Koakuma's Writer's Parlour ~ Have some tea and discuss fiction and writing here!

[FinnKaenbyou]

OK, I have had it pointed out to me that I am pushing myself way too hard.

Not so much in terms of workload as it is pressure. Writing started as something I did for fun, and as I got into bigger and bigger stories with more and more readers I found myself feeling obligated to keep going, even when the tank started to run low. That led to a low work output over a long time, which lead to me saying to myself 'goddammit look how little I've done over all this time I need to get writing' and pressing myself when I had nothing left to give, which led to a low work output...

So I'm stepping away for a bit. I'm working myself too hard, to the point where writing feels more like an obligation than it should be. It should be fun, but when I'm sitting there wincing at how I can't get the next scene of DRK to work it's anything but.

I'm sorry if this disappoints people who want to see what I do next. I'll come back when I feel properly replenished. When that'll be, I have no clue in hell. =_=

[Esifex]

Rou's Taken A Break

:D

About time, man. You're only obligated to write for yourself for now. None of us are reeeeeeally published ('cept maybe... nah, nevermind) so it's not like you have deadlines to meet.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

OK, I have had it pointed out to me that I am pushing myself way too hard.

Not so much in terms of workload as it is pressure. Writing started as something I did for fun, and as I got into bigger and bigger stories with more and more readers I found myself feeling obligated to keep going, even when the tank started to run low. That led to a low work output over a long time, which lead to me saying to myself 'goddammit look how little I've done over all this time I need to get writing' and pressing myself when I had nothing left to give, which led to a low work output...

So I'm stepping away for a bit. I'm working myself too hard, to the point where writing feels more like an obligation than it should be. It should be fun, but when I'm sitting there wincing at how I can't get the next scene of DRK to work it's anything but.

I'm sorry if this disappoints people who want to see what I do next. I'll come back when I feel properly replenished. When that'll be, I have no clue in hell. =_=

If you need help, I'd be more than willing to give it. Sometimes you just need a little input from someone else. I know it's helped me.

[Iced Fairy]

If you need help, I'd be more than willing to give it. Sometimes you just need a little input from someone else. I know it's helped me.

While your offer of aid is nice, in this case I'm sure it's overwork pushing Rou down.

Something to remember writers.  Proper writing makes you tired mentally.  Just because you're jittery physically doesn't mean you've still got the power to write.  Write when you have mental strength.  And if writing ever becomes a chore try taking a break before brainstorming again.  It'll make you happier.

[Esifex]

While your offer of aid is nice, in this case I'm sure it's overwork pushing Rou down.

Something to remember writers.  Proper writing makes you tired mentally.  Just because you're jittery physically doesn't mean you've still got the power to write.  Write when you have mental strength.  And if writing ever becomes a chore try taking a break before brainstorming again.  It'll make you happier.

This is why EverWander died, and why I haven't updated Sealed Fates in forever. In fact, I haven't really written anything since the last update to the Librarian stories, and even then, that was sporadic.

[Alfred F. Jones]

So I'm stepping away for a bit. I'm working myself too hard, to the point where writing feels more like an obligation than it should be. It should be fun, but when I'm sitting there wincing at how I can't get the next scene of DRK to work it's anything but.

I'm sorry if this disappoints people who want to see what I do next. I'll come back when I feel properly replenished. When that'll be, I have no clue in hell. =_=

Ahhh, you bastard, that means I actually have to update soon. You jerk. Oh well.

Come back soon so I can laze around more :<

[GuyYouMetOnline]

While your offer of aid is nice, in this case I'm sure it's overwork pushing Rou down.

Possibly, but getting help from someone tends to alleviate that, I've found. You can take a break while someone else kicks it around for a bit. Again, it works for me.

Anyways, it's your choice, Rou. Just thought I'd make the offer. I hope you feel up to writing more soon, because your stuff, especially DRK, is excellent.

[Esifex]

Coming Soon: DRK Continues, as told by Esi!

Sango gets a head-mounted laser cannon
Koishi fights with a broadsword
Mokou uses a ball-and-chain flail
Tewi gets a mecha
AND THE RETURN OF YUKARI AS GOD

[Sect]

Coming Soon: DRK Continues, as told by Esi!

Sango gets a head-mounted laser cannon
Sango gets molested by Koishi
Koishi fights with a broadsword
Sango gets molested by Nitori
Mokou uses a ball-and-chain flail
Sango gets molested by Koishi and Nitori
Tewi gets a mecha
Sango gets molested by the entire Scarlet family and staff
AND THE RETURN OF YUKARI AS GOD
Because her rebirth was charged by dolphin molestations

Fixed that for you.  :V

[Ayuka]

That led to a low work output over a long time, which lead to me saying to myself 'goddammit look how little I've done over all this time I need to get writing' and pressing myself when I had nothing left to give, which led to a low work output...

I actually wanted to ask something semi-related to this.

I enjoy writing, I really do. I wouldn't do it in my free time if I didn't. But whenever I do write I usually end up quitting after fifteen or twenty minutes. I stress over things not sounding the way I want them to or whether or not I should re-write something I've just written (and usually do it several times. I did it at least three just with that last sentence in this post). As a result my work output is incredibly low and I end up not writing very much. This is bad because I desperately need the practice but my word count just tends to sit around the same amount no matter how much time I spend on it.

I know that making sure my writing has a good quality is important, but would it be beneficial to maybe just write something I'm not so involved with or just try and continuously write without going back and changing anything? Any advice at all?

[Iced Fairy]

My suggestion would to be to write something without going back, then editing it after you're done.  Perhaps give yourself a time limit on edits too.  Editing one line over and over not only burns time, it's not a good editing strategy because the words will need to fit into the paragraph as a whole.

[Suikama]

Hello inhabitants of the Writing Parlour! :V

If any of you've ever check AAA, you might have seen this thread. In short, I'm making visual novels out of people's touhou stories.

My current planned lineup is as follows:
Down on the Corner
Douchebag in Gensokyo
Touhou Love stories: The Bad Ends

Now although the last one is quite long in and of itself, because of the positive response from artists, we might need more stories to work on, and it doesn't hurt to overprepare.

So I'm looking for some suggestions on other stories from PSL/KGB for me to work with. Pile 'em on me BV

[FinnKaenbyou]

I actually wanted to ask something semi-related to this.

I enjoy writing, I really do. I wouldn't do it in my free time if I didn't. But whenever I do write I usually end up quitting after fifteen or twenty minutes. I stress over things not sounding the way I want them to or whether or not I should re-write something I've just written (and usually do it several times. I did it at least three just with that last sentence in this post). As a result my work output is incredibly low and I end up not writing very much. This is bad because I desperately need the practice but my word count just tends to sit around the same amount no matter how much time I spend on it.

I know that making sure my writing has a good quality is important, but would it be beneficial to maybe just write something I'm not so involved with or just try and continuously write without going back and changing anything? Any advice at all?

Well, the obvious thing that comes to mind is that you're trying to get a perfect first draft. Writing doesn't really work like that. Get SOMETHING written first and foremost, with the intent of some quality but not nitpicking. When the first draft's done, then you can start picking at details.

[andrewv42]

My writing strategy is typically to begin with a draft upon paper. I find a blank sheet to be more commodious than a blank screen; it's easier to provoke myself into a flow when I've a pen in hand. It's only when I transcribe that initial manuscript to the computer that I commit myself to refining and editing - the efficiency of a keyboard is more suitably adapted to the dirty work. Overall, my writing is perhaps a little less efficient, but I find it to be more comfortable.

[Esifex]

So I'm looking for some suggestions on other stories from PSL/KGB for me to work with. Pile 'em on me BV

From the KGB -
The Sound of the City
Forsake the Future, Pursue the Past (herp derp self-advertisement, no ego whatsoever)

From PSL -
Dolphin Rider Koishi - even though it's not finished yet, the sheer amount of material will keep you busy for a while.
Any of the winning Weekly Writing Challenges - these would be short, sweet, and to the point.
And of course, TALES FROM THE LIBRARY :derp:

[Suikama]

From the KGB -
The Sound of the City

Ooh more stuff from Ammy

Forsake the Future, Pursue the Past (herp derp self-advertisement, no ego whatsoever)

And you :V

From PSL -
Dolphin Rider Koishi - even though it's not finished yet, the sheer amount of material will keep you busy for a while.
And of course, TALES FROM THE LIBRARY :derp:

It would probably be best for me to work on stuff that's done since I like planning out things throughly before I get working

Any of the winning Weekly Writing Challenges - these would be short, sweet, and to the point.

Any ones in particular? Or is it time for me to read through 22 pages of fun :V

[Dead Princess Sakana]

Any ones in particular? Or is it time for me to read through 22 pages of fun :V

Take the ff.net-style slashfics, totally  :derp:

[Iced Fairy]

Take the ff.net-style slashfics, totally  :derp:

No no no.  You should do the SPAM fics.   :V

Honestly though, it'd be cool to sorta organize the WWC sets.

[Suikama]

Take the ff.net-style slashfics, totally  :derp:

No no no.  You should do the SPAM fics.   :V

Honestly though, it'd be cool to sorta organize the WWC sets.

oH bOyO i do loves some QUALITY writans :getdown:

[FinnKaenbyou]

Right, so. Continuity. The dreaded enemy of the long story. I had ideas when I started with DRK, though not concrete, and now I'm concerned that a point I'd mentioned a while back doesn't fit with what I'm saying now.

In short, what's the best way to deal with an error in your continuity? Fix the issue by editing previously posted text - thus ensuring you confuse people who've already read the 'flawed' text and have no idea where the change came from - or keep it as it is, hope no-one notices, and prepare to be called an idiot the instant someone finds it? :|

[MaxKnight]

While I've not read DRK, I will say that there are ways of fixing continuity issues without breaking the story or otherwise feeling foolish; it all depends on what, specifically, you are contradicting.  Since you seem to be leaning away from a rewrite (which I wouldn't suggest, anyways, since it's already a long story), the best thing to do is work something into the upcoming chapters that will allow you to nullify whatever is causing the problem; if it was something someone said, you can make them simply be mistaken or misunderstanding, if it's something closer to a law of physics, well... there's plenty of ways you can correct that (there's enough dimensional shenanigens available to explain anything that seems off, if you're willing to go that far).  If all else fails, time travel; just avoid the paradox on the way back and you should be golden.

The more I reread it, the more amateurish these suggestions feel, but they are the best I could come up with; someone else who has actually read it might be able to give you more specific advice on what to do.

[FinnKaenbyou]

It's a matter of 'narrator says A happened, while completely trustworthy character says B happened'. So either I've got to force people to question the character (which they have no reason to, they're totally right) or worse they have to question the narrator.

I know I can literally fix this all up by adding one line in the latest update, but the feeling of changing what I've already written is rough.

[capt. h]

It's a matter of 'narrator says A happened, while completely trustworthy character says B happened'. So either I've got to force people to question the character (which they have no reason to, they're totally right) or worse they have to question the narrator.

I know I can literally fix this all up by adding one line in the latest update, but the feeling of changing what I've already written is rough.

Ironically, this is the reason I place all my stories here before placing them on fanfiction.net. I'm never going to get the continuity/grammar right the first time, and I probably need the feedback anyway.

Well that, and I want to make sure I can finish a story before I post another one on that site.

[Esifex]

Issues like this are solved with what's called a Ret-con. Retroactive .... contradiction? I dunno. But it involves just simply and straight up saying 'We said that? Nope, it was wrong, it's actually like this, end of story!'

Seems like a bit of a dick thing to do, and going overboard with it either becomes incredibly zany or totally kills a story. One or two for honest mistakes that keep the story going in a cohesive manner don't typically have negative effects, unless it's something like suddenly revealing one of the characters is in fact the opposite gender and they just recently had sex with another character - then you have another glaring issue to resolve, involving both characters' sexuality and yadda yadda yadda snowballing problems it all just goes downhill from there.

Just ret-con it, make a note of it before the next update explaining what was changed, and the readers will be like 'oh okay then' and most likely keep going into the story.

[Sect]

Honestly, in this kind of setting, I would go ahead and go back and alter things early on, so it matches up to what you want. It's electronic, not paper published, so it's pretty damned easy, and no one here will be upset if you say "Hey, I screwed up earlier, made some changes, here's where it is". If it helps you learn and make a better product, then do it.

As an example, I know a guy who's rewritten the same story about... seven times? At this point it doesn't even resemble the original story... Though, that's kind of an extreme example.

[MaxKnight]

Hell, my two stories are a matched pair, but when I started writing the second one, it was for the first version of the first one, and since I started rewriting the first one in order to better elaborate on what I'd originally written, I realized that I needed to rewrite the first couple of chapters of the second one in order to make it fit properly.

That was a month ago, however, and I got about 4/7 of the way done with the first chapter before stopping and have made no progress since then.  I think the fact that there were no spell cards in Mystic Square makes writing danmaku combat more difficult, and therefor I'm stuck just before the Yumeko fight (note that MS extra is basically already written, since I described that fight in my rewrite of the first story).  I'd actually work on it if it weren't for my brain writing a completely different chapter for the first story that won't come about for some time from now in the last week or so... >_>

[Alfred F. Jones]

White Rose, being a first draft and unedited, has these sort of errors all over the damn place. And it has some errors that will pop up later, obviously (kinda what happens when you write a story over the course of years _{and yes I'm still writing it augh}). I just go back and edit it as I go if it's too bad (ie: people being alive when they're not supposed to be), but for the rest, meh, I'll save it for later >___>

[FinnKaenbyou]

Retroactive Continuity, Esi.

Anyway, I've found a way to convince the two statements to support each other by making another statement later on, which patches up the gap pretty nicely. I think I gave it too much thought earlier, frankly, considering it was still a relatively small point, but I think it's still a good thing to discuss.

To an extent, I might be holding myself to the wrong standard again. That sort of continuity error in, say, a published novel is unacceptable, because you read it all at once and the problem is obvious, not to mention this is after several drafts. DRK, on the other hand, is not quite at that level of quality control, and besides that the two offending sentences are months apart in terms of when they were written. Which brings up another question - if the writers here were to write a full blown novel, how would their system of writing change? How would they go about second, third drafts? Planning?

Sect: I have already done that once in PLotSS, though that was for a glaring error in physics and geometry. And yes, I freaked out like nuts over that as well. >_>

[Iced Fairy]

First rule to avoiding continuity errors : Don't publish until it's done.

Of course if you then decide to keep in continuity you have problems...  (I want to use Letty in New World, but she's dead.  Why did I do that?)

Still if I were working on a personal Novel I'd probably have more outlines.  Not necessarily drafts but story flowcharts.  The editor will make you write more drafts.  (So many more drafts).

[Alfred F. Jones]

Which brings up another question - if the writers here were to write a full blown novel, how would their system of writing change?

I imagine I'd be doing much the same thing I am doing now-- writing the first draft, and waiting 'till it's all done to begin the grueling proofreading process.