Fanfiction Lounge

Making up as I go along doesn't quite work for me. I can come up with good concepts on demand easily enough, but not ones that won't produce plotholes. I have to spend time crafting them so they don't rip open my story. XD;

Well, I always have a general idea of where my plot is going. For example, in Shattered,

But beyond that, I like to fill in the blanks. Otherwise, it feels like writing the story twice.

I can wing it on minor twists, of course, or something like what Pokémon is going to be caught. But major ones always require crafting for me. :P

I don't even know what starter my OT has yet. The mind boggles. Then again, that doesn't really come into play until Chapter Three.

I don't know any of the caught Pokémon in the story, except those of a currently shadowy and briefly mentioned character. I'm thinking that with Pokémon and their personalities, I'm going to try to develop them in an impromptu manner, so that way, as you said, it doesn't feel like I'm writing the same story twice.

I could have sworn I just replied here. Hmm, I wonder...

Oh well. Guess I'll reply again/what should be again/what might not should be again. Or something. Yes, that was the most productive half-paragraph you've ever read during your lifetime, and several others.

[Plan ahead or ready-fire-aim method question object item thing]

I'm mostly a make-it-up-as-you-go type, but I've found myself planning ahead more and more. It adds to the intricacy that I love and the writer's block that I hate.

[Other question I can't remember]

No.

In a completely unrelated side-note, I left my back door open yesterday while I wasn't home. After realizing this upon my return around 1:30 this morning, I proceeded to search my house for intruders, wielding the four inch folding knife that now rests reassuringly in front of me on my desk. Despite the fact that my dog showed no signs of having encountered any trespassers, and the fact that the few hundred dollars lying on our kitchen counter has remained undisturbed, I am still unconvinced that a rather stealthy thief or homicidal maniac is not hiding somewhere on the premises, perhaps in a cupboard or in the attic. This may be due to my natural sense of caution, my general distrust of the majority of the earth's population, or the fact that I'd like a little excitement once in a while. The knife, needless to say, will accompany me to bed tonight.

Also, I believe I could have done without the mental images conjured up by that picture. I hope to God that's just milk.

Heh, that's something you could write a one-shot on. ;)

What is your greatest weakness as a writer, whether in fanfiction or in general? (Other than writer's block)

Well, I have a tendency to be unable to come up with events. I don't mean 'plot' - I could have the beginning and ending wrapped up flawlessly and still do this - but 'events', which means the stuff that happens between point S (start) and point E (end). This means I usually just write up whatever comes to mind until something that happens clicks with a way to get to the ending... bad habit, I know, but I'm working on it.


Have you ever written something (not in script form) that you would have intended as a movie or a show, as opposed to a fic or other writing (made for TV thing)?

Nope.

Some advice I can give you for that, Giratinasaur, try to make your events connected to either an extension of that which happens at the beginning, or leadups to what will happen in the end (or both). That way, the events can be extensions of what you're already good at, and not just thrown in.

txteclipse said:

Also, I believe I could have done without the mental images conjured up by that picture. I hope to God that's just milk.

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Sure, txt. It's milk.

....

>_> <_<

Miss me?! *collective groan of NO*

What is your greatest weakness as a writer, whether in fanfiction or in general? (Other than writer's block)

I tend to ramble a lot about mundane things, especially when I'm very involved in a story or with a character. With the same token, in one story I'm finishing now, I had a hard time conveying the order of events to the readers because I was so worried about over-explaining things that I found it impossible to get the balance right.

My other problem is starting something new before I finish something else. Currently I have 3 multi-chaptered fics (A Darker Day, Girl of Green Street and Gene War) in varying states of completion, an original piece called Adnihilo which is a little under 1/4 of a way through, 4 One-shots for Green Street, Pokémon, Original Fiction and a piss-take of Twilight and a half-written gift-fic for a friend on my harddrive which all need finishing.

Oh god I'm going to die before I get that all finished....

.Ozymandias said:

Miss me?!

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*goes to cheat on Asty for .Ozy*


Incidentally, guys, I thought you all would like to know that I just renamed the PFF&P, and we are now Happy Fun Rainbow Unicorn Candy Land.

However, while writing that post, I did manage to come up with an interesting question. Yes, we all know about the recent flood of threads in the Writer's Lounge going, "lolololololololol hows my idea?!?!?!" and nothing more. As in, there's really no discussion other than, "I'm coming up with this. What do you guys think?" And while it's nice to get opinions about your ideas or post excerpts to see if your narration/grammar/characterization/whatever is okay and not vague/unreadable/Sueish/whatever, I was never too sure about the point to actually just posting ideas and leaving it be. Or, well, posting very vague concepts and having the rest of us develop your story for you comment on it.

So, the questions are:

1. To you, what function do these idea threads serve?
2. Keeping in mind your answer to #1, do you think it's necessary for these threads to exist?

Depending on the majority's answer, I might come up with another experiment. You know, like the review thread all of two people usually use on a monthly basis. I was already thinking about making a little thread that was basically a plot bunny exchange center. (Which is a vague definition of the thread on purpose because I'm an egotistical jerk.) I could easily modify it a little before seeing what you lot would do with it.

(And if anyone's wondering why I like releasing experiments on this forum, it's because I like to play with the populace. Sometimes watching them flail. This is why I'm not allowed to play Sim City ever.)

.Ozymandias said:

My other problem is starting something new before I finish something else. Currently I have 3 multi-chaptered fics (A Darker Day, Girl of Green Street and Gene War) in varying states of completion, an original piece called Adnihilo which is a little under 1/4 of a way through, 4 One-shots for Green Street, Pokémon, Original Fiction and a piss-take of Twilight and a half-written gift-fic for a friend on my harddrive which all need finishing.

Oh god I'm going to die before I get that all finished....

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Zis is nuzzing. You should see my flash drive. It is crammed with unfinished stories, and that's not counting the dozen or so I've already lost/given up on and deleted at various points.

Plot bunny exchange? Oh my goodness. I love bunnies.

(I don't think I understand what you mean by 'plot bunny'.)

Idea threads are made for people who enjoy having ideas but don't enjoy implementing them (i.e. actually writing&finishing a story). We shouldn't remove them and ruin their fun.

A plot bunny is a colloquial term for one of those little fic ideas that sit in the back of your mind, but you know you're never going to use for one reason or another. For example, right now I'm thinking of a fic involving Giovanni going head to head with Archie, Maxie and Cyrus in a series of contests to see who is the best main series villainous team leader. I know I'll never write it, but I'm putting it out there.

liveitout said:

(I don't think I understand what you mean by 'plot bunny'.)

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To simplify Sparkling Dragon's definition, it's writer's slang for an idea that nags at your mind. Some plot bunnies do eventually get turned into actual fics. Others don't. (AEM started out as a random plot bunny I had while watching Alien during a hiatus I was taking from A Midsummer Knight's Dream.)

Idea threads are made for people who enjoy having ideas but don't enjoy implementing them (i.e. actually writing&finishing a story). We shouldn't remove them and ruin their fun.

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But doesn't the fact that you (general you or the you that refers to anyone who actually writes idea threads for this purpose) dislike actually writing defeat the purpose of posting in a writing forum in the first place? You know, given that this forum is about writing and all? =/

Besides, as the forum definition goes, Writer's Lounge is a place to get advice for, well, your writing. (Outside of your actual story thread, at least.) Filling it up with idea threads when you have no intention of actually sitting down to write them seems like you're spamming the crap out of the forum, especially given the fact that there's absolutely no point in giving you advice in the first place, considering the fact that there will be no story in which you will be applying said advice. Hence the plot bunny exchange idea I had and might actually develop if it's true that the lot of you (again, general you) are posting in this forum just for the sake of spewing ideas you just want to keep in Development Hell so we don't have to go through the formalities of looking at another thread that doesn't actually want advice tailored with the assumption that you're actually going to be writing something.

I guess what's annoying me about the possibility that this is what's going on is that some people have legitimate questions and actually want help for actual story ideas that they want to put into production. Filling the forum with crap you're not actually going to write drowns out the people who are looking for real advice they're going to use. Not to mention it wastes the time of people who are dispensing the advice, thinking you're actually asking a legit question (while diverting them from the people who really do want their help).

Edit: Actually, yeah, what pisses me off is entirely about that possibility just the thought that people are actually wasting my time by posting threads with no intention of actually taking them past development. I'd hate to be snappy and egotistical, but really, I'd rather be attempting to help someone who actually wants to write (and is, therefore, not defeating the purpose of posting in the Writer's Lounge in the first place) than doing the equivalent of throwing quarters in a bottomless pit just because some kid likes to dig holes but doesn't actually intend on putting a wishing well there. (Or, in a non-metaphorical sense, real life means I have limited time and patience. If you're just going to abuse the forum by posting ideas for the sake of posting ideas instead of actually turning them into at least a first and second chapter, then, yeah, I really do hope you realize I could be doing something other than attempting to give you advice on how to turn it into an actual fanfic. You know. Like cure cancer.)

jax is on the warpath, run while u still can
But seriously, I agree with you. But we shouldn't ban idea threads entirely, because some people do actually use them for their intended purpose. I've been talking to Jelly recently, and she has every intention of writing the story from her idea thread in the Lounge. It'd be like banning alcohol. It'd solve some problems, but it'd be unfair on the people who drink responsibly, and for enjoyment.

And, of course, put fanfic ideas in the hands of gangsters.

I understand the frustration, though. To take the time to help someone, only for them to have little intention of writing it, is annoying. And, unfortunately, there's no way of telling whether someone DOES have an honest intention - I suppose you could put a limit idea threads per user before the user has to actually post one of them.

Valentine said:

*goes to cheat on Asty for .Ozy*

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Oh no, Love! How will I ever survive without you!? I must lie in bed and weep for you until you return to me! I will do nothing but waste paper as I don't write down my thoughts to show you how empty my life is without you! And when you return, we will make sweet, slow, magical, healing lovin' all into the night.

*sparklesparkle*

1. To you, what function do these idea threads serve?

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Annoy the moderator.

But seriously, I'm not understanding the point of idea threads. In my own personal experience (which is all I have to base this on, sorry), I noticed that the majority of people who post ideas tend not to follow through with them for one reason or the other.

I mean, it's nice and all to actually get an idea. We all do. It's just a matter of actually sitting down and writing it that makes all the difference in the long run. Even if only a few chapters are written, it counts more than just getting the idea and letting it die (in my opinion).

2. Keeping in mind your answer to #1, do you think it's necessary for these threads to exist?

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I think you can't really say no to all idea threads, just like you can't say yes to all idea threads. It really depends on the motivation of the author.

Some people might post the thread to get a more solid idea of their future audience, to know if the story that they have written (or have even planned further than a basic idea!) will be well-received or not at the place they are planning to post.

Other people post the thread as soon as they get the idea, so they don't have anything more than a vague idea of what it's all about. This is when idea threads are looked down upon, because readers ask for more information, and there is no more information, so it reflects badly on the original poster (OP) of the thread.

So not all idea threads are horrible ideas. It's just that the majority of them are.

Depending on the majority's answer, I might come up with another experiment.

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Another experiment, Val? I haven't recovered from the last one you did.

This is why I'm not allowed to play Sim City ever.)

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You can play the Sims, though. Then you can zoom right in on their tear-stained faces as you delete their toilets, and they pee all over themselves.

Sparkling Dragon said:

jax is on the warpath, run while u still can
But seriously, I agree with you. But we shouldn't ban idea threads entirely, because some people do actually use them for their intended purpose. I've been talking to Jelly recently, and she has every intention of writing the story from her idea thread in the Lounge. It'd be like banning alcohol. It'd solve some problems, but it'd be unfair on the people who drink responsibly, and for enjoyment.

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It's not really banning idea threads that I'm proposing. I mean, if you're legitimately looking for advice, that's what this forum is all about. It's mostly posting ideas to get them off your chest with no intention of actually writing them that I'm trying to think about curbing because, yeah, I kinda figured at least one person was doing that. *motions to Swampoleon* (But if everyone's doing that, yeah, I just want you all to know that that sort of thing pisses me off a little.)

There's also a possibility of funneling things into one thread -- like one big idea thread on which everyone could get advice about their story and not the finer details. The problem with this is that it could potentially get messy if we all use it at once, and besides that, I'd proposed something like this to Asty before, to which we agreed it'd be difficult to get people to realize the thread's there, especially with ten stickies already in this forum. (It's possible that we don't need to make this one a sticky, but it'd be convenient.) In the meantime, the rest of the forum could be reserved for specific questions (such as "I have this idea, but will this character work?" and "I'm working on this scene, but I don't know how to go from Point A to Point B, plz help") or the "look at this part and give me a mini-beta" sort of thing that's been going on in this thread now and then. Hell, we might even be able to do a Little Details kind of thing if we could just realize that this forum can be used for a lot more than just idea thread after idea thread.

So, in short, I'm not proposing the banning of idea threads, particularly from authors who fully intend on actually writing the ideas they come up with. I just propose the limitation of the posting of idea threads from kids who have no intention of doing anything with what they're coming up with -- possibly the funneling of those ideas from those kinds of posters into one larger thread so we can actually advise the people intending on writing and, well, answer questions that are a bit something more than, "Is this idea any good?" (And if we could succeed in doing that much, there's a possibility of being able to put all ideas in that thread, but the first experiment might only need to cover plot bunnies that are attempts at attention-whoring wanting mild advice as well... like, well, yeah. *motions again*)

Maybe it's not my place to say this because I'm not the mod here, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that it'd really be cool if we could clean up the forum, stop any abuse that's possibly happening, and use this place to its full potential. We're currently not quite doing that because all we're talking about is, "lol i has a new idea plz rate" and "lol idea iz gr8 cant wait 2 see u rite it."