Fanfic Pet Peeves

[Feast of the Muse]

Yeah, I often find I write scenes that are way ahead of what I've already published, and then I have to go back and fill in the stuff between. But having those future scenes already done does give me a sort of framework to work with, and I've found that if I just brainstorm and outline the in-between material (which is usually sitting in my brain anyway, I just haven't solidified it yet) I can get from A to C by way of writing B without too much trouble.

In fact, I need to finish doing that tonight for a chapter I want to put up.

Yes, outlining works for me to a point, but I've already discovered that if Helen is in charge of a scene, no amount of pre-planning is going to work. She'll say or do something and suddenly I'm miles behind or need to rework something. Helen's idea of a great pitch is a curveball that goes within an inch of the third-basemen's nose before finally landing in the mitt. Matter of fact, if she's going to demand these stories of me, I wish she'd learn to type!!

[SF_and_Coffee]

Yes, outlining works for me to a point, but I've already discovered that if Helen is in charge of a scene, no amount of pre-planning is going to work. She'll say or do something and suddenly I'm miles behind or need to rework something. Helen's idea of a great pitch is a curveball that goes within an inch of the third-basemen's nose before finally landing in the mitt. Matter of fact, if she's going to demand these stories of me, I wish she'd learn to type!!

Yeah, Frank does the same thing to me on a regular basis, although lately we've come to kind of an understanding. I had to sit him down and have a long talk with him first, though.

Tesni's a little easier to deal with. Must be a feminine understanding between us.

[mathpiglet]

I have never understood this 'muse' thing. I have read all about them, had dozens of writers try to explain it to me, but it makes no sense at all.

*sigh*

[SF_and_Coffee]

Well, it's my word for the source of my stories or other creative works. Use whatever term works for you.

[mathpiglet]

Like imagination?

[SF_and_Coffee]

Imagination personified, basically. For some of us, that paradigm works better. To each their own.

[Feast of the Muse]

Yeah, Frank does the same thing to me on a regular basis, although lately we've come to kind of an understanding. I had to sit him down and have a long talk with him first, though.

Tesni's a little easier to deal with. Must be a feminine understanding between us.

YOU try having a "little sit down" with a 160 year old woman who knows she's in charge. You know, I don't see how poor Sarah has a chance, the more I think about it. Helen is piece of work...

[SF_and_Coffee]

YOU try having a "little sit down" with a 160 year old woman who knows she's in charge. You know, I don't see how poor Sarah has a chance, the more I think about it. Helen is piece of work...

Oh, I don't know. Have you ever tried explaining and excusing your shortcomings to a full-bird Air Force colonel who's served in Special Ops for over twenty years and been in charge of his own team for nigh on a decade? And who has fully mastered the "drill sergeant from hell" voice for when he thinks he needs it? I swear, I thought I was going to have to drop and give him fifty right there on the keyboard. The man's a taskmaster, that's a fact.

[Choo1701]

I have never understood this 'muse' thing. I have read all about them, had dozens of writers try to explain it to me, but it makes no sense at all.

*sigh*

according to the dictionary/thesaurus i have 'muse' means:

a. A guiding spirit.
b. A source of inspiration.

alternative words also includes:

deliberate, meditate, daydream

To be honest i think "day dream" explains an authors muse well enough

Yes, outlining works for me to a point, but I've already discovered that if Helen is in charge of a scene, no amount of pre-planning is going to work. She'll say or do something and suddenly I'm miles behind or need to rework something. Helen's idea of a great pitch is a curveball that goes within an inch of the third-basemen's nose before finally landing in the mitt. Matter of fact, if she's going to demand these stories of me, I wish she'd learn to type!!

You guys needs to see someone if your characters tell you what to do

Me? Right now i'm thinking up sword fights and gun fights and all the usual action stuff, near the end of Chapterrrrrr four...when i'm only twenty pages into Chapter ONE!
(creatures that can crawl along the ceiling are terrifying yes. But yet an interesting, twisted baddie idea to take out some Ori red shirts. )

Oh right. Sorry....back to writing.

[Feast of the Muse]

Oh, I don't know. Have you ever tried explaining and excusing your shortcomings to a full-bird Air Force colonel who's served in Special Ops for over twenty years and been in charge of his own team for nigh on a decade? And who has fully mastered the "drill sergeant from hell" voice for when he thinks he needs it? I swear, I thought I was going to have to drop and give him fifty right there on the keyboard. The man's a taskmaster, that's a fact.

ROFLMAO I think Helen and Frank would give each other a run for the money, that's for sure!!!

[SF_and_Coffee]

You guys needs to see someone if your characters tell you what to do

Actually, it's pretty common among writers for this to occur. Especially if you're the kind of writer who really crawls inside the mind of your characters, because sometimes the characters take over when you do that.

ROFLMAO I think Helen and Frank would give each other a run for the money, that's for sure!!!

Oh, quite likely. They'd probably also understand each other better than you can even imagine.

[mathpiglet]

according to the dictionary/thesaurus i have 'muse' means:



alternative words also includes:



To be honest i think "day dream" explains an authors muse well enough

That makes the most sense of everything I've heard!

You guys needs to see someone if your characters tell you what to do

*hugs Choo* Thank you, thank you thank you!

Me? Right now i'm thinking up sword fights and gun fights and all the usual action stuff, near the end of Chapterrrrrr four...when i'm only twenty pages into Chapter ONE!
(creatures that can crawl along the ceiling are terrifying yes. But yet an interesting, twisted baddie idea to take out some Ori red shirts. )

Sword fights? I know sword fights! Do you know Highlander?

[SF_and_Coffee]

Seriously, can Brooke and I be the only writers here who have ever had a character turn out to be motivated in a completely different way to do a completely different thing from what we had in mind when we began writing a scene?

You mean none of you have ever had portions of the story simply flow out of you and into the keyboard almost as though it were happening independently of your own conscious thought?

Because that's been happening to me for over thirty years.

[Choo1701]

Sword fights? I know sword fights! Do you know Highlander?

Yes i know Highlander.

And sword fights...well if your around in a couple of years then yes, yes i'll need help drawing the sword fights (and yet...i already have the designs for the swords ready! But that would be spoilers )

Seriously, can Brooke and I be the only writers here who have ever had a character turn out to be motivated in a completely different way to do a completely different thing from what we had in mind when we began writing a scene?

You mean none of you have ever had portions of the story simply flow out of you and into the keyboard almost as though it were happening independently of your own conscious thought?

Well no, no, no. Your a writer thats understandable. Although i think we all wish the independant flowing stories would happen every.day.

Then these 'Pet Peeves' of fan fiction could be solved in a day or so. (Well, mostly)

Because that's been happening to me for over thirty years.

In the style of many great British Comedians:

"I think its about time you saw a doctor luv."

(joking! joking! please don't shot me!)

[Feast of the Muse]

Seriously, can Brooke and I be the only writers here who have ever had a character turn out to be motivated in a completely different way to do a completely different thing from what we had in mind when we began writing a scene?

Yeah, that's the thing with a nice rounded character. It's like how you know how a friend will react to something. You stick them in a situation, and they figure it out. Actually, even the ones you make up and haven't fully formed do that... I have a young shamaness in a Xena story who is way smarter than me, says the darndest things. I can't believe some of the things that come out of her little mouth.

You mean none of you have ever had portions of the story simply flow out of you and into the keyboard almost as though it were happening independently of your own conscious thought?

Because that's been happening to me for over thirty years.

I have a songwriter friend who calls it the same thing I do - downloading. Some of her most beautiful work has come that way. I used to get poems that way, but it's been a while now.