GAWDAMMIT LEMME GO. *runs off trying to free her hand*)

Offline Hotaru

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #33 on: November 08, 2009, 06:30:09 AM »
Meh, I'll just start ranting here too, I hope you guys are okay with that. (What the heck am I saying? Ignore that. XD)

I'm actually irritated by how short my chapters are. I try to keep them lengthy, but whenever I post it, I go, "IT'S TOO FREAKIN' SHORT!" in my mind. Then again, I don't know what else to add to the chapter.  :thumbdown: Which is the main reason why Rondo's recent chapters are short, and that's why I think the plot's going nowhere if I keep this up.

Also, being on writer's block sucks, I sit at the computer on weekends, staring at a blank WordPad and I'm on Dictionary.com, but I feel...empty. (I guess I'm referring to Essy-can I call you that? XD-'s rant here too.) There's school on top of that too, so...yeah. There are times where I feel like writing, but then I can't think of anything at all. GAH, this sucks. XD


Offline Estrea

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #34 on: November 08, 2009, 07:15:12 AM »
Awww thanks guys, I really appreciate the support. :) Yeah I know I can be too hard on myself, but hey, you guys benefit in the end. :P

@Commie: I :heart: you. XD Yeah it takes me a few days (or a few weeks) to finish writing, so usually by then I'll be like "omg fail" at whatever comes out in the end. But at least I don't take months? ^^; :P Still love your stories though. <3 When 'chu gonna write again? ;_; XD

@Hotaru: Length doesn't make content. I've read chapters that are several thousand words long, and manage to say nothing (I'm guilty! Guilty! XD) of any significance. I think the important thing here is to learn how to put what is significant down, then you can start working on details later. Oh and you can call me Essy. Everyone can. XD If you can't write your established stories, just go write something different for a bit (and this is why I never finish anything....>_>; )

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

Offline Hotaru

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #35 on: November 08, 2009, 07:53:01 AM »
^Thank you for the advice Estr- Oops, I mean Essy! XD (This is going to take me a while. ^^; )


Offline Beecubed

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #36 on: November 08, 2009, 08:21:16 AM »
I'm really annoyed by my writing process. Half the time I just sit there and stare blankly. Then I type some, delete some, type some more, delete some more....

A lot of the time it's like two steps forward, one step back. Sentences don't flow right, paragraph lacking balance, a poorly turned phrase. Not to mention the flow of action needs to be exactly right or I'll be so pissed off that I'll delete the whole paragraph (or more).

What needs to happen vs what happens on the spot. Too many spontaneous moments. Spontaneity has its place, but too much drives the plot out of control. >_> It slows me down like a trainwreck...

And then there are times when I look at the finished product, and I'm like 'GOD I ABSOLUTELY HATE IT'. Which is then followed by the standard 'WHY WHY WHY DOES IT SUCK SO MUCH ARGH'. Then more self-hate, which leads to brooding. And less writing. Hmm.

I need to be less of a perfectionist...but if I'm not, I'll be more disappointed with myself. D: I need to find a balance...D:

Hey Essy  :P

I hear you. I've been writing for 10 years now, and over those ten years I've probably spent more time aching and brooding over writing than actually writing. GOD I love writing, and I'm sure all of you guys do too, but the thing with writing is that it requires so much persistence and a truckload of patience. AND, you have to learn how to cope with your own cynicism - don't let it get the better of you.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist too - always having to make sure everything sounds good before moving on. Maybe this is the point of our downfall. Because everything has to sound perfect, we lose sight of the actual story and end up getting frustrated over mere words and description. Just keep in mind that we're writing fanfiction - it's not the end of the world if a sentence doesn't seem to flow in a paragraph... you know, feel free to write at StephMeyer-fanfic-standard writing  :D The most important thing is the story, the characters and the feelings you bring across. And most of the time, less is more. Definitely.

I've read countless fanfiction and my favourites have always been the ones that make me feel. Funny thing is, the writer of my favourite fic ever happens to be learning English as a second language. Spelling almost non-existent, grammar all over the place... some things didn't even make sense to me until I got her to explain. BUT, the feelings that she was able to put across made me fall so madly in love with her story. Contrasted with the really professional-sounding fanfics I'd read at the time, it was WORLDS better.

What I find really helps is this:

- Write and write and write. Do not even look to see if it sounds good - let your thoughts pour out. Forget about finding the right adjective, or structuring this sentence a particular way. If you stop like that too often, you'll begin to feel drained. Adjectives and adverbs are just the flavours of writing - this you can add in later, so don't dwell on them. Nouns and verbs are much more important, but the thing YOU need to do is make sure you get your main points out first. Then, you can begin to decorate and pretty up the writing later. It's so much easier that way!

I found this advice really good too:

"The most familiar trick for ensuring a continuing hold on your material is to end work each day just short of what is in your mind to write, to leave for the next day a significant development, a scene you have quite clearly in mind. Many writers do this, so that they are eager to get started on the next stint, without the anxiety that may come if they are not sure of their direction or wonder which step to take first." -- Hallie & Whit Burnett

"McHugh's rule of writer's block: Writer's block is not the inability to write, it is the feeling as you are writing, that what you are writing is shit. The only way through it is to give yourself permission to write shit. (You may replace 'shit' with colorful euphemisms like 'cow dung' or even boring ones like 'crap.')" -- Maureen McHugh

---

EVERYBODY NOW:
Maybe, to take some stress off all of you who are writing, you guys can create a combined fanfic - somebody starts off, then other people join in (writing paragraphs at a time, not just a sentence, though you can do that too). I've done it before at another forum and it had a great, spirited group feel to it, and it was something that didn't put any pressure on any of us because other people were always joining in to continue it.

 :twothumb

Don't give up, guys.  :heart:

P.S I'd love to read all your stories since I'm a fanfic maniac, but maybe a little later, when my IshiYoshi love isn't eating me whole. If any of you have IshiYoshi stories, PLEASE PLEASE do share!   :otomerika: :yossi:

Offline strawb3rrykream

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #37 on: November 08, 2009, 05:34:07 PM »
^
Have you read tru's Runaway From The Past? That is VERY Ishiyoshi, since tru is a major fangirl. I THINK I have an Ishiyoshi story somewhere in my one-shot thread but don't feel compelled to go look for it, it's not very good. :nervous

Whoa...for the first time in a while, I tried to write yesterday. Disastrous. :sweatdrop:

Offline writerjunkie

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #38 on: November 08, 2009, 07:48:59 PM »
Estrea I think all the stuff you write is amazing and very good. Try not to be so hard on yourself all your readers/fans love anything you write including me. It's good that you want to write properly, but try to not be so harsh on yourself. When I do that I just end up damn near depressed and so frustrated that I just step away from my computer and go to bed. Also, it helps to do something that helps you feel less stressed you know like a bath? When I take a hot shower it usually works because of the sound of running water clears my head and I'm ready to write again.
Besides you write a hell of a lot better than me! That's for sure.

Offline Estrea

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Re: The Fanfic Rant Hole
« Reply #39 on: November 11, 2009, 08:41:17 PM »
Haha thanks guys. Oh and writerjunkie, I always think in the shower. A lot of my story ideas grew out of long showers...XD

Ok another minor rant...well, not so much a rant, but a grumble. >_>

I lack ReinAi. D:

That's it. XD Sometimes I feel like I'm writing three quarters of all that exists of ReinAi fanfic. So when I want to kick back and enjoy reading something not written by me, I find that I already read all of the other quarter that wasn't by me. >_> I mean, I was desperate enough to trawl Japanese fanfic message boards as well, and so far I've only found a grand total of ONE. Yes, just one ReinAi fanfic. And it was comedy. Granted, it was worth reading (and laughing) over, but really...

Not to mention, all the Chinese H!P fanfics I read that have Reina and Ai in them inevitably have Eri there as part of a triangle. And it almost always ends up as TanaKame. I have nothing against TanaKame really, but why do they have to put Ai into it then? D: It's so depressing to read. Lol.

And then back to English fandom, and I see a grand total of 3 people who write ReinAi on a semi-regular basis. Me, rokun, and peti-chan. (If I left anyone out, please forgive me, it's almost 4 in the morning and I'm not thinking clearly) And rokun isn't writing any more ReinAi lately. >_> *bricks him just because* XD

Sigh. I'll just go to sleep...

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

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