Fanfic Writers' Virtual Water Cooler

[WraithRichard]

Anyone else get stuck a lot on dialog?

[SF_and_Coffee]

Sometimes it happens to me. Not all that often, though. What are you having trouble with?

[WraithRichard]

Sometimes it happens to me. Not all that often, though. What are you having trouble with?

So far I'm having trouble with a wraith (one of those green people-eating aliens form Atlantis) trying to explain that a human kid she found was suicidal and she finds that wrong. The kid was kind of suicidal when the wraith found him, due to the fact that his father was abusive.

Sure, as a wraith she could just feed on the human, but if you've got a crop of cows where one is beating up all the others to the point that the others just sit there and take it, you'd want to get rid of that mean cow 'cause he's wrecking all your future hamburgers.

The wraith is also trying to explain this to a human, not another wraith.

[SF_and_Coffee]

Hmmm. I don't know how much help I'd be, since I don't really have any way of "getting into a Wraith's head" the way I can with humans or Tok'ra. I wish I had more to offer.

[WraithRichard]

It's cool. I'm not good with some aliens, even some humans.

I'm also having trouble convincing this one wraith to quit freaking out about the psychic network and let other wraith use telepathy ith them from a human's POV, if anyone's out there who is good at writing wraith.

[Skydiver]

i would think the wraith would be puzzled, because the kid wanted to die, was eager to be fed upon and was almost giddy with his/her impending death....quite different from the normal fear and terror...maybe that emotion of eager makes them taste different, and the wraith could taste it and it puzzled and intrigued them

[thekillman]

interesting thoughts about the wraith.


as to science stuff: for fanfics i don't really nitpick. i just point out the impossible.

[Cort]

Ok, going back to the writer's block... in my current-ish story (it's been a while since I posted an update ) I have used a lot, if not all, of the tips/suggestions that were given in other instances of writer's block that I have had with the story but now I am down to what will be the last chapter and just can't seem to get it written and they just aren't working for me this time around.

I have the chapter pretty well planned out but can't get into a 'story' format. I don't want to force it out as I know it will end up being of a lower quality of writing that what I know I am capable of and of what the readers deserve.

To clarify I have tried: doing something else altogher, driving around, reading other fan-fics and books, writing something else (got a brief cross-over and a drabble out of that ), carrying around my notepad with me in case some of it should just 'come to me' so to speak, listening to my I-pod so that I would just stop thinking about what I was writing and just write (a big help before, but just not working now), retail therapy - not that I will admit how much , re-reading the previous chapters of the story hoping to get my head in the right space, and just setting it aside for a time... and nothing

Does anyone have any other suggestions? I am just at a loss at this point and am not sure what to do anymore

For anyone that is interested in a few specifics of the chapter...

Spoiler:

The chapter is the wedding day for Jack and Sam; the few hours leading up to, and their actual wedding.

[Aragon101]

Ok, going back to the writer's block... in my current-ish story (it's been a while since I posted an update ) I have used a lot, if not all, of the tips/suggestions that were given in other instances of writer's block that I have had with the story but now I am down to what will be the last chapter and just can't seem to get it written and they just aren't working for me this time around.

I have the chapter pretty well planned out but can't get into a 'story' format. I don't want to force it out as I know it will end up being of a lower quality of writing that what I know I am capable of and of what the readers deserve.

To clarify I have tried: doing something else altogher, driving around, reading other fan-fics and books, writing something else (got a brief cross-over and a drabble out of that ), carrying around my notepad with me in case some of it should just 'come to me' so to speak, listening to my I-pod so that I would just stop thinking about what I was writing and just write (a big help before, but just not working now), retail therapy - not that I will admit how much , re-reading the previous chapters of the story hoping to get my head in the right space, and just setting it aside for a time... and nothing

Does anyone have any other suggestions? I am just at a loss at this point and am not sure what to do anymore

For anyone that is interested in a few specifics of the chapter...

Spoiler:

The chapter is the wedding day for Jack and Sam; the few hours leading up to, and their actual wedding.

Given that i'm the LAST person to be giving advise on that situation, all i can say is...

Spoiler:

do what happens at most weddings. Problems arise, the friends come to the rescue, and maybe someone falls into a cake. make it a memorable thing, but maybe not the best of memories.

[thekillman]

writers blocks can be very annoying.

my tip is to take a "total break". not just going for a ride, just take an entire day off, perhaps two or three.


if that doesn't work, force the story. sometimes it needs to be done. it gives a relief, and you can always rewrite it when you're finished (and before you publish it)

[Falcon Horus]

Does anyone have any other suggestions? I am just at a loss at this point and am not sure what to do anymore

Take a long, hot bath... if you don't have a bath available, I can't help you anymore. I'm out of suggestions cause you've already mentioned writing something else and/or free writing.

Oh wait, I have another one... as it turns out my writing muse feels 100% inspired after having seen Claire Rankin (who plays Kate Heightmeyer in Stargate Atlantis) on TV (or my computer screen)... so try watching your favorite actors in Stargate or something else.

[mathpiglet]

*takes a drink of water*

I've just been through several months of block. I finally just decided to stop. Eventually, ideas started to come again, so I started writing again.

[WraithRichard]

*takes a drink of water*

I've just been through several months of block. I finally just decided to stop. Eventually, ideas started to come again, so I started writing again.

I wish idea would do that to me.

[Choo1701]

I wish idea would do that to me.

keep trying, and you'll come up with some. (Some more awesome than others!) Should see the amount of paper i've recycled just trying to get Hallowed Turf sorted. And i havn't even finished (or begun!)

Edit: Chain/Group stories. It was brought up in Pet Peeves, and i'm just wondering: what exactly is it?

[SF_and_Coffee]

Chain novel