On being Prolific
Jul. 3rd, 2003 10:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
serafina20I was about 16 when I started writing seriously. I really took off when I was 17, but I'm pretty sure I started my 'second' novel when I was 16. (My first novel was begun during Winter Break of my sophmore year; like my second, it was about pirates, but the first herione, Katlyin ... Katilin ... God, I can never spell the name, and if I ever *do* adopt a daughter without a name, I'm probably going to name her that. Anyway, she was very Mary Sue and Ryan Foster was Wesley from the Princess Bride, and the whole thing was ... well, written by a sixteen year old). The second novel was titled, at different times, "The Salvation of Captain Adrienne Stone," "The Memoirs of Captain Adrienne Stone" and, finally, "Adrienne Stone." The last was not a title, just my way of throwing my hands in the air as I struggled to figure out the damn theme of the novel as a whole. It started as a reverse gender romance: Adrienne was the strong, reserved, sexually independent captain of her own ship (alternatively named, "The Devil's Own" and "Maverick Warrior"). Travis was the young (sometimes very young), ingenue-ish man she rescued from death at the hands of an overzealous merchant captain. He fell in love with her, she thought he was too young among other things (besides her being fucked up about a lot of stuff).
I struggled with the novel for about 3 years. And, at the end of it, I was the proud author of 115 or 125 pages.
...
Rewrites would have made it longer, but by then, I was confused about what I wanted to do. While I was rewriting, I fell in love with my Gary Oldman-character. Sometimes, when I fall for an actor, I create a character-type and struggle to fit him into a story. He made it into this one as Dr. Garrison Smith, and I *really* liked him there. Unfortunatly, by this time, I was more interested in doing a novel about an unconventional family (Adrienne came wtih a sister, Anabelle, who'd inherited their mother's brothel, and a daughter, who'd been concieved when Adrienne was raped by a crew member). Twisted up and confused as to which theme I wanted to follow (romance or family/women), I dropped it, planning on getting back to it someday.
But that isn't the point. I'm just in a rambling mood today. The point is, it took me *3 years* to write about 115 pages. I wrote Pirate (the Smallville version) in two weeks, plus about 2 more for revisions and beta. So, in about a month, I wrote a 96 page, New Times Roman, 12-point, one inch margins, fic. COTW 39 is currently 92 pages, and it will get longer because I have to add in the Chloe/Lana stuff, which is about 30 pages worth.
What the hell happened? When did I start churning out this stuff in such volume and *why*? I'm not saying I'm sorry, because I'm not; I like being able to tell a story quickly. And I"m also not saying that more is better, because it's not. In face, sometimes, I think it might be worse. We'll see what my beta's think about COTW.
What I need to do is back off on fanfic and work on my novel for a while. Kali deserves some attention. At the same time ... I wanna write fic! I want to try my had at another challenge sometime, because this one was a lot of fun.
Okay. Thus ends my pointless post. Carry on your day.
I struggled with the novel for about 3 years. And, at the end of it, I was the proud author of 115 or 125 pages.
...
Rewrites would have made it longer, but by then, I was confused about what I wanted to do. While I was rewriting, I fell in love with my Gary Oldman-character. Sometimes, when I fall for an actor, I create a character-type and struggle to fit him into a story. He made it into this one as Dr. Garrison Smith, and I *really* liked him there. Unfortunatly, by this time, I was more interested in doing a novel about an unconventional family (Adrienne came wtih a sister, Anabelle, who'd inherited their mother's brothel, and a daughter, who'd been concieved when Adrienne was raped by a crew member). Twisted up and confused as to which theme I wanted to follow (romance or family/women), I dropped it, planning on getting back to it someday.
But that isn't the point. I'm just in a rambling mood today. The point is, it took me *3 years* to write about 115 pages. I wrote Pirate (the Smallville version) in two weeks, plus about 2 more for revisions and beta. So, in about a month, I wrote a 96 page, New Times Roman, 12-point, one inch margins, fic. COTW 39 is currently 92 pages, and it will get longer because I have to add in the Chloe/Lana stuff, which is about 30 pages worth.
What the hell happened? When did I start churning out this stuff in such volume and *why*? I'm not saying I'm sorry, because I'm not; I like being able to tell a story quickly. And I"m also not saying that more is better, because it's not. In face, sometimes, I think it might be worse. We'll see what my beta's think about COTW.
What I need to do is back off on fanfic and work on my novel for a while. Kali deserves some attention. At the same time ... I wanna write fic! I want to try my had at another challenge sometime, because this one was a lot of fun.
Okay. Thus ends my pointless post. Carry on your day.
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no subject
Date: 2003-07-03 11:01 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-07-03 11:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-07-03 12:25 pm (UTC)It's the difference...
Date: 2003-07-03 01:28 pm (UTC)There is a huge difference between writing fanfic and writing original stories. Fanfic is related closer to script-writing than prose. There is less description and scene setting, little need for character building, and more dialogue. In original fiction, about a third of a book is setting and character history to make the world three-dimensional. In fanfic, we know what the world looks like that the characters play in because we see it on screen/pre-built in novels, we know how the characters look and act, and our big job is really to fill in motivations.
Personally, I'd rather write fanfic. Unless you're chasing the almighty dollar, fanfic is more rewarding, more fun, and more naked character inducing.
Re: It's the difference...
Date: 2003-07-05 11:12 am (UTC)I have mixed feeling about this (not the naked charcater inducing part; the first ;). When I'm writing orignial fiction, I dont' find it any less rewarding than fanfic. I enjoy it the same, sometimes a little more because I'm getting this universe that's been building inside me for months out. It clears my head and allows me to think.
However, at the same time, the instant gratification of feedback isn't there. At least, not without a writing group. I had joined one for awhile, but they were too negative and flat out bad writers. Plus, it was full of creepy old men who were looking at me like I was some rare treasure. Sitting there, being scrutinized by these men old enough to be my father (and sometimes, grandfather) made me feel like Kristen Kruek must feel around Miller and Gough. Just flat out icky.
So, yeah; there are benefits to writing both (emotionally, I mean). And I like doing both. Fanfic is *easier* for me, but not necessarily more rewarding.
Re: It's the difference...
Date: 2003-07-05 06:44 pm (UTC)As long as you're not doing it for the money, that's great! But of all the original fiction authors I've ever spoken with, dollar signs are all they think about when they write once that first story is published. I guess I'm just very anti-capitalist in my views :)