Fanfic Writers' Virtual Water Cooler

[SF_and_Coffee]

Now, new question; have you ever written a chapter {or a multichapter story} out of order ? then had to finish chapters, then work on the chapters BEFORE the finished chapters to be able to upload the story in proper order ?

You have just described my methodology in writing not only All That We Leave Behind, but also the rest of the series of which it is part. I have yet to finish writing the middle of ATWLB, but its ending is written, and so are portions of the next two books that come after it.

What about writing a chapte,r but the scenes are all written out of order ? {you start writing the first scene of the chapte,r then start work on the FIFTH or third or nineth scene in the chapter, then work on the second or fourth scene, then so on} so basically if you got ten scenes to a 5500 word chapter of a story, and you start scene 1, the first scene, then as you near the end of it you start on scene five of ten, or scene ten of ten, then go back and start scene two, then scene four or six, etc.

Yep, I do that too. You really do have to take as the Muse gives, I've found.

[Cold Fuzz]

This makes a lot of sense, I have a character named Lake One, designed to be a soldier from the get go, designed to kill to survive and the like. She kills yes, because it is a way of life, Payment for a job, cleanup after a raid, etc. Sometimes going so far as to take on a single platoon or more of men on her own and survive to protect herself or to survive. So she has taken lives, but sometimes I think she enjoys it too much.

I mean come on, its not every day when a supersoldier goes Full Circle is it ?

But yeah that makes a lot of sense on how the characters look at killing, is there a reason behind it, if not, then it could be classed as murder, if there is a reason, {self defense, protecting a friend, in the line of duty as a soldier, etc} then it isn't classed as murder. It makes a lot of sense

Yep, there's a great distinction between murder and killing (the taking of a life). If it's in self-defense, etc. that's not murder, nor is it evil, in my opinion. It's simply necessary.

Now, new question; have you ever written a chapter {or a multichapter story} out of order ? then had to finish chapters, then work on the chapters BEFORE the finished chapters to be able to upload the story in proper order ? What about writing a chapte,r but the scenes are all written out of order ? {you start writing the first scene of the chapte,r then start work on the FIFTH or third or nineth scene in the chapter, then work on the second or fourth scene, then so on} so basically if you got ten scenes to a 5500 word chapter of a story, and you start scene 1, the first scene, then as you near the end of it you start on scene five of ten, or scene ten of ten, then go back and start scene two, then scene four or six, etc.

Then when its done you have tocarefully proofread it so it makes sense.

Somehow it is how I write, scenes literally are thrown at me as I write, so I write them down before I forget as long as Jake is in a writing mood. Then later I go and add more details to the noted scenes

I tend to write in a fusion of linear and non-linear writing. I'd say a good 20% of the first book in my trilogy--Broken Silence--was written in a non-linear manner. The Silent Storm--the second in the trilogy--has more text written out of sequence. I've already written a large chunk of Silent Storm and by the time it's finished, it'll probably end at around at 40% non-linear writing. As for the third book--Lake Silencio--there have been only three chapters written for it so far.

[Princess Awinita]

You have just described my methodology in writing not only All That We Leave Behind, but also the rest of the series of which it is part. I have yet to finish writing the middle of ATWLB, but its ending is written, and so are portions of the next two books that come after it.


Yep, I do that too. You really do have to take as the Muse gives, I've found.

The Muse is what drives us, what provides for us...... why the smeg am I sounding like Smith in Matrix Reloaded ??? but yes, Jake {my muse} jumps around constantly, though Lake, my character who tells the stoyry to me to write it with Jake sitting right there playing his PlayStation Vita, my stuff gets done. pretty much in a haphazard way.

The good thing is, once the chapters {at least in some sembalce of order} are done I can upload in the proper order. {It also helps to have the chapter numbers in each chapter so you know the proper order.} Personally I think I tend to get the big battle and action heavy scenes written first and get thme done, then with an ending planned I write that out and get that also completed. {the way I ended Project Icegate for example was inspired by The Warriors Way, so it yelled at me to get completed before anything else got written up}

[selene0789]

I've written some scenes out of order, but I'm not sure if it's ever been on purpose. I feel like it's more often that I write a bunch of chapters in order, but then have to go in and add stuff in between. Which is still pretty linear, so doesn't really apply.

Though, for a while there during Strangers on a Train, when there was a lot of snap-shot bouncing back and forth, there was a bunch of chapters written in a rather haphazard manner, with the intention of straightening them out later.

[fems]

I always write my chapters in order, although sometimes I will write the second scene before the first or something when it's not going well. I do get inspiration for later chapters or even the ending, but I only write those down in notes and sometimes a few lines I want to add. Not the whole scene/chapter.

[Whytewytch]

Yeah, these two guys are extremely complicated people. Their friends are pretty complex as well. Most grey characters are.

Exactly why I love gray characters. This was one of the discussions I got into in the Robin Hood BBC fandom--the whole "shades of gray" thing (and I don't mean the stupid novel). One of my favorite characters was a good guy who went over to the "dark side" for a bit--a lot of people yelled and screamed and labeled him "traitor", never taking the time to think about why he did what he did. I also really enjoyed exploring the light side of the dark characters, and the dark side of the light characters--I never wrote Robin as pure good or Guy of Gisborne as pure evil.

[Whytewytch]

Now, new question; have you ever written a chapter {or a multichapter story} out of order ? then had to finish chapters, then work on the chapters BEFORE the finished chapters to be able to upload the story in proper order ? What about writing a chapte,r but the scenes are all written out of order ? {you start writing the first scene of the chapte,r then start work on the FIFTH or third or nineth scene in the chapter, then work on the second or fourth scene, then so on} so basically if you got ten scenes to a 5500 word chapter of a story, and you start scene 1, the first scene, then as you near the end of it you start on scene five of ten, or scene ten of ten, then go back and start scene two, then scene four or six, etc.

Then when its done you have tocarefully proofread it so it makes sense.

Somehow it is how I write, scenes literally are thrown at me as I write, so I write them down before I forget as long as Jake is in a writing mood. Then later I go and add more details to the noted scenes

Usually, I am a linear writer--I view the scenes in my head the way one would watch a TV series, but I am able to know what the characters are feeling. Sometimes a certain scene will jump into my head, though, and demand to be written, even though it's miles down the road in the book. But usually, I need to write from A to B to C before I can get to Z.

[selene0789]

I finally got the okay from my boss to take four nights off early for that writing class. Now I just have to get registered, and get prepped. The instructor wants us to email him a 1,000 word writing sample before the first class.

Now, the 1,000 words is in NO way a big deal. I have plenty of words to choose from... but I wonder what I should send him. Something original, perhaps. I'm sure he'd appreciate a good fanfic, given his background, but still... I'm leaning towards something original.

Should I use an old short story of mine, or my novel WIP? I'm more confident in my short story than in my novel ideas at the moment, though the novel is what I'd probably be using for the exercises in class...

Oh, such dilemmas!

[Cold Fuzz]

Exactly why I love gray characters. This was one of the discussions I got into in the Robin Hood BBC fandom--the whole "shades of gray" thing (and I don't mean the stupid novel). One of my favorite characters was a good guy who went over to the "dark side" for a bit--a lot of people yelled and screamed and labeled him "traitor", never taking the time to think about why he did what he did. I also really enjoyed exploring the light side of the dark characters, and the dark side of the light characters--I never wrote Robin as pure good or Guy of Gisborne as pure evil.

You bring up a couple of interesting grey characters with mentioning Robin Hood. I don't know if you've watched Robin of Sherwood from the 80s but that show featured one of the best grey characters I had encountered, imo. Will Scarlet, as played by Ray Winstone was fantastic. Yeah, he was undoubtedly one of the good guys, but, as was said by multiple characters, he was very "hot-blooded." Though he followed is own honorable code, he was reckless, rebellious, and even borderline psychotic at times. He was a fantastic character.

[Princess Awinita]

I finally got the okay from my boss to take four nights off early for that writing class. Now I just have to get registered, and get prepped. The instructor wants us to email him a 1,000 word writing sample before the first class.

Now, the 1,000 words is in NO way a big deal. I have plenty of words to choose from... but I wonder what I should send him. Something original, perhaps. I'm sure he'd appreciate a good fanfic, given his background, but still... I'm leaning towards something original.

Should I use an old short story of mine, or my novel WIP? I'm more confident in my short story than in my novel ideas at the moment, though the novel is what I'd probably be using for the exercises in class...

Oh, such dilemmas!

I'd go with something completely original, then as a bonus a small snippet of one of your fanfics Like a "if you want to read more...." tease or something. But don't over do it

[Princess Awinita]

You bring up a couple of interesting grey characters with mentioning Robin Hood. I don't know if you've watched Robin of Sherwood from the 80s but that show featured one of the best grey characters I had encountered, imo. Will Scarlet, as played by Ray Winstone was fantastic. Yeah, he was undoubtedly one of the good guys, but, as was said by multiple characters, he was very "hot-blooded." Though he followed is own honorable code, he was reckless, rebellious, and even borderline psychotic at times. He was a fantastic character.

I love the interprtation of Robin Hood by Mel Brooks, Men in Tights version I think is best, explains the legend in a good humorful way so that even the kids cansee it {my brother wont let his boys see the Advengures of Robin Hood with that one dude in it {Not Fairbanks, the other guy, its got the Looney Toons cartoon for Robin Hood Daffy on it}}

[Whytewytch]

I finally got the okay from my boss to take four nights off early for that writing class. Now I just have to get registered, and get prepped. The instructor wants us to email him a 1,000 word writing sample before the first class.

Now, the 1,000 words is in NO way a big deal. I have plenty of words to choose from... but I wonder what I should send him. Something original, perhaps. I'm sure he'd appreciate a good fanfic, given his background, but still... I'm leaning towards something original.

Should I use an old short story of mine, or my novel WIP? I'm more confident in my short story than in my novel ideas at the moment, though the novel is what I'd probably be using for the exercises in class...

Oh, such dilemmas!

One thing to bear in mind if you use the old short story--that was who you were then, not who you are now. Does the short really represent you properly? Also, your writing has no doubt improved if the "old" story was written more than six months ago. I'd go with a new, original piece if that's possible.

[Whytewytch]

You bring up a couple of interesting grey characters with mentioning Robin Hood. I don't know if you've watched Robin of Sherwood from the 80s but that show featured one of the best grey characters I had encountered, imo. Will Scarlet, as played by Ray Winstone was fantastic. Yeah, he was undoubtedly one of the good guys, but, as was said by multiple characters, he was very "hot-blooded." Though he followed is own honorable code, he was reckless, rebellious, and even borderline psychotic at times. He was a fantastic character.

Ray Winstone's Will Scarlet was so edgy and wonderful. I LOVED him! Hot blooded, superstitious, reckless--yes. If you needed a dangerous job done, Will was going to be at the forefront, with or without a weapon. But he was also a gentle, honorable man at times. My heart broke for him with the reveal of his back story. He was my favorite, despite the "more intelligent" "eye candy" of Robin(s). But then, I've never really been the "leading man" kind of girl--I like me the background characters.

Guy of Gisborne was another gray character in RH2006--cold and cruel with others, he was often confused and gentle with Marian. Not always, but often. And when Robin lost his cool and was torturing Guy, I liked him for the first time on the show--he was finally showing some complexity.

As an aside, I find it funny that RH2006 was going to do the same thing as RoS, in that they were planning on replacing their Robin Hood.

[Whytewytch]

I love the interprtation of Robin Hood by Mel Brooks, Men in Tights version I think is best, explains the legend in a good humorful way so that even the kids cansee it {my brother wont let his boys see the Advengures of Robin Hood with that one dude in it {Not Fairbanks, the other guy, its got the Looney Toons cartoon for Robin Hood Daffy on it}}

That dude would be Errol Flynn. Possibly one of the more "Wonder bread" versions of the Robin Hood legend on screen and perfectly safe for young children (I watched when I was, like six, and Errol Flynn became my first crush). Not so, Men in Tights--while I love it and it's hysterical, I wouldn't let anyone under the age of 10 or 11 watch it. I actually liked the Russel Crowe version, as it showed what I think would be a more realistic version, with blood and dirt, starvation and deprivation.

ETA: I do adore the Looney Tunes version, as well. "Zoiks! And away!"

[selene0789]

I'd go with something completely original, then as a bonus a small snippet of one of your fanfics Like a "if you want to read more...." tease or something. But don't over do it

One thing to bear in mind if you use the old short story--that was who you were then, not who you are now. Does the short really represent you properly? Also, your writing has no doubt improved if the "old" story was written more than six months ago. I'd go with a new, original piece if that's possible.

Thanks guys! I think I'll do that. Original novel beginning agreed. Now I just have to figure out which thousand words I want him to read. So much of it is "let's just get the plot churned out" stuff. So guess what I'm gonna be doing the next few weeks? EDITING!! Woohoo!