Writer's Rant Thread

[bright_ephemera]

Got home. Started pulling together the random receipts and stuff that I write ideas down on over the course of the day. Many of these are scrawled during meetings or at red lights or just whenever I have five seconds' spare time plus an idea to work with.

 

So one of today's scraps just reads "I really need a more sex-positive crew." I have no idea who said this, or whether it's an in-character quote at all, or what I was thinking, or why whoever it was would be saying this. (Nalenne? Nalenne would say it. Why was Nalenne saying it?) I swear, sometimes figuring out what I was thinking six hours ago is harder than just writing from scratch.

 

...was there a good story in there? Did I miss it? Ack!

Edited September 14, 2012 by bright_ephemera

[Vesaniae]

I'm in the middle of writing a scene. This scene...it's gotten away from me. I knew where I wanted it to go, and it went there. But now, it's going somewhere else entirely, to a place that I really didn't intend to touch on at all, and I now I really have no idea what's going on. The characters have taken over.

 

All because A'tro let her temper get the better of her and let slip one line, one volatile, incendiary little line... Oh, well. I suppose we'll see where it goes. I guess it's better this way than the alternative? arglbfrgl I can't undo this scene once I post it, do I keep the random tangent or do I cut it and redo the second part? I haven't even finished the first draft of this damn thing yet!

 

And now I ought to get back to it. Stupid writing, taking over my life...

[Morgani]

Someone who knows the Lt Pierce character pretty well.... pm me? I has a dumb. This character isn't turning out right.

 

 

RAGE

[kabeone]

Someone who knows the Lt Pierce character pretty well.... pm me? I has a dumb. This character isn't turning out right.

 

 

RAGE

 

I Pm'd you. sorry if i'm late though!

[iamthehoyden]

I love siblings. Love them to bits and pieces. Love families and all the funny crazy things they do, the complications of their relationships, and all of it. So why can't I come up with anything useful for this week's prompt??????

On the plus side, trying to come up with stuff has added two more shorts to my collection of Solomon Crae stories. Pity none of them will work.

[kabeone]

I love siblings. Love them to bits and pieces. Love families and all the funny crazy things they do, the complications of their relationships, and all of it. So why can't I come up with anything useful for this week's prompt??????

On the plus side, trying to come up with stuff has added two more shorts to my collection of Solomon Crae stories. Pity none of them will work.

 

I found the little bit about Scourge having a brother in this shortfic you wrote to be very intriguing. Not that I'm begging for more stories about Scourge... oh no I wouldn't do that... I would totally do that if I thought it would work

Edited September 15, 2012 by kabeone

[iamthehoyden]

I found the little bit about Scourge having a brother in this shortfic you wrote to be very intriguing. Not that I'm begging for more stories about Scourge... oh no I wouldn't do that... I would totally do that if I thought it would work

*ears perk* intriguing idea....<wanders off to play with new idea> I may be able to do something with this!

[Vesaniae]

Warning: this rant highlights the fact that I can be really, really weird. I'm sure that none of you who read this thread have any desire to hear my ranting about chapter numbers and how I want important events to happen in odd-numbered chapters because I think odd numbers are cooler than even numbers. But I'm posting this nonetheless, because it's more therapeutic if I post it rather than just typing it!

 

My options are thus: Somehow produce what will likely be two very short chapters and keep to the current outline, or cut the first of said chapters, combine the second with another, and keep the cool stuff happening in odd-numbered chapters because if I only cut one chapter then the number will be even. I AM SO STRANGE.

 

arglblargl stupid numbers.

[Morgani]

I never named Westan's ship. Now that I have a name, I think i stole it from someone. But I'm not sure. Curse you terrible memory!

 

Sooo... if this ship name sticks and I totally stole it off you, will you take it as a compliment? I'll even edit in credit.

 

I should just change it.

 

But I like it so much!

 

*runs off* I'm not whimpering, I'm self soothing.

[elliotcat]

I never named Westan's ship. Now that I have a name, I think i stole it from someone. But I'm not sure. Curse you terrible memory!

 

Sooo... if this ship name sticks and I totally stole it off you, will you take it as a compliment? I'll even edit in credit.

 

I should just change it.

 

But I like it so much!

 

*runs off* I'm not whimpering, I'm self soothing.

 

Just call it a reference and say you did it on purpose!

 

When I wrote about Ayang's first ship it was called the Aimless Renegade which is totally a reference. It made me feel so meta and cool.

[kalenath]

I have the PERFECT ship name for my trooper!

 

The Unobtanium Monkey!

 

Because...

 

1) Upgrades for it are so rare as to qualify as unobtanium sometimes.

 

2) Every time it shows up somewhere, the Empire gets a HUGE monkey wrench thrown in the works. I am not even going to go into the monkey business that goes on aboard. Or the fact that six squad members get along aboard like a barrel of... (ok ill stop)

 

3) Its funny.

[Earthmama]

DAMN you writers block!! I can't get anything new out. I can't even come up with anything to write for the weekly challenge threads. All I can do is stare at my stupid outline, knowing where things need to go, and I just can't get there.

 

Also to my two sweet and darling children...STOP FIGHTING!! the constant whining and crying is doing nothing for the creative process.

 

Finally, I think I'm getting sick, scratchy throat and stuffed nose, eff you.

 

/pity party

 

"LEAVE YOUR BROTHER ALONE!!"

 

/cry

[imnotawitch]

I think I'm coming down with something too, yay for nausea and chills >.<. I haven't had the fortune to spawn lil'uns yet, but there is a pile of schoolwork that makes me very unhappy when I look at it. Two of my 3 8-week classes are going dandy, the last one is all new material for me and makes me feel like Sisyphus pushing his stone. Plus, it's not like there aren't some conflicts with small creatur- Dog! Stop eating the cat food!

 

All this makes for not a lot of time to actually write down the ideas I have in my head.

[Magdalane]

/comfort Earthmama, hands her a cup of hot tea with lemon while wrestling with the boys (my own were 10 1/2 months apart in age)

 

My rant is about my work. After being laid off last January, I finally got a retail job (that I've never done anything like before) and they've put me on the evening schedule. So, now , I'm rushing from closing the store to home to get into ops, and writing in the mornings--- EXCEPT this morning, it's cool and I'm tired, and went back to sleep. Now my 2500 words will have to wait, because I just can't get into the writing frame of mind.

 

Sigh, to quote Roseann Roseanadana, it's always something.

[Earthmama]

/comfort Earthmama, hands her a cup of hot tea with lemon while wrestling with the boys (my own were 10 1/2 months apart in age)

 

 

OMG woman!! Here I was thinking mine were close in age being 20 months apart. I'm about to go make a second pot of tea, impart your wisdom oh super mom! /falls to knees a la Wayne's World "I'm not worthy"

Edited September 19, 2012 by Earthmama

[bright_ephemera]

Hey! Hey, brain! When I try to pull together a decent-looking digital copy of a completed fanfic arc, the correct thing to do is NOT to go "hey, I should reimagine half of this...insert scenes to reinforce thematic arcs...strengthen and smooth out the chapter structure...make it look better than the unplanned baby of a chaotically misfiring mind..." No. It's been published, you doofus! Concentrate on typeface, not exhaustive reworks of the text!

 

...gonna go try to format No Death, Only Wrath, since Ruth seems determined to overwhelm me with editor's guilt...

[Zampano]

Dear Procrastination,

 

Thank you kindly for ensuring my work is unfinished. You've had the good grace to ensure that rather than writing, I've rearranged my bookshelf, searched a dozen wikipedia sites for inspiration, only to be led down a path of intrigue wholly unconnected with my work, and even attempted to persuade me to write up the notes of the sequels/prequels before finishing the main work. For this, I thank you. Additionally, thank you for enabling me to waste a few more moments typing up this message, as a distraction from the fact that my work remains unfinished.

 

Now to get back to writing, as soon as I've alphabetised my CD collection

 

Regards

[iamthehoyden]

Dear Procrastination,

 

Thank you kindly for ensuring my work is unfinished. You've had the good grace to ensure that rather than writing, I've rearranged my bookshelf, searched a dozen wikipedia sites for inspiration, only to be led down a path of intrigue wholly unconnected with my work, and even attempted to persuade me to write up the notes of the sequels/prequels before finishing the main work. For this, I thank you. Additionally, thank you for enabling me to waste a few more moments typing up this message, as a distraction from the fact that my work remains unfinished.

 

Now to get back to writing, as soon as I've alphabetised my CD collection

 

Regards

^ THIS. Omg, so THIS!

[Magdalane]

Earthmama, there are no magic things to make the difficult days better, but I will share a couple of things that worked for me:

1) I bought cheap, no-name brand disposable cameras, and let them go outside to take pictures. It was amazing to see what they saw of the world around them.

2) We went for a lot of walks, and even though I got very little done, they enjoyed being with me as much as being outside. Somehow, outside air helps the squabbles.

3) Music! Some of my favorite memories of the boys growing up were of having the stereo blasting, them dancing along and singing. As a result, they're encyclopedias of (now) classic rock!

 

They're both grown now, the oldest a college senior heading to med school next fall, the younger a Marine lance corporal, about to be sent into conflict. Enjoy them, Earthmama, the time goes much too fast!

[Earthmama]

Earthmama, there are no magic things to make the difficult days better, but I will share a couple of things that worked for me:

1) I bought cheap, no-name brand disposable cameras, and let them go outside to take pictures. It was amazing to see what they saw of the world around them.

2) We went for a lot of walks, and even though I got very little done, they enjoyed being with me as much as being outside. Somehow, outside air helps the squabbles.

3) Music! Some of my favorite memories of the boys growing up were of having the stereo blasting, them dancing along and singing. As a result, they're encyclopedias of (now) classic rock!

 

They're both grown now, the oldest a college senior heading to med school next fall, the younger a Marine lance corporal, about to be sent into conflict. Enjoy them, Earthmama, the time goes much too fast!

 

Here I was all choked up watching my three year old start pre-school last week. Thank your son for his service, and big hugs to you, I can't even imagine, I'll keep him in my thoughts, and hope he comes home safe and sound. Good luck to your oldest as well, wow!

 

 

Thanks for the tips, I can't tell you how grateful I am that in this day in age I get to stay home with them while they're little. Even on the days I feel like pulling my hair out!

 

Umm back on topic, talking about this stuff gave me an idea for a short, so it all works out..

I'll stop de-railing this thread now......

[elliotcat]

I'm feeling overwhelmed with work too, though mine is school...ever since I stopped being able to afford my ADHD medication schoolwork is so much harder. I dunno how but I gotta find a way to get that stuff again. It helped so much! Now I'm so stressed, it's killing my creativity.

[Morgani]

/hugs Elliot.

 

I'm ADHD too and I can't take any medications for it because I'm hypersensitive to chemicals and they keep me awake for days on end. I'm already not functional in the real world, that was a huge pain.

 

I feel for you.

 

I on the other hand...

 

Can not get this story written because it's just TOO IMMENSE. No one is going to want to read this. I don't even want to go back and proof read it. Seriously. Why do I do this to myself? I'm looking at the 15 (YES 15) pages I've already written, knowing there's at least another 15 to go, and shutting down. This will never be done by Friday.

[mustardcheese]

I've been stuck on this chapter for quite some time and can't think of anything to write. I know what the premise should be, but not how to execute it.

 

Why did I rush?

[Magdalane]

My youngest is leaving today, for faraway places and unknown dangers, partly of his job and partly of the world today. With this loss, I have also lost my drive, my energy and my heart. My muse sits, unnoticed, on the desk, patiently waiting for me to queue up a word doc and start typing.

 

I am not sure where to go now, and my stories wait, their incessant voices silent now. I know that in a few days they'll find their way to the forefront, but for now, I feel stilled. Time has become fluid, marked by the before and after, and is neither enemy nor friend.

 

I say this to say, my son has deployed into a combat zone, and at least until I can get my feet under me, I don't know if I can write.

[imnotawitch]

My youngest is leaving today, for faraway places and unknown dangers, partly of his job and partly of the world today. With this loss, I have also lost my drive, my energy and my heart. My muse sits, unnoticed, on the desk, patiently waiting for me to queue up a word doc and start typing.

 

I am not sure where to go now, and my stories wait, their incessant voices silent now. I know that in a few days they'll find their way to the forefront, but for now, I feel stilled. Time has become fluid, marked by the before and after, and is neither enemy nor friend.

 

I say this to say, my son has deployed into a combat zone, and at least until I can get my feet under me, I don't know if I can write.

I'm not sure what I can say. It would certainly be disrespectful of me to try and give advice, or say I know what you're feeling, since I've never had children. All I can say is that I am here to support you, as I am sure the rest of our family are as well. And don't worry about the writing, write when and what you feel comfortable with.