writethisfanfic | Weekly snippet-posting/beta-seeking/general chatting post!

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Weekly snippet-posting/beta-seeking/general chatting post!

One thing we've been pondering regarding the WIP challenge is a way to promote more sharing/interactivity/etc. for those people who want it. We started off the challenge last year w/buddy groups of 3 or 4 people, which worked well in some cases, but were difficult in others (particularly if you were in a group w/people whose offline lives happened to get in the way of fic writing that month, which left you a bit adrift).

So how to get other opportunities to do things like post snippets for feedback or ask for betas? Some of this has been happening in the check-in posts (which have been really hopping lately, which is awesome!). But it was suggested we try having a weekly post specifically for this kind of thing, too.

Let's give it a whirl & see how it goes today, then! Feel free to comment w/snippets or looking for assistance--whether that's a beta, or someone to do daily e-mail check-ins/nags with, or someone to bounce ideas off of, or...? Or if you're particularly interested in offering assistance, natch!

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I am so far away from needing a beta at this point. ;_; & feeling too meh to even think about posting snippets, ahahaha.

What would be awesome, though, is if there's anyone reading this who might be willing to bounce ideas around w/me about Otome Youkai Zakuro. I am relatively close to finishing my

poetry_fiction story, which uses this source, but I'm flailing at how to end it. It's not the fic I'm working on most right now, but it's been nagging at me since January.

I like being a beta when time/energy allows for it, though I don't know most big fandoms. Generally happy to do spelling/grammar betas though.

I wish I knew Otome Youkai Zakuro to help you, ;_;!!

In the mean time, congratulations on being almost done with one story!! And I'm sure the rest will come along soon!! *\o/* You're a hard worker! So of course you'll be ready for that beta soon! :)

Good luck!! /o/

Aw, thank you! I just need a kick in the ass--I better improve at administering them myself!

Hope this isn't too for a "snippet? If so, let me know! This is from the chapter I've been working on this month, from the first scene but from probably one of my favorite scenes from the fic so far! :) *nervous* SPN RPS AU, though this snippet is void of slash.

“After all, romance has always been reason-boy’s weakness. The chink in his armor. Though he would say that it’s a beautiful dichotomy. How blind you are, dearie. And how woefully boring.” Atropos finishes, full lips stretching wide on her near skeletal face, revealing straight white teeth that gleam like shears. Atropos is almost unsightly thin with pretty features like her lips and eyes and breasts attached to a bony body. It makes her look twisted and final.

“Since you find me so boring I’ll try not to waste much of your time.” Jensen snarks back, smile openly strained.

Atropos sits up in a flash, finger still winding her hair as she leers, eyes obviously traveling the length of his body. “I didn’t say that you weren’t absolutely delicious. Stay for playtime, darling.” She leans back, hand dropping to rub suggestively over her thigh. “I go by Katherine now. You might want to know before we get started.”

Jensen doesn’t hide the open disgust on his face because, seriously, out of the three Atropos—Katherine—gives Jensen the willies.

“Stop it, Kathy.” The third, Clotho, says. Tall and tan with red hair, liquid amber eyes, and a healthy robust color to her cheeks. Clotho is wearing a white sundress that despite it’s airy material does nothing to hide the ample swell of her breasts and the slick curve of her hips. She’s always appealed the most to Jensen. All three are devastatingly beautiful like most of pure divine nature. Lauren with her ethereal eyes, Katherine with her pale, fatally enthralling body. But Clotho who spins the thread of life is the most vibrant, the most supple and stunning. She’s the one standing directly in front of him, greeting him with a smile, while Lauren looks like she'd rather ignore him and Katherine looks like she's about to eat him.

“Danneel,” she supplies, her long, dark red hair is gathered over her shoulder, revealing white earrings. “And it is good to see you, Jensen.” She steps closer, sweet skin and pretty smile and smelling like dew and a spring sunrise. She reaches up, fingers running through Jensen’s hair and tugging playfully on his ear, her tongue curling over her front teeth as she laughs.

Danneel! I like!

I'm so curious about your bigbang, you have no idea.

Hee, intriguing! (from the POV of someone totally unfamiliar w/anything Supernatural. ;) (It's not too long for snippeting, btw!!)

I did an online course on fiction writing recently and one of the things we were supposed to do in the course was a concrit group. It did not work well, basically because people were (1.) too different in their writing interests, (2.) too shy (to show their work or to crit others) or (3.) too busy with the assignments/ their lives. Also, (4.) Blackboard Learn software is terrible for user interaction (no alerts, cumbersome interface, unfriendly text editor...).

But I think the same idea could work much better with a small group of fanfic writers (say 3 or 4) who wanted to improve and exchanged short texts (say 500w max) for in-depth discussion over a short time span. Concrit groups could be organised on LJ/DW within a closed community or a community-locked thread. Perhaps I'm reinventing the wheel and this is what your 'buddy groups' did though.

Question: Is it necessary to know the fandom to give concrit?
I'm a bit out of touch and don't know most fandoms or their canons. Would my input have any use? I could still look at the language/writing.

As for a snippet, well my goals for this month are fics for anonymously posted challenges, so thats a bit difficult, but I'll see what I can find from another project.

I'm new here so I'm not sure about the "buddy groups" that were mentioned, but your idea sounds wonderful! :) (Sorry, lol, not sure what else to add to that, just that I would try it out!)

And an online course on fiction writing!! /o/ So cool! I'm considering doing my master's in creative writing. IDK. I change my mind everyday. XD But, was the online course helpful? Part of some bigger program? Sorry for being nosey. :P

As for your question, I fully plan on trying to read and at least give encouragement if not concrit on the snippets posted, even though I'm familiar with very few fandoms and only up to date on one. If there's a lot of fandom lingo in it of course I might be a little lost, but I figure I could at least give a reaction to it and/or encouragement? I know if someone did the same for me, offering me legit input or just a "this is awesome, keep up the good work" I'd be grateful?

Anonymously posted challenges! :D Can you at least tell us what fandom or something? :)

So cool! I'm considering doing my master's in creative writing. IDK. I change my mind everyday. XD But, was the online course helpful?

Yes, but for the wrong reasons. I was the only fanfic author there and it made me ask some serious questions about what on earth I was doing!

I consider the course did not work as it should have, mainly for software reasons, but also because the class was too small and too diverse in interests (and possibly ability). The teacher/school did nothing to compensate for the inherant coldness of Blackboard by encouraging ppl to exchange. I got some feedback from a few other students, which was nice, and I felt I gained from critiquing their original work. The teacher was pleasant and gave good basic grammatic and stylistic advice, although some contradicted many of the novels I have at home, not to mention what I myself wanted to express. At the the end of the course the server cut us all off dead and destroyed the archive with no warning, which was kind of the cherry on the cake; it also cut off the feedback reply form, though I think an email is in order when Im a bit less busy.

The good points were that the course made we work (weekly deadlines)and also made me question my approach and those of others.

Part of some bigger program?

No, A one off. Although I did a similar 'one off' a few years ago, before I started writing fanfic, and it worked a lot better.

Sorry for being nosey. :P

No problem.

Masters course in creative writing?: Great, go for it!

Question: Is it necessary to know the fandom to give concrit?

I think from the sound of it a lot of people are in the same boat - they don't know many fandoms, or don't follow some of the biggest fandoms, and possibly all feel this way? Personally, I prompt on

fic_promptly sometimes, often without putting a specific fandom, so when I read a reply and I don't know the fandom I just tend to tell the author what I got from the fic - how the characters come across to me, whether the setting and description immersed me into the universe and gave me an idea of what it is about, as well as choice of words and turns of phrase I really liked.

I think sometimes not knowing the fandom can be a bonus for that kind of thing - an author can see just what their fic says to someone outside the fandom (who doesn't have pre-conceived notions) and whether it says what they want it to :)

Interesting. Also a way of discovering new fandoms I guess.

The fandom-savvy and fandom-ignorant beta are both able to offer something complimentary.

Another thing that a fandom-savvy may have (for good or bad) is an opinion about how such and such a character should be characterised, 'shipped', etc.

I had a couple of cases where a beta told me that 'character X wouldn't do that'. Unfortuantely, when the character doing whatever was the point of the story, I had to over rule her, but this did give me fair warning of what reader reaction to the story might be - which is something you can only the fandom-savvy beta can offer.

I just tend to tell the author what I got from the fic - how the characters come across to me, whether the setting and description immersed me into the universe and gave me an idea of what it is about, as well as choice of words and turns of phrase I really liked.

I like this. I'd like to try it on some of the excerpts people have put up.

Ugh, yeah, Blackboard is terrible. >_<

The buddy groups were basically 3 or 4 people grouped together who could do what they chose--exchange snippets, do daily e-mail check-ins w/each other, mini-writing sessions, weekly check-ins by e-mail etc. I don't know if any of them did concrit though.

The idea is interesting, but it sounds like there'd be a bit of admin work to get it set up & keep it running. I know I don't have the energy/time/mental capacity right now to do it, but if you or anyone else is interested I could certainly help w/figuring out the logistics (as long as someone else ran it -_-;;). Maybe not even necessarily as part of the WIP challenge, but for anyone in the comm who wanted concrit?

I think there's definitely room for both canon-conversant & canon-ignorant betas--especially b/c you might end up w/someone who knows canon inside-out but makes the same grammatical mistakes you do, heh.

(& snippet-posting definitely not necessary if you don't want to or can't! You'll notice I didn't post one...)

I wasn't thinking of something very complicated, and certainly not long term - just putting to good use the possibilities offered by LJ/DW to allow, say, four people to exchange four passages of 500w once in a completely closed environment.

The word count would probably limit this to comments on writing style rather than content, so it would hardly be fic betaing, but it would be exchange.

Ive never made a community on LJ or DW, but I had a look at that this week and it doesn't seem to be limited to paid members (at least on DW). There also doesn't seem to be any limit to how many you can make either.

The closed environment thing I suggested partly because usual public comments don't seem to be the place for beta-like commentaries, corrections or suggestions (you don't see it being done). From a personal point of view, sharing in a closed community would offer the possibility of discussing fic in private that is later to be posted for anonymous challenges like remix_redux.

Use of a community in this way would assume responsibility on the part of the participants though (no insults etc.). But would it take much moding (Ive never done that either)?
I don't think it would be worth it if it became too much of a time drain.

I can definitely see the advantages of something like this, although it sounds like it might take a bit of tweaking to set up--in terms of soliciting people to sign up & then assigning them into the groups, making the comms, etc. & then just keeping a general eye on them to make sure nothing goes pear-shaped.

I definitely don't have the spoons/time to do such a thing, unfortunately, but if you end up trying it out please do feel free to post on the comm asking for participants, etc.!

If you know the fandom you will surely reognie it right away. If not I hope its not important. I already showed it to some non-fanfic writers and the concensus was that it was a prelude to a 'love scene'^^ This wasn't my intention. What do you think?

Islands (excerpt)

The road is narrow, like a thread leading them up though the mist. Touya watches the road. Shindou, still impressed with the car, plays with all the accessories he can reach. He opens and closes the glove box, switches on the stereo and keeps brushing the leather of the seats with the tips of his fingers. Touya concentrates on the curves of the road and on not thinking about those fingers. Then Shindou starts moving the passenger seat and Touya can’t ignore that.

“Leave it.”

“She’s got amazing legs.”

“What?”

“Ogata’s girlfriend, she’s got really long legs, look how far the seats pushed back.”
Shindou would notice that about a woman. Shindou has known women, as Touya never will and as Touya will never know Shindou.

The mist cuts them off from the rest of world. Visibility is so low it's as though they’re in a cocoon: a comforting and dangerous illusion.

“This road does go somewhere, doesn’t it Touya?” Shindou ventures.
And then they break though the cloud and it's like surfacing from murky water into a brilliant summer’s day.

“It’s like being on a plane.” he can almost hear Shindou’s smile and smiles himself knowing the best is yet to come. Touya risks a glance at Shindou’s profile, sharpened in the sunlight. He looks as though he could never be unhappy and it’s an instant that Touya wishes he could seal and keep forever.

Then, they round a corner and before them is a vast panorama.

A sea of cloud hides the bottoms of the mountains so that just the peaks are exposed, separated by smoky waves. Their forms are struck by the sun making them look like strong and solitary islands.

So beautiful and yet so lonely and alienated feeling.

I don't know the fandom, but it doesn't seem like the beginning of a love scene to me. Perhaps because I got such a lonely but mystical feeling from it, like I would never be able to touch another person again.

*shrug* It's the feeling I got from it, anyway. So, you're doing such a great job this month! This sounds so lovely! Keep up the good work!! *\o/*

I really like this! (& hooray, for once I know the fandom) It demonstrates the difference between the two of them, the distance between them. (& yeah, it so makes sense that Hikaru would be the one who knows things about women, & Akira, well... not so much) I like the visual description of the journey as well.

I don't think it's a direct prelude to a love scene, but Akira's longing comes through.

I got linked hear from Fic_Rush over on LJ. I hope its alright for me to use this post. I'm currently looking for a beta and perhaps an first-reader for a Nabari-No-Ou/Doctor Who Xover fic. And was wondering if someone here would be willing to help?

Here is a small snippet to give you some idea of the time of grammar/punctuation errors you'd have to put up with:

Kouichi-kun found me on the school roof, leaning against the wall beside the stairwell's access door. He slid down to sit beside me. The soft autumn wind made his spiky white hair flutter around his face. "You are evil incarnate."

I refused to feel guilty. "He deserves it. He shouldn't try to make me forget about Yoite."

"If you're not nicer, I'll tell Hana-chan." Despite his threat, he held a squeeze-box of milk out to me. Shaking it so that I could hear the lovely sound of milk sloshing.

I grabbed it out of his hands and propped it between my knees with a pleased hum. "Thanks Kouichi-kun."

"You're welcome." He leaned against the wall, watching the sky as I drank my milk, having to bat his hair away from his glasses every time a particularly strong gust roared over the roof's edge.

As I began slurping up the last dredges of my milk, he spoke again. "I know you're not as apathetic as you're pretending to be. I'm older than Kumohira-sensei, and I can wait until you're ready to talk."

I nodded, grateful for his understanding. It was sometimes easy to forget about the fact that he was an immortal. He was good at acting like a typical teenage boy, but at times like this his age was obvious.

"Just try not to be too hard on Sensei, okay? He really does care about you."

"I know."

"As long as you know, I'll do my best to keep him off your back."

"Thank you."

"Sure, just make sure you don't stay up here for too long. You don't want to miss class." He gave me a happy smile, that crinkled his reddish brown eyes up at the corners, before heading back into the school.

I stayed on the roof, staring at the clouds, until the next bell rang. Kumohira-sensei wouldn’t report me as absent no matter how angry he was.

Thanks for stopping by! How long is it? I might be able to help--though I don't know the first fandom & have only the vaguest knowledge of Doctor Who.

(But oh man, one of my favorite cliches in anime is hanging out on the school roof. Right up there w/school festival storylines or hot springs episodes, hehehe.)

Thank you so much for you're consideration!

I'm writing the last scene now but it's currently 16,300 words long. I think they only hang out on the school roof once during the story. But the main fandom is a highschool/ninja anime so there might be other cliche's you like. But fair warning there are some spoilers for the end of the series. Though is it really a spoiler if they announce that the character is going to die in the first couple episodes?

I'm not really sure how much of Doctor Who you'd need to know. I tried to give enough of the series background that people who didn't know much about Doctor Who could follow along, but descriptions not really my specialty.

If you're based out of America you can watch the first four episodes of the Nabari-no-Ou here: http://www.hulu.com/nabari-no-ou

Tony was never one for horror, not to mention Lovecraft. He once tried to give it a chance, and soon gave up because of the longuish prose. But now he suspected that the strange occurence maybe have a link to it, or at least the culprit was literate enough to use the name of a minor entity in the mythos. Therefore he looked for an introduction of Cthulhu Mythos.

Just as he thought, the stories were... weird. The characters were prone to faint at the first occurence of something strange and everyone went mad or died. Not particularly uplifting. He didn't find anything useful, except that now he knew he shouldn't look into antique books. Very helpful.

The wacky timing of Extremis still refused to be fixed. Now it was exactly five minutes faster than normal. It worried him. It might be nothing, or it might be something much greater. What if...
It's a snippet of a short fic I'm working on. (With my beta's advice, I officially allow myself to step away from my bang fic for now and of course my muse insists me to step into a genre I've never written)

You don't want to comtemplate that Extremis may be compromised, again. The last time you nearly costed the city, and you nearly costed Steve. For all the thing you were nearly helpless to it. And you'll be again.

Tony was waken out of a stupor. Where did the voice come from?

You will hear me again.

Eeeee, Cthulhu is always creepy!

It's good to take a break from the main fic you're working on now & again--that seems to help me, anyway (not that I'm able to make myself do it all the time though...)

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Weekly snippet-posting/beta-seeking/general chatting post!

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Snippet! :)

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Does this look like pre-slash to you?

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