Aphrael (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
silverthunder) wrote2004-10-22 03:49 pm
silverthunder) wrote2004-10-22 03:49 pm
Entry tags:
Writing
I just realized that I haven't made a completely pointless non-real-life-related post in this journal in quite a while.
I think I should fix that.
Has anyone ever gone back to work you did in a fandom you left a very long time ago, read over it, and thought 'my god, that was crap. What was I thinking? These characters are terribly OOC and the plot is a mess'? It's my impression that this happens a lot. Practically whenever I read over an old fanfic, I get this feeling. It makes me cringe. The only thing that keeps me from taking the thing down and sparing myself further embarrassment is the fact that I HATE it when people do that when I'm the reader.
That's the easy question. Now. Anyone ever read something they wrote a while ago and thought, 'You know, I was on to something. I actually did a GOOD job with this. The hell? This can't be my writing'? This, at least for me, is much more rare. I relish the feeling whenever I happen to experience it.
I don't really have a point to make in relation to this, but it's strange, hm? For the most part, we appreciate other people's work a lot more than we appreciate our own.
I tend to breeze back through fandoms I've left a long time ago - just briefly. I'll read a couple of fanfics, maybe remember having some fun in the fandom while I'm at it. Then, if there's nothing compelling to hold me there, I'll leave again. Especially if there's no new good fanfiction. Or hardly any good fanfiction at all. (at this point, imagine a big flashing sign that reads 'TAMERS')
The only fandom I've *really* revisited (and more than once) is Digimon. The first two seasons. Particularly the first season. I don't know why this is. Maybe I just feel comfortable in the fandom. Some fandoms intimidate me. Or maybe it's the fact that this was my first anime and I'll always love it for being interesting enough to initiate me into the genre.
Speaking of Digimon, I should try to finish some of my fanfics. I have more unfinished fics for that series than all the other series I've written for put together. Which would be... one Gundam Wing fanfic, one Pokemon, and one Weiss Kreuz. I have more than three unfinished Digimon fanfics.
I have no idea if this is significant, and I don't care. I'm not even making a point, so what does it matter?
Mmm. Now, after writing a few papers for class that have to be organized perfectly, this feels really good.
For the most part, I'm working on original fiction right now. I would've loved to write fanfiction for FMA but for the simple fact that I don't really know what I'd like to write about in the context of that show. The favorite yaoi pairings just can't keep me interested for various reasons. Whenever I get an idea, I just don't really want to do it. I thought about writing a couple of things, but never started them. I still wouldn't mind doing something with some bonding between Ed and Al, but I have no inspiration, no plots, and no real drive to do it.
Given that I think this is possibly the best anime I've ever seen, that's kind of odd. But... meh. What can you do?
I've found that original writing goes slower for me that fanfic did. I think that this may have something to do with my own raised expectations for it. Since it's original, it HAS to be good, or it sucks on its own. It doesn't have a great series behind it to provide it with background. And then there's the fact that the characters not only have to be created, they have to be developed and introduced in a way that allows the reader to see the things that the author came up with when creating the characters. I have yet to decide if this is more or less difficult than taking already created characters and trying to keep them rigidly IC. After you've introduced your OWN characters, you pretty much have to do the same thing with them, or you've got someone whose personality is all over the place and that's no good at all.
The theory is that you know these characters so well, you should be able to write them in your sleep after a while. The truth is, it's harder than it seems sometimes.
Actually, I find writing Shane to be a lot of fun, but that's because he was originally based on me, to a degree. Not so much his personality, but his adaption to his high school situation and how he deals with things. I understand Shane's motivations. It's harder for me to get into Tristan or Devon's head, and Sasenti is probably the most difficult. When you get right down to it, though, I understand all of them. It's just a matter of who I connect the most with. And that's Shane.
Moving right along, though...
Who else here is doing NaNoWriMo this year? It's going to be my first year for it, and I'm a little nervous and kind of excited. I don't think I'll make it, but I'm really looking forward to trying.
I actually did a lot of plot work on my story for NaNo last night. Since I was at the library anyway, I figured I'd go do some independent research that might make my story seem semi-truthful. Given that it's taking place in Ireland, a place which I have never been to, and two of the main characters are Irish - which I am most definitely not - it's going to probably be kind of iffy anyway. At least I can make an attempt to sound like I know what I'm talking about.
I found a really great book called 'A Witch's Guide to Faery Folk' which is more informative than it really sounds. Seriously, the thing has an encyclopedia of over 200 types of faeries - legendary creatures, ghosts, and such things. It also provides some history for faery-type legends around the world, and proper names for all kinds of things. I've got it signed out until November 18th, but I might just have to renew it.
It's worth thinking about. The thing also gave me plot points in places where I wasn't sure what I was going to do. It's fantastic.
Of course, I'm still inventing stuff. What fun is writing your own story if you can't mess around with the legends that are already in place?
Me and three friends created a little GreatestJournal community where we're going to post all our NaNo work. I'll link it here every now and then and probably mention if I've managed to update in my daily entries so whoever's interested in reading my crap can check it out.
It WILL be crap, though. 50,000 words in a month. No time for editing. Yeah. It'll be crap.
But that's okay.
Damn, this got long. I think I'm done now.
I think I should fix that.
Has anyone ever gone back to work you did in a fandom you left a very long time ago, read over it, and thought 'my god, that was crap. What was I thinking? These characters are terribly OOC and the plot is a mess'? It's my impression that this happens a lot. Practically whenever I read over an old fanfic, I get this feeling. It makes me cringe. The only thing that keeps me from taking the thing down and sparing myself further embarrassment is the fact that I HATE it when people do that when I'm the reader.
That's the easy question. Now. Anyone ever read something they wrote a while ago and thought, 'You know, I was on to something. I actually did a GOOD job with this. The hell? This can't be my writing'? This, at least for me, is much more rare. I relish the feeling whenever I happen to experience it.
I don't really have a point to make in relation to this, but it's strange, hm? For the most part, we appreciate other people's work a lot more than we appreciate our own.
I tend to breeze back through fandoms I've left a long time ago - just briefly. I'll read a couple of fanfics, maybe remember having some fun in the fandom while I'm at it. Then, if there's nothing compelling to hold me there, I'll leave again. Especially if there's no new good fanfiction. Or hardly any good fanfiction at all. (at this point, imagine a big flashing sign that reads 'TAMERS')
The only fandom I've *really* revisited (and more than once) is Digimon. The first two seasons. Particularly the first season. I don't know why this is. Maybe I just feel comfortable in the fandom. Some fandoms intimidate me. Or maybe it's the fact that this was my first anime and I'll always love it for being interesting enough to initiate me into the genre.
Speaking of Digimon, I should try to finish some of my fanfics. I have more unfinished fics for that series than all the other series I've written for put together. Which would be... one Gundam Wing fanfic, one Pokemon, and one Weiss Kreuz. I have more than three unfinished Digimon fanfics.
I have no idea if this is significant, and I don't care. I'm not even making a point, so what does it matter?
Mmm. Now, after writing a few papers for class that have to be organized perfectly, this feels really good.
For the most part, I'm working on original fiction right now. I would've loved to write fanfiction for FMA but for the simple fact that I don't really know what I'd like to write about in the context of that show. The favorite yaoi pairings just can't keep me interested for various reasons. Whenever I get an idea, I just don't really want to do it. I thought about writing a couple of things, but never started them. I still wouldn't mind doing something with some bonding between Ed and Al, but I have no inspiration, no plots, and no real drive to do it.
Given that I think this is possibly the best anime I've ever seen, that's kind of odd. But... meh. What can you do?
I've found that original writing goes slower for me that fanfic did. I think that this may have something to do with my own raised expectations for it. Since it's original, it HAS to be good, or it sucks on its own. It doesn't have a great series behind it to provide it with background. And then there's the fact that the characters not only have to be created, they have to be developed and introduced in a way that allows the reader to see the things that the author came up with when creating the characters. I have yet to decide if this is more or less difficult than taking already created characters and trying to keep them rigidly IC. After you've introduced your OWN characters, you pretty much have to do the same thing with them, or you've got someone whose personality is all over the place and that's no good at all.
The theory is that you know these characters so well, you should be able to write them in your sleep after a while. The truth is, it's harder than it seems sometimes.
Actually, I find writing Shane to be a lot of fun, but that's because he was originally based on me, to a degree. Not so much his personality, but his adaption to his high school situation and how he deals with things. I understand Shane's motivations. It's harder for me to get into Tristan or Devon's head, and Sasenti is probably the most difficult. When you get right down to it, though, I understand all of them. It's just a matter of who I connect the most with. And that's Shane.
Moving right along, though...
Who else here is doing NaNoWriMo this year? It's going to be my first year for it, and I'm a little nervous and kind of excited. I don't think I'll make it, but I'm really looking forward to trying.
I actually did a lot of plot work on my story for NaNo last night. Since I was at the library anyway, I figured I'd go do some independent research that might make my story seem semi-truthful. Given that it's taking place in Ireland, a place which I have never been to, and two of the main characters are Irish - which I am most definitely not - it's going to probably be kind of iffy anyway. At least I can make an attempt to sound like I know what I'm talking about.
I found a really great book called 'A Witch's Guide to Faery Folk' which is more informative than it really sounds. Seriously, the thing has an encyclopedia of over 200 types of faeries - legendary creatures, ghosts, and such things. It also provides some history for faery-type legends around the world, and proper names for all kinds of things. I've got it signed out until November 18th, but I might just have to renew it.
It's worth thinking about. The thing also gave me plot points in places where I wasn't sure what I was going to do. It's fantastic.
Of course, I'm still inventing stuff. What fun is writing your own story if you can't mess around with the legends that are already in place?
Me and three friends created a little GreatestJournal community where we're going to post all our NaNo work. I'll link it here every now and then and probably mention if I've managed to update in my daily entries so whoever's interested in reading my crap can check it out.
It WILL be crap, though. 50,000 words in a month. No time for editing. Yeah. It'll be crap.
But that's okay.
Damn, this got long. I think I'm done now.
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