am i the only one who does this?

[boogieshoes]

so... i've written roughly another 2000 words on Seventh Gift, and keep having little scenarios and scenes pop into my head as i wonder just how long it's going to be.  (it would be rather ironic if it turns out to be 30,000 words on the dot, and if that happens, i'm going to be seriously tempted to do some editing on my tenses to make the sections reflect the section headings....)  but Green Day, which just needs one last bit of editing done before i re-post it in it's final version, appears to be temporarily stalled.  i know this is because farad asked me what Vin was feeling in Dr. Will's office, and said that i needed to show that better.  i don't disagree, but ACK! feelings!  i'll trade you several emo tears if you just let me write about number line theory, really!

and even that reaction is strange, because i attempt to write each story in a style that will evoke a particular emotion in the readers, and if the feedback i'm getting is any indication, i'm doing fairly well at that.  not that i don't have a lot to learn, but that for where i'm at writing-wise, i'm managing to evoke the reactions i want fairly consistently.

but yeah.  i really, really want to finish Green Day, because i'm *so close*, and don't feel like i can do the christmas story in my werewolf AU or the meta inspired by farad's editing commentary on Green Day, even though i don't *have* to wait, in a technical sense.  it's just, i have this little list, and i totally can't move on to those smaller pieces until i finish the 'big piece' of Green Day, and it's kind of driving me batty.  and it's driving me batty that i'm pulling a blank on something i really should be able to add to Green Day quite easily. 

does anyone else's writing habits occasionally drive them around the bend?  why or why not?

 

-bs

Comments

[fractured-sun.livejournal.com]

*Looks at my pile of almost finished fics which just need an ending* trust me, I soooo know what you mean, and I also run screaming from the idea of writing feelings (or actions, or scenery, in fact just let me write dialogue and I'm happy).

[boogieshoes.livejournal.com]

*grins* personally, dialogue is my other bugaboo. you wouldn't think so, what with all the reading i do, but it is.

*sympathy hugs in solidarity*

-bs

we ALL have a lot to learn =)

[slavelabour.livejournal.com]

1) Hurrah, more Seventh Gift in the making!
2) No offence to Fara because I'm sure she's a wonderful beta (or offered concrit as a reader which is also valuable!) but have you considered using more than one beta on each piece? I think betas are incredibly undervalued and worth their weight in gold but I'm of the school that says to have more than one editor, always. Because an editorial opinion that goes beyond the Strunk & White can be just as subjective as any reader and sometimes (well-intended but) cross-purposeful to authorial intent. If you know what I mean?
3) Around the bend, you say? I think the clinical term is bugnut crazy. :) I just rewrote a scene NINE times in the past month trying to find the flow and flavour. Only to suss I was doing it wrong. I kept thinking the storyline was crap and I was trying too hard and it was never going to come together. Middle of the night eureka after chatting with a friend about her 300K story made me go back into my story and start pulling modifiers and looking closely at word choices. And throwing out the goddamned thesaurus. I'm not a thesaurus girl, I prefer a story to grow organically from the language of the universe but I've been so lazy and forgot all that. A day later and everything fell into place easily. *facepalm* It's always hard on the ego to find out that the problem isn't the story, it's the AUTHOR. :D
4) OMG, this reminds me I found that shrunken!Chris fic I told you about. I'll PM it or post it or something.

Re: we ALL have a lot to learn =)

[boogieshoes.livejournal.com]

*grins* sorry it took so long to reply - i'm in the middle of spring cleaning this week, which i basically loathe.

1) yup! i'm having fun with it.

2) i would like more than one fandom beta, but i've never been sure how to go about it. that's actually why i started posting my WIPs on LJ in the first place - i figured at least someone would give me some kind of feedback then. Fara kindly offered to do serious beta on Green Day, and i think most of her comments - including this one i'm having trouble satisfying - are right on. i have a couple non-fandom first-readers who also help, but yeah, working with another beta would be nice, too.

3) or perhaps batshit insane? hee. i think at rewrite #3, i'd have thrown up my hands and just put it away for a while. you're more persistant than i, there.

4) yes, yes! please post.

*hugs and grins*

-bs

[slavelabour.livejournal.com]

I guess a lot depends on what sort of beta you'd like to have. And you're talking about the LB AU, right? Do you need someone familiar with that AU? I know I've seen a list of Mag7 authors (including LB authors) who beta. I may be wrong but I thought it was on DnF?

IME it's easier to work with personal betas off LJ because most of us (readers) are so lazy about commenting. It's a prevalent thing for people to devour fic and rarely comment (even when we love it) so if you're looking for concrit on top of that, you may not be getting what you need. :[

Man, I'm so not a linear writer but I have weekly writing sessions with a friend and for whatever reason I just became obsessed with that one damn section in my story. I've never had a problem with dropping something and working on something else but not this time. I told my friend she's a bad influence: OMG, this must be what linear feels like! We hates it, preciousss.

[boogieshoes.livejournal.com]

sorry it took so long for me to answer this. work has been work-like, and allergies have been hell.

most of my 'how do i get a beta' issues are lack of familiarity with the people involved. i've always considered it crass to go up to a random stranger ask them to beta for someone they don't even know. and really, that was the whole point of posting to LJ - get my name out there, and i figured if i didn't suck, people would offer to beta if they thought it would help. :) seems to be working.

the kinds of beta'ing i need most are 'voice' betas - people who have a good feel for what's in-character and out-of-character for the cast - and 'plot' betas - people who can spot problems with how the story is flowing and what is and isn't working. always good to have a second set of eyes for spelling and grammar, but i'm actually pretty good for that myself.

but really, issues on asking for beta help stem from personal mental quirks than anything.

just like i know it's a mental quirk that i 'have to' write in a certain order - i don't always *come up with* the scenes in that order, but i have to set them down that way, sheesh!

-bs