Check In - Friday - Day 7

[enemytosleep]

Hello, writers! What have you been able to accomplish today toward your February goal?

— I wrote today!
— I planned and/or researched something.
— I sat down and did some editing.
— I sent things to my beta.
— I posted!
— I focused on something else today.

Writing question time: What advice would you give your past self in regards to writing?

Comments

[athaia]

Well, I posted another installment in The Great Self-Indulgence, LOL, but it's really fun to go back and look at my process back then. My plans for the weekend include to actually have a look on my current WIP, so hopefully I'll have built up enough emotional momentum for that by then.

If I could go back, I'd advise myself about the differences between fanfiction and original fiction as different mindsets in the readers - I wouldn't have fallen into the trap of believing that you can convert people to an old and forgotten fandom by the sheer power of your writing. Maybe I wouldn't have burned out on writing so badly then.

[enemytosleep]

I count this all as planning and plotting! Hopefully something sparks for you when you take a look back.

It's funny too because I was active from 2008-2013 in various fandoms and then fell out into 2019. I have notice a distinct change in fanfic readers in my time away. I don't think this is the post to try and dissect it all, but the TL;DR of my return has been that it seems larger and more disposable than ever.

[athaia]

Well, I did fiddle with my outline for The Dark God yesterday, so... it's working? Hopefully? I only believe it when I start drafting again LOL

[samuraiter]

I have dialed up the planning to 11. I have changed my approach to my writing (back to what it used to be in the '00s), and I have basically retired from active involvement in fandom, but fanfic is still on my plate in terms of what I plan to write. The difference will be that I will be back to writing entirely what I choose, rather than going from bingo cards, challenges, exchanges, kink memes, etc. Still figuring out how I want that to work.

So the question for today is oddly appropriate in that I would tell my '00s self that we are going to learn a lot from the '10s, but we will need to go back to basics in the '20s.

[enemytosleep]

SAMURAITER: My planner goes up to 11.

You may have different reasons, but I have found challenges and bingos, etc. less fun and more of a compulsion over time. The "need" to complete them and the race against deadlines became less fun than it used to be. One of my 2020 goals was to participate in far fewer events and to work on some of my WIPs instead. I hope you find the road you'd like to take this year!

[samuraiter]

Upon reflection, "less fun and more of a compulsion" is a good summary of the issue, so your 2020 goal sounds like one I can adopt, too. :-)

[linaewen]

I haven't been working on any particular project, but I did get some planning in for a couple of ideas I had.

I think I would tell myself to go ahead and make more time for writing, not just do it when everything else is done.

[enemytosleep]

Cultivating fic ideas can be so fun (for me at least). I hope you find some new ones to work on.

I really like that piece of advice. It's so true, too, for anything in life. If you want to do something, you need to make the time for it. Make your passion a priority.

[enemytosleep]

Well this week was a rough ride for me IRL, and while I was able to work on a bunch of things this week (even knocking some clear of my To Do list), today was a rest day. I'd like to work on that sketch again this weekend, so we'll see if I'm able to find the drive for it now that work is done.