does this mean I'm important?
15 Jul 2004 09:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kaigouI was perusing the rather funny bits on the sub-thread in ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
fanfic_hate about using random Japanese (and incorrectly at that), and hit the next page to find...there I am. I guess that means I've hit the big time, to be mentioned - and I didn't even have to demand that I be? A part of me is going...you recommended that piece to convert someone? No, no, that was just fluff. Please. Don't! There are others that aren't as...well...fluffy. I would've suggested All of Me, maybe. But whatever.
But in some ways, I am guilty as charged, I suppose. Some of the stories do require a massive info dump - Drums was a nightmare, thanks to the complex plot - and I gave myself headaches on that one. And Jade disappointed a number of people who did want it to be Duo-centric and focus only on Duo. Without a lengthy ten more chapters on Duo's POV and recovery, it did seem like it was wrapped right up, neat and tight. So I can see the complaints or critiques - hm, must have Gemini in me somewhere, to find myself saying, "then again on the other hand..."
I wanna cookie. With nuts, and chocolate chips.
I like writing fanfiction, sometimes, because I like the lessons I can learn from it. But sometimes it's just so frickin' tiresome. Writing original fiction...it's like there's a spark I'm trying for, and I think I get it, sometimes and sometimes I don't. I mean, hello, not published yet, so I've got room to improve, right? But at least in original fiction there's less chance of someone saying, "that's not Tetsu! he's not like that at all!" Well, friggin' go play in traffic, 'cause MY Tetsu is just like that. Nyah.
Then again, I think the hard part about original fiction is that I've got friends and relatives who read it, thanks to that elist, but...they never say anything. Oh, they ask me whether I've sent out more query letters, and whether anyone's asked for the full manuscript and did I talk to this nice woman who goes to church with my mother who's published children's books and there's that guy my sister met who's published three books of poetry...and I have to explain, patiently, each time, that the industry is stratified, compartmentalized. Someone who does children's books is probably not going to be interested in contemporary fantasy, folks. And while I appreciate the sentiments and gentle prodding/support, it'd be a lot nicer to hear someone say - to my face, damn it - I liked the story. Couldn't put it down. Someone who isn't coming over the internet, but someone I've known for years. Cause I'd know if they were lying! I think. But they don't say anything at all...and being Southern? That means they don't like it.
Well, my dad's not read it. I'm not sure how he'd take the whole Tetsu/Keegan angle. I fully expect my step-mother to go into a self-righteous hissy fit over the notion of a) non-human, semi-pagan, definitely non-christian characters, let alone b) a gay relationship. I've never figured that out, given she'll chatter on happily about trolls and gnomes. I guess if it's part of her culture, it's okay. Hmph. But I digress.
I don't really feel like writing fanfiction, and thing is, I haven't for the past week or so. Reading that people find my plots repetitive and boring...well, doesn't really change the lack of motivation. Guess I also find it kinda amusing, too, that I'm supposedly a Big Name Something in GW. Wee, I won Oishii. Fuck that, people, Spooks won Best Overall two years in a row! I'm not rec'd on anything but Tomomishi and Sweetlysour. I got a rec from Dacia for Find the Moon, of all things. And I don't think Suzume even knows I exist. Strange, eh? I want to be enough under the radar to not get slammed but not so far I don't get noticed at all.
I guess the difference is that when you're writing original fiction, no one else reads it until you're done. You're not pleasing anyone but yourself. And then you revise, you get more editing comments from agent or editor, and it's published. The fans can say, "you should've done this," but it's DONE. There is no going back to the publisher and redoing all fifty chapters. Fanfiction, there's a certain amount of pandering to the audience, but I don't think it's because I - or anyone else - is necessarily weak. It's just that we're dealing with shared characters, and sometimes the insight from critiques can remind me of points or details that I'd missed about our shared characters. I don't share Celia or Hauk or Meg or Tamayori with anyone. No one's comments on characterization, in the end, are going to be worth half as much as my own final decision - though I may take editing comments into consideration. They don't sway me half as much as they do when I'm writing fanfic - and it's only exacerbated because I post chapters as I write - which means critiques can have direct impact on the next chapter produced.
I wonder. Is TWT really wandering? I don't know how to tighten it. I know Tetractys needs to be scoped out - it was easy with Drums, one POV, every chapter. Tetractys needs a frickin' floor plan. Or seven. The Contraries arc? That's pretty straightforward. I want to delete Wolves II, but Tyr's policy will at most let me just leave it permanently incomplete. I dunno. Maybe I can just tell Tyr to take down TWT for like two months, and I'll rework it, finish, and then repost. Because I'm not sure I really do like Quatre that much in it - I can see where he's coming from, but there's a lot of "and now we watch Quatre do the normal human thing of trying, quitting, moving on to trying something else." Verbatim speech is realistic, but it's damned boring. So are plotlines following that process.
Anyway, I dunno, and don't expect any new chapters for awhile. For the first time in a long time, I have time...and simply can't care enough to churn out any chapters. Rereading TWT only made me see how much Quatre needs to be kicked in the head - it didn't inspire me to give him any chances to straighten up and fly right and be less of a self-centered prick. I'm not even going near Tetractys. Wolves...don't even bother. It's unofficially over, even if that's not announced any where. And I suppose I'll finish Contraries if only out of sheer obstinance.
In the meantime, I wanna cookie.
fanfic_hate about using random Japanese (and incorrectly at that), and hit the next page to find...there I am. I guess that means I've hit the big time, to be mentioned - and I didn't even have to demand that I be? A part of me is going...you recommended that piece to convert someone? No, no, that was just fluff. Please. Don't! There are others that aren't as...well...fluffy. I would've suggested All of Me, maybe. But whatever. But in some ways, I am guilty as charged, I suppose. Some of the stories do require a massive info dump - Drums was a nightmare, thanks to the complex plot - and I gave myself headaches on that one. And Jade disappointed a number of people who did want it to be Duo-centric and focus only on Duo. Without a lengthy ten more chapters on Duo's POV and recovery, it did seem like it was wrapped right up, neat and tight. So I can see the complaints or critiques - hm, must have Gemini in me somewhere, to find myself saying, "then again on the other hand..."
I wanna cookie. With nuts, and chocolate chips.
I like writing fanfiction, sometimes, because I like the lessons I can learn from it. But sometimes it's just so frickin' tiresome. Writing original fiction...it's like there's a spark I'm trying for, and I think I get it, sometimes and sometimes I don't. I mean, hello, not published yet, so I've got room to improve, right? But at least in original fiction there's less chance of someone saying, "that's not Tetsu! he's not like that at all!" Well, friggin' go play in traffic, 'cause MY Tetsu is just like that. Nyah.
Then again, I think the hard part about original fiction is that I've got friends and relatives who read it, thanks to that elist, but...they never say anything. Oh, they ask me whether I've sent out more query letters, and whether anyone's asked for the full manuscript and did I talk to this nice woman who goes to church with my mother who's published children's books and there's that guy my sister met who's published three books of poetry...and I have to explain, patiently, each time, that the industry is stratified, compartmentalized. Someone who does children's books is probably not going to be interested in contemporary fantasy, folks. And while I appreciate the sentiments and gentle prodding/support, it'd be a lot nicer to hear someone say - to my face, damn it - I liked the story. Couldn't put it down. Someone who isn't coming over the internet, but someone I've known for years. Cause I'd know if they were lying! I think. But they don't say anything at all...and being Southern? That means they don't like it.
Well, my dad's not read it. I'm not sure how he'd take the whole Tetsu/Keegan angle. I fully expect my step-mother to go into a self-righteous hissy fit over the notion of a) non-human, semi-pagan, definitely non-christian characters, let alone b) a gay relationship. I've never figured that out, given she'll chatter on happily about trolls and gnomes. I guess if it's part of her culture, it's okay. Hmph. But I digress.
I don't really feel like writing fanfiction, and thing is, I haven't for the past week or so. Reading that people find my plots repetitive and boring...well, doesn't really change the lack of motivation. Guess I also find it kinda amusing, too, that I'm supposedly a Big Name Something in GW. Wee, I won Oishii. Fuck that, people, Spooks won Best Overall two years in a row! I'm not rec'd on anything but Tomomishi and Sweetlysour. I got a rec from Dacia for Find the Moon, of all things. And I don't think Suzume even knows I exist. Strange, eh? I want to be enough under the radar to not get slammed but not so far I don't get noticed at all.
I guess the difference is that when you're writing original fiction, no one else reads it until you're done. You're not pleasing anyone but yourself. And then you revise, you get more editing comments from agent or editor, and it's published. The fans can say, "you should've done this," but it's DONE. There is no going back to the publisher and redoing all fifty chapters. Fanfiction, there's a certain amount of pandering to the audience, but I don't think it's because I - or anyone else - is necessarily weak. It's just that we're dealing with shared characters, and sometimes the insight from critiques can remind me of points or details that I'd missed about our shared characters. I don't share Celia or Hauk or Meg or Tamayori with anyone. No one's comments on characterization, in the end, are going to be worth half as much as my own final decision - though I may take editing comments into consideration. They don't sway me half as much as they do when I'm writing fanfic - and it's only exacerbated because I post chapters as I write - which means critiques can have direct impact on the next chapter produced.
I wonder. Is TWT really wandering? I don't know how to tighten it. I know Tetractys needs to be scoped out - it was easy with Drums, one POV, every chapter. Tetractys needs a frickin' floor plan. Or seven. The Contraries arc? That's pretty straightforward. I want to delete Wolves II, but Tyr's policy will at most let me just leave it permanently incomplete. I dunno. Maybe I can just tell Tyr to take down TWT for like two months, and I'll rework it, finish, and then repost. Because I'm not sure I really do like Quatre that much in it - I can see where he's coming from, but there's a lot of "and now we watch Quatre do the normal human thing of trying, quitting, moving on to trying something else." Verbatim speech is realistic, but it's damned boring. So are plotlines following that process.
Anyway, I dunno, and don't expect any new chapters for awhile. For the first time in a long time, I have time...and simply can't care enough to churn out any chapters. Rereading TWT only made me see how much Quatre needs to be kicked in the head - it didn't inspire me to give him any chances to straighten up and fly right and be less of a self-centered prick. I'm not even going near Tetractys. Wolves...don't even bother. It's unofficially over, even if that's not announced any where. And I suppose I'll finish Contraries if only out of sheer obstinance.
In the meantime, I wanna cookie.
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no subject
Date: 15 Jul 2004 09:55 pm (UTC)Which is why it's amusing in a 'whatever' kinda way that someone else complained that Jade ended too neatly and was wrapped up in such a pat manner. it's like..PICK ONE! Heh.
Although I'm still tempted to swing by and say, "you wanna read something worth reading that's not too long? Try the Before the Beginning arc. Short, demonstrates characterization skills, and if you tell me 2500 words is too long, that's between you and your third-grade teacher."
*snark*
Off to bed!