10369 réponses à ce sujet

[KSuri]

I have to say that following these pages is most interesting. Personally I find it fascinating to see the level of education talked about amongst you fine people and then the joking about writing fanfiction. It begs the question...why not write what you want to? Everyone has their own things that they like doing. The next time I see some smart aleck making fun of fanfiction I'm going to direct them over here and debunk the myth that the only people who write fanfiction are bored housewives and people with no social lives.



That being said, it makes this particular thread an intimidating place for those like myself who aren't college educated and who've picked up fanfiction just cause it's fun.



Anyway, wanted to ask if anyone has gone back and rewrote the first part of their story because it started off slow or was just otherwise not cutting it for you or if you just work from the point you're at forward?

[Sandtigress]

Actually, I pretty much am writing what I want...I tried original fiction way back when i was a high-schooler, and I don't think I'm cut out for writing it. Not that I'm not good enough or anything like that (not trying to say that I know I'd get published or anything, just that I am a passable writer), I just don't have the heart for it.
I've never written for anything else, DA just makes me want to write down my stories, whether people read them or not.
And like I said before, my degrees have nothing to do with my writing at all and I had to do very little writing in college (barring my thesis) - apparently a lot of people in science are pretty poor writers. So certainly don't let my education intimidate you at all - you have just as much background as me! Really, I just read a lot and did internet debating - apparently it helped with my ability to convey thoughts or something.

As far as rewriting, not me. But I am an extreme perfectionist, it takes me forever and a day to get anything written down but when it's down, I'm usually generally satisfied with it, have no idea how to change it further and so I stick with it. That goes with stories in general too - I don't start a story unless I know the gist of where it should go and what not (but it also means I don't really write that many stories).

Modifié par Sandtigress, 08 septembre 2010 - 03:50 .

[Raonar]

KSuri wrote...

I have to say that following these pages is most interesting. Personally I find it fascinating to see the level of education talked about amongst you fine people and then the joking about writing fanfiction. It begs the question...why not write what you want to? Everyone has their own things that they like doing. The next time I see some smart aleck making fun of fanfiction I'm going to direct them over here and debunk the myth that the only people who write fanfiction are bored housewives and people with no social lives.

That being said, it makes this particular thread an intimidating place for those like myself who aren't college educated and who've picked up fanfiction just cause it's fun.

Anyway, wanted to ask if anyone has gone back and rewrote the first part of their story because it started off slow or was just otherwise not cutting it for you or if you just work from the point you're at forward?

I also picked up fanfiction because it's fun, and I've only been doing it since mid-June. As for rewriting, well, I've only started on one tale so far, of epic length (165,000+ words already) and I haven't had to rewrite anything, except fix some dates and one minor inconsistencies about how many people a certain someone slew at one point.

Though I am a bit odd because I have a very unusual type of intuition that makes me write things and throw in certain details, particularly related to characters, that I later realize have a great bearing in the grand scheme of things (like the protagonist's looks, his brother's spite, a certain line that I had the latter say and I found out, a few chapters later, what it actually meant. Yes, weird.)

[Miri1984]

I have periods where I'm just too tired to write, and some periods where it doesn't matter how tired I am, the words just flow. There have been MANY chapters of Shades that I struggle enormously with. It's the hardest thing I've ever written - harder than Caged which I think was just as dark (at least in bits) so it's not just because it's not light and fluffy like Fractures. For a while there I was writing and updating every single day, but these days (well, I know there are mitigating circumstances) I'll write one chapter and post it then have a couple of days break before I try to get into another, mainly because I know if I don't I'll go bat**** insane.



I write about a paragraph at a time and then I get distracted by the internet though. I sometimes think my stories are a bit disjointed because of that.

[LupusYondergirl]

I write every day, but not always fiction. Usually not, in fact. I have been writing fiction every day lately since I was on break from school, fanfic and my own original stuff, but during the semester I usually have at least one paper due every week, sometimes more. (Case in point, today was my third day of classes and I had two papers assigned.) Even before I was in school I was writing at work. I think I'd get a bit twitchy if I didn't write SOMETHING daily, even if it's just a few pages of literary analysis or the like.

(and I finally figured out how to upload a new icon! whoo!)

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

KSuri wrote...

Anyway, wanted to ask if anyone has gone back and rewrote the first part of their story because it started off slow or was just otherwise not cutting it for you or if you just work from the point you're at forward?

I'll fix minor errors but I don't rewrite once a chapter has 'gone live'.

Raonar wrote...

Though I am a bit odd because I have a very unusual type of intuition that makes me write things and throw in certain details, particularly related to characters, that I later realize have a great bearing in the grand scheme of things (like the protagonist's looks, his brother's spite, a certain line that I had the latter say and I found out, a few chapters later, what it actually meant. Yes, weird.)

I do something similar. Sometimes the random details come together into something important, or an offhand comment you didn't intend to have any real bearing just 'fits' somewhere later in a story.

Modifié par Shadow of Light Dragon, 08 septembre 2010 - 08:25 .

[LupusYondergirl]

Shadow of Light Dragon wrote...

KSuri wrote...

Anyway, wanted to ask if anyone has gone back and rewrote the first part of their story because it started off slow or was just otherwise not cutting it for you or if you just work from the point you're at forward?

I'll fix minor errors but I don't rewrite once a chapter has 'gone live'.

Same here.  I won't do a full rewrite, but if I notice a typo I'll fix it, or a continuity error.  (One example is I accidentally gave two different ages for when Maggie was sent to the tower and didn't notice until long after the fact, so I had to edit a couple chapters to make it uniform)

[mousestalker]

Miri1984 wrote...

I have periods where I'm just too tired to write, and some periods where it doesn't matter how tired I am, the words just flow. There have been MANY chapters of Shades that I struggle enormously with. It's the hardest thing I've ever written - harder than Caged which I think was just as dark (at least in bits) so it's not just because it's not light and fluffy like Fractures. For a while there I was writing and updating every single day, but these days (well, I know there are mitigating circumstances) I'll write one chapter and post it then have a couple of days break before I try to get into another, mainly because I know if I don't I'll go bat**** insane.

I write about a paragraph at a time and then I get distracted by the internet though. I sometimes think my stories are a bit disjointed because of that.

Pretty much this.

I write every day, but most of my writing is technical, non-fiction that involves no imagination at all. As for the fiction, I gleefully hop down bunny trails. Characters come out of nowhere and make me write their stories. Or they hide for weeks, or sulk and refuse to tell anything.

/crazytalk

[FutileSine]

KSuri wrote...

Anyway, wanted to ask if anyone has gone back and rewrote the first part of their story because it started off slow or was just otherwise not cutting it for you or if you just work from the point you're at forward?

*raises hand weakly*

I actually completely redid my story.  I had about 4-5 chapters up when I realized I was going about things all wrong with my main character.  Thankfully I was brand new so very few people had been reading my story(who'd a thunk I'd actually be happy with that?)...so I just deleted all of the chapters and started over from the very beginning.  I am so very glad I did.

Now if I was an "established" FF writer and I had a dedicated reading base like some people on here....I probably wouldn't do it, or at least I'd think long and hard about doing it.  But then again, at that point I would have had a lot of experience writing, so I probably wouldn't *need* to rewrite anything.

So....KSuri, from one newbie FF writer to another, I say go for it.  Its your piece of art anyways - change it as you will.  Us readers are just along for the ride (and what a pleasant ride it has been so far!)  Just let us previous readers know if you've changed anything dramatically from the current plot line you have going.  

Edited to add:  Just realized what I said kinda contradicted each other...oh well.  Life is full of contradictions.  

Modifié par FutileSine, 08 septembre 2010 - 11:21 .

[Sialater]

SurelyForth wrote...

Speaking of fanfiction, a question for those of you who write almost every day: how long can you go without writing before you feel a bit panicky and like you might never be able to write anything again? In the almost six months I have been writing my main fic, I think the longest break I've taken is 24 hours. Right now I'm fast approaching 48 hours, I don't have a single word down for the next chapter and it's making me a little nervous.

And by "a little nervous" I mean there is some serious flailing going down at Casa Forth tonight. I can't even work on glorious smut; I am just completely out of words and the ones I do manage to eke out get shoved together with all the skill of a semi-literate 12 year-old.

I wouldn't be worried, I don't think, if I wasn't hitting walls every couple of days. For the past month I've been clambering over them, or tunneling under, or just smashing through. Right now there's no wall, just an utter lack of ability that I feel like is a direct result of my stubborn drive to push myself. 

I have that problem every so often.  Write something new for awhile.  Or, just give yourself permission to have these days off and take care of yourself for a day or so without stressing.  Sometimes, the muse needs a vacation.  I write the same way you do, so I feel your pain.

[Sialater]

KSuri wrote...

I have to say that following these pages is most interesting. Personally I find it fascinating to see the level of education talked about amongst you fine people and then the joking about writing fanfiction. It begs the question...why not write what you want to? Everyone has their own things that they like doing. The next time I see some smart aleck making fun of fanfiction I'm going to direct them over here and debunk the myth that the only people who write fanfiction are bored housewives and people with no social lives.

That being said, it makes this particular thread an intimidating place for those like myself who aren't college educated and who've picked up fanfiction just cause it's fun.

Anyway, wanted to ask if anyone has gone back and rewrote the first part of their story because it started off slow or was just otherwise not cutting it for you or if you just work from the point you're at forward?

I write ff for the opportunity to explore characters or technical aspects of the craft I wouldn't otherwise get to.  (A Paragon of Virtue's HeSaid/SheSaid format, for instance, in the technical department, and Meghan Shepard's dysfunctionality in Loved.)  Or, write out a nightmare I had (The Rescue).

If I were writing this stuff professionally, I'd go back and edit a lot back in (or out).  But I'm writing by the seat of my pants, so to speak, and I doubt I'll go back and fix anything beyond the edits it takes to get The Rescue from this board to ff.net.  I just don't have time:  I have three other novels in progress, plus Meghan's convinced me she needs her own intellectual property to play in. 

[KSuri]

FutileSine wrote...

KSuri wrote...

Anyway, wanted to ask if anyone has gone back and rewrote the first part of their story because it started off slow or was just otherwise not cutting it for you or if you just work from the point you're at forward?

*raises hand weakly*

I actually completely redid my story.  I had about 4-5 chapters up when I realized I was going about things all wrong with my main character.  Thankfully I was brand new so very few people had been reading my story(who'd a thunk I'd actually be happy with that?)...so I just deleted all of the chapters and started over from the very beginning.  I am so very glad I did.

Now if I was an "established" FF writer and I had a dedicated reading base like some people on here....I probably wouldn't do it, or at least I'd think long and hard about doing it.  But then again, at that point I would have had a lot of experience writing, so I probably wouldn't *need* to rewrite anything.

So....KSuri, from one newbie FF writer to another, I say go for it.  Its your piece of art anyways - change it as you will.  Us readers are just along for the ride (and what a pleasant ride it has been so far!)  Just let us previous readers know if you've changed anything dramatically from the current plot line you have going.  

Edited to add:  Just realized what I said kinda contradicted each other...oh well.  Life is full of contradictions.  

That last statement couldn't be more true.

I wasn't thinking a complete rewrite, I just was going over the story and thinking that I could flesh out the first two chapters more and make them flow better. I had a hard time getting started and it shows. lol Maybe I should just put up a sticky that says...muscle through chapter 1&2, it does get better! 

[KSuri]

Raonar wrote...
Though I am a bit odd because I have a very unusual type of intuition that makes me write things and throw in certain details, particularly related to characters, that I later realize have a great bearing in the grand scheme of things (like the protagonist's looks, his brother's spite, a certain line that I had the latter say and I found out, a few chapters later, what it actually meant. Yes, weird.)

I feel you on this. I went into my story with just an idea. Flying by the seat of my pants and so far it's working. I only really messed up once by doing this and I'm still working out how i'm going to make it work. Learning curve right? It is getting to a point where I'm considering writing down an outline just so I can keep track of myself, the kids are back in school and my attention is now divided more than it was during the summer. I'm telling you...I'm afraid of I'm going to be like once my kids are grown. I question if I'll have sufficient brain cells left to function. >.<

[goingfishing11]

Fanfiction is an interesting beast on a couple of levels. It allows budding writers (and even writers who just aren't any good) to practice and gain essential writing skills and storytelling training whilst writing about a topic that they enjoy. Generally, it's easier to write fanfiction because there is already an established world to write from. Fanfiction is, however, generally not well-received in the professional literary world. It is seen as amateur material. A lot of writers seem to think that one's own originality stems from being able to create scenes entirely independent of someone else's creations.



I don't think that's necessarily true. I've seen a number of people take an individual property like Dragon Age or Star Wars and write excellent and story-line consistent fanfiction. That's pretty hard, honestly! We see this on a professional level as well. Look at Greg Keyes' Elder Scrolls novel, for example. Sure, he was contracted to write that, but video game novels that tie into a world and do so consistently, to me, are nothing but developer-sanctioned fanfiction with a professional editing process.

[LupusYondergirl]

There's actually one writer of star wars books who was hired specifically because of how popular his fanfic was. I find that more amusing than anything else since, although I like some of the star wars books, I wasn't fond of his. That is, of course, the rare (only?) exception I can think of.

A friend of mine did her thesis last year on fanfic. Specifically elevated fanfic- Wide Sargasso Sea as a fanfic of Jane Eyre, Grendel and Eaters of the Dead as fanfic for Beowulf, etc. It's kind of interesting. Even in the nineteenth century people were publishing what basically amounts to Jane Austen fanfiction. It's been a while since I read her paper, but there was quite a bit. Fascinating stuff. It's only with it becoming more accessible and widespread that the negative image has sprung up.

Although someone- (was it Sarah?) commented once that they haven't seen any negativity among their age group. So maybe that's ending, too.

[Wulfram]

For CRPGs, creating your own character and seeing how they interact with a world someone else created is part of playing the game, so fanfiction seems a very natural outgrowth.

[FutileSine]

 Just throwing this out there, but does anyone know of any ff stories that have a unique take on Haven/Urn of Sacred Ashes?  I'm quite stumped as to how to deal with it, so I was looking for some inspiration (note:  not to steal, but my muse usually starts to speak up when reading other people's work on how *she* would do something differently.  Playing through that part in dragon age isn't apparently enough for her....)  

 <_<

[Sarah1281]

What do you mean by a unique take?

[Dean_the_Young]

Well, I've considered it in a context where the choice actually has some weight. Usually something like siding with the Dragon cultists actually gets you the cultists (and, more importantly, their dragons) as allies, with significant post-game implications.





Then there was the musing about what if the deranged cultists were actually right, and the high dragon was Andraste reborn.

[Raonar]

FutileSine wrote...

 Just throwing this out there, but does anyone know of any ff stories that have a unique take on Haven/Urn of Sacred Ashes?  I'm quite stumped as to how to deal with it, so I was looking for some inspiration (note:  not to steal, but my muse usually starts to speak up when reading other people's work on how *she* would do something differently.  Playing through that part in dragon age isn't apparently enough for her....)  

 <_<

I will have a VERY unique take on the urn but. unfortunately, I am months away from reaching that point. And it will have a LOT of weight on what happens after that and especially on the protagonist.

Modifié par Raonar, 09 septembre 2010 - 05:03 .

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

Seriously guys, magic ashes that heal any illness? Steal them all, kill the Guardian and make MILLIONS.

[Raonar]

That will only work if their magic isn't specifically tied to the place itself, though this doesn't seem to be the case really.

Modifié par Raonar, 09 septembre 2010 - 09:54 .

[nos_astra]

The only "unique" take I know of would be not to find the stupid urn (maybe they find Haven and even the High Dragon but they don't get past, they give up after "Andraste" eats the cultists *snorts*), then let Eamon die (or remain in the state he was in) and make Teagan lead Redcliffe's army and call the Landsmeet. *shrug*

Or simply say "a Landsmeet has been called" (demanded by the nobility to stop the Civil War), so Ferelden may not look as stupid as in does in the game, and not look for the urn at all.

You'd have to rewrite the Landsmeet part because people might be more suspicious of you. Rumours could work for you. It would make things more dramatic and dangerous. Uh, tricky. The Landsmeet would last a lot longer than only an hour, it should be a few days. It could also explain why you can move around at Denerim freely.

Actually, that's a good idea. I was wondering how I'd remove the magical urn from the world plotwise, so I don't have to handwave its accessability.

Modifié par klarabella, 09 septembre 2010 - 02:01 .

[Firky]

That cultist bit in the game was great. I'm popping my head back in because I'm getting back to reading those 2 Morrigan fanfics I promised - and before I get Witch Hunt. How is it btw? (Life is SO busy. How on Earth do you guys find the time?)

Anyway, I have Dark Ritual to read and I was halfway through TanithAerys's but now I can't find the bloody thing on FF.net Can someone link me? (PS. I don't think your story is a "bloody thing". I think the process of finding it is.)

EDIT: OK, panic over. Bad spelling. TanithAeyrs.

Modifié par Firky, 09 septembre 2010 - 11:23 .

[mousestalker]

The whole Sacred Ashes thing has had me thinking.