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Twilight Forums - Twilighted • View topic - Talking yourself back from the ledge




Talking yourself back from the ledge

What about Admiral Fic? Captain Fic?

Talking yourself back from the ledge

Postby Totoro on Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:07 pm

Yes, I'm talking about quitting fan-fiction writing with this. I am curious, because in all frankness - not all of us have that "other author" to talk us out of walking the plank and taking the plunge. I'm positive that there are other people who have felt this way, so I am going to ask you --

As a writer, what do you do when you need to talk yourself from pulling all your stories?

Now, I don't need to hear a bunch of collective, "That's really selfish," and, "Why would someone do that??", etc.
Like I said before, we've probably all felt like this. And it doesn't even have to involve pulling stories, what if people decide to just up and walk away without doing anything?

NOTE: I AM NOT REFERRING TO ANYONE WHO HAS PULLED A STORY TO HAVE IT PUBLISHED, SO IF YOU WANNA HATE ON THEM, TOO BAD. I'm pure and simply, depressed. And as an author who knows other people are out there who have felt this way, this is me for lack of a better term, "Trying to get out of teh funk."
Totoro
 

Re: Talking yourself back from the ledge

Postby jesicka309 on Tue Aug 24, 2010 6:48 am

That's terrible, I'm sorry you feel that way.
I guess with writing you really need to be in love with what you are doing. Like Elise said, taking a temporary hiatus might help.
That being said, I've come back from a three year hiatus from writing at all, and it's become the one thing I want to do in life.
Take a break, maybe a self-imposed exile from the forums even? Go on a holiday, and make your decision when you're relaxed and happy.
And chin up! :D Writing fan fic is a hobby, not your life :p if it's a chore, then maybe you need a break. Though taking your fics down would make a lot of people sad. :(
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Re: Talking yourself back from the ledge

Postby Jillian Landers on Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:26 am

Totoro,

I'm sorry to hear that you're feeling less than stellar as of late. The best I can really offer you is to say "I get it." In the middle of June I ended a two+ year relationship with my then boyfriend. Though I was happy to see the relationship end, that upheaval, as well as a few others... (making the decision to move out of state, finding a new job, finding a roommate, etc...) has left me more than a little worn out.

I just don't have the desire to write like I used to-- not when I have so many more pressing items on my to-do list. So, I get it.

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer here, and maybe, the kind words and support alone will help you realize that whatever decision you make is okay. Some people, particularly those who read but do not write, can be pretty huffy about the removal of stories (for any reason), or even when an author takes a hiatus. I haven't updated anything in a month, and I hear about it regularly.

The plain and simple truth is that you can't force it. If you try to force yourself to write, it won't come out right. I envy those authors who can get out a 5k+ word chapter a week, and do so, without fail, from beginning to end of the story. But most of us are not capable of doing that for one reason or another.

"As a writer, what do you do when you need to talk yourself from pulling all your stories?"

Well, I consider myself super lucky to have Starla to talk to about it. She is a good friend, my pre-reader, idea bouncer, and all-around bad-idea-smacker-downer. :rotfl: I considered pulling one of my stories recently, and she talked me into really thinking about that before doing so. In the end, I chose not to pull it. If things keep going as they are, I will (and would suggest you do the same) putting my stories on hiatus.

I don't know if our issues are similar, but one of my problems is that the more popular my story becomes, the more pressure I feel to live up to what I think the readers want. I'm probably placing an undue burden on myself, but I know that thought alone keeps me at a snails pace. Try not to think of other people and just do it. For a while there, I was writing 15k words a week, maintaining a relationship, caring for two large dogs, a cat, and working full time. Eventually something had to give. I am no longer able to churn that out, and you know what? That's okay.

We all just do the best we can do, and there isn't really anything else that can be asked of us. Take care, and PM me if you'd like. I can be the person to talk you off the ledge so to speak. :)
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Re: Talking yourself back from the ledge

Postby Totoro on Tue Aug 24, 2010 12:24 pm

Okay, um, clearly this came out totally wrong.

Well, in a sense.

I will always want to write -- it's too much of my life, and what keeps me "sane" to quit doing it. So I'm not saying I would completely quit writing. Or that I would pull my own stuff. I guess what I was trying to say was that I don't always feel, as a writer - when I watch others pull stories and whatnot, that they are doing it because they want to publish or something.
A lot of the time, if I get in a funk like I was, I think there are others who feel the same in the sense that they feel the desire to pull something purely because of "the funk" so to speak. So I guess what I meant was more that I wanted others to know it's not always a "publication thing" if someone pulls something. And I wanted the people who do get in the funk every now and then (such as me) to get that I get it, even if no one else does.

I hope that makes sense. We could refer to it as a fan-fiction authors support group if people want :P

Elise and Jes - I do enjoy the idea of a hiatus. I was thinking I would do it with one story just so I could finish the other one off, and then be able to focus on the other more. It's not that I personally wanted to quit writing. But I was just curious to know if anyone else has those days. I do appreciate everything you both said and suggested though :)

Jillian - I can understand where you're coming from. I've always liked the stance that you write what you want, and if other people enjoy it, great! If they don't, they don't! I don't think with me it's so much pressure in that sense, it's just more of a mood thing if anything. In all seriousness, I've been dealing with some medication switches lately, so there will be these moments where I'll have a really off attitude and want to crawl under a rock. I love my writing, I do it regularly. Maybe this was a needed group hug moment or something. :lol:

Anyway, thank you for all your responses. :)
Totoro
 

Re: Talking yourself back from the ledge

Postby Totoro on Tue Aug 24, 2010 4:24 pm

I can definitely agree with you on the churning out chapters part - I don't think its so much writers block or that you don't know where your story is going as its just, "I really don't want to disappoint anyone," kind of thing.

And you know someone brought up the non-Edward/Bella couples a while back, saying that one doesn't get as many reviews, which I think is really sad. You can bring a level of great interest to characters in a story not focused on those two. Elise, your work is a great example. I think there are times when because I'm writing about Jasper and Alice, or because the other story is about Carlisle/Esme, I can't tell if I'm letting people down because I only get a few comments or so depending.

I guess in all, I just wish to discuss the idea that it's not always about "publication" and that sometimes, we all need a little love. So if anyone else has those days where they want to stop writing and take things down because they get in the funk, they can discuss it in this thread...if they want.

:D
Totoro
 

Re: Talking yourself back from the ledge

Postby jesicka309 on Tue Aug 24, 2010 4:53 pm

I'm having one of those days actually *sigh* I'm only new to writing fanfiction (though I've read alot), and started writing my own fic 2 months ago.
I got rejected from Twilighted after 28 days, and I'm at the 20 day mark on my reedited chapter.
I've published 5 chapters on ff.net, but in the last 48 hours no one has read my fic. No one. And I've only had 15 reviews all up.
How can some fics get so much momentum so quickly, when I feel like I'm wasting my time? At the moment I feel like I'm writing for my beta (who loves it), and while that's great, it makes me want to give up.
Actually, I just checked my story stats: one person has read my fic since I checked it 30 min ago. Yay.
But still feeling bummed out :(
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My new crackfic: Vague Summaries and FanFiction Cliches
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6412671/1/
Vague Summary. Eyebrow Raise. Mild Interest. Spelling Mistake. Flounce. A crackfic about Twilight fandom clichés. Will my Mary-Sue be perfect, get Edward, and have fantastic sex? Of course!
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Re: Talking yourself back from the ledge

Postby Totoro on Tue Aug 24, 2010 5:40 pm

jesicka309 wrote:I'm having one of those days actually *sigh* I'm only new to writing fanfiction (though I've read alot), and started writing my own fic 2 months ago.
I got rejected from Twilighted after 28 days, and I'm at the 20 day mark on my reedited chapter.
I've published 5 chapters on ff.net, but in the last 48 hours no one has read my fic. No one. And I've only had 15 reviews all up.
How can some fics get so much momentum so quickly, when I feel like I'm wasting my time? At the moment I feel like I'm writing for my beta (who loves it), and while that's great, it makes me want to give up.
Actually, I just checked my story stats: one person has read my fic since I checked it 30 min ago. Yay.
But still feeling bummed out :(


I think with momentum it depends on the subject matter and the coupling, in all seriousness. I've also noticed that besides the E/B coupling (which don't get me wrong - it's great if you write that or read it, but sometimes I wish more people liked reading about the couples, canon or non, outside that mold) if you don't have as much romance every chapter then it seems to slow up readers. Twilight was a romance centered book series, but there was much more than that I like to think. There was drama, angst, action, suspense - depending on the part of a book. I think it can be overlooked in this fandom that those other elements are there also.

It's funny (in the ironic sense) because I remember when I first joined this fandom like 1 1/2 years ago, and I was of the opinion - and still am a bit, that readers don't have to like something or have to review it because it was nice if I even got one. Now I'm starting to realize more and more that it's not so much about feedback sometimes as it is, we just want to hear some love every now and then. Even if it's a hate filled rant about the story, at least one knows someone's out there.

So Hugs*

Is your story that banner at the bottom? Clicks*
Totoro
 

Re: Talking yourself back from the ledge

Postby Jillian Landers on Tue Aug 24, 2010 6:05 pm

jesicka309 wrote:I'm having one of those days actually *sigh* I'm only new to writing fanfiction (though I've read alot), and started writing my own fic 2 months ago.
I got rejected from Twilighted after 28 days, and I'm at the 20 day mark on my reedited chapter.
I've published 5 chapters on ff.net, but in the last 48 hours no one has read my fic. No one. And I've only had 15 reviews all up.
How can some fics get so much momentum so quickly, when I feel like I'm wasting my time? At the moment I feel like I'm writing for my beta (who loves it), and while that's great, it makes me want to give up.
Actually, I just checked my story stats: one person has read my fic since I checked it 30 min ago. Yay.
But still feeling bummed out :(


Don't feel too discouraged. Totoro is right, it REALLY depends on the material you wrote. I have two O/S up. One has been up since April and 21 people have favorited it. It's angsty and sad and all. I am very proud of that. I have another O/S I posted today that 15 people have already favorited. The one that posted today has my first lemon in it. None of my other stuff has a full-on lemon. I'm not against lemons, I just haven't gotten there in my stories yet. But of course, the O/S I think I did okay with, but has a lemon... is a hit. WTF. I might be happier about that if I didn't know it was basically only getting attention because of the sex. Okay, so I can sort of write sex well enough, I guess. Fine. But there's such a thing as plot, folks. :/

I probably sound like an asshole.
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Re: Talking yourself back from the ledge

Postby jesicka309 on Tue Aug 24, 2010 6:11 pm

Jillian Landers wrote:Don't feel too discouraged. Totoro is right, it REALLY depends on the material you wrote. I have two O/S up. One has been up since April and 21 people have favorited it. It's angsty and sad and all. I am very proud of that. I have another O/S I posted today that 15 people have already favorited. The one that posted today has my first lemon in it. None of my other stuff has a full-on lemon. I'm not against lemons, I just haven't gotten there in my stories yet. But of course, the O/S I think I did okay with, but has a lemon... is a hit. WTF. I might be happier about that if I didn't know it was basically only getting attention because of the sex. Okay, so I can sort of write sex well enough, I guess. Fine. But there's such a thing as plot, folks. :/

I probably sound like an asshole.


I know what you mean. Mine is an OC fic...not for everyone, I'll admit. But I feel like if I had a B/E with a truckload of lemons, I would be getting way more hits.
But I'm not writing that, I'm writing what I want to write. I guess as long as there are some people out there who like your work, then I should write for them. And for me.
And not for all the smut-lovers who just want to read about peen and boobies. :P
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Thanks to FrozenSoldier for the freaking super banner! :D

My new crackfic: Vague Summaries and FanFiction Cliches
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6412671/1/
Vague Summary. Eyebrow Raise. Mild Interest. Spelling Mistake. Flounce. A crackfic about Twilight fandom clichés. Will my Mary-Sue be perfect, get Edward, and have fantastic sex? Of course!
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Re: Talking yourself back from the ledge

Postby Totoro on Tue Aug 24, 2010 6:59 pm

I have no problem with a plot filled with sex, I realize there are a lot of people who read fan-fiction purely for the smut much of the time. But I think, as you said Jes, different readers want different things - and not everyone (myself included) reads for the smut. A lot of the time I want to read something that's going to give me some depth to the characters I already know a bit and love. Which is why I love the fact that recently I've started seeing (and betaing) more historical fan fiction. Really, I like to think it's all about what you're not willing to do in terms of traditional, and what you are completely willing to do in terms of stepping outside the box.

And don't get me wrong, sex can be written well in a story. I guess my other issue with it is that I'm not a smut writer and just don't have the plans to become one. Maybe I could learn to write it well, but I'm also just of the mindset that it's a bit of a private thing for me. To each their own.

Jes, I enjoyed what you have so far. It's refreshing to see a story that takes that kind of plot line and give it more in terms of personality with a new character. :) I think it's great to see other writers who still stick to what they want to write, instead of caving into the more traditional.

I'm curious if the smut thing is something that happens in other fandoms like HP and such, because I've only ever been involved with fan fiction in this one.
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