to write or not to write - lately that's the ONLY question

[seren_ccd]

Apparently het_bigbang is a go in about a month. I’m very conflicted about this because a) it’s an awesome challenge and everyone is always super nice and fun and it’s just a great experience (thanks, irony_rocks!) that I love being a part of; BUT

b) I’m sort of thinking if I’m going to devote at least three months of hard-core writing, it should probably be on my novel/story/thing.

But basically my question is this – is ANY writing better than NO writing? I have extremely limited time and I might be able to devote time to only one story at a time. Maybe if the option to do a mini-bang of 10,000 words is available?

‘Cause, I kinda sorta had an idea for a Darcy/Steve epic adventure where they fight sharks created by mad scientists. fringedweller pointed out the research opportunities in regards to making sure I describe Chris Evans naked torso accurately, which I have to say would be a hardship that I’m willing to endure.

:P

Comments

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

I'd say write SOMETHING for sure. Last year, I had signed up for it and everything (huge plan to do a Mulan write-in for Once Upon a Time which would have been AMAZINGLY jossed by this season, but WORTH IT), and then had to drop out immediately because my book sold and I had to add 18K in a week, and after that my brain was friiiiiiiiiiied.

So go with the flow, basically.

GOD, I have had 5K of a Darcy/Steve fic since SEPTEMBER. That's just DUMB of me.

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

Oh, that sounds incredible! I would have loved more about Mulan. I can't believe they've just ignored her. Ugh, show.

I may just go for it. I have enough of bits and pieces that I could probably do a shorter one...

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

I had her being blind, or something? And Mushu was her seeing eye dog? And her parents were arranging her marriage to Shang, which was pissing them both off, even though they genuinely liked one another?

And in the Fairy Tale Land, I was stealing their plot from Mulan II, which might be the worst movie ever made off the GREATEST SUB-PLOT OF ALL TIME.

Or something. I don't remember all the detail because they got EATEN BY A DRAGON while I was revising my book.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

This is off-topic and feel free to point me to relevant lj posts if I just missed them, but can you tell me more about selling your book? Like, did you do so through an agent? Because I want to sell my original fiction, so I'm always curious about people's success stories.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

Kind of (http://grav-ity.livejournal.com/1719041.html) a start here.

I will do a longer, more personal story later.

[shirleyann66.livejournal.com]

My own personal opinion: ANY writing is better than NO writing.

And if you feel guilty about focusing on a fanfic rather than your original novel, well...I think having to suffer through the research to describe Chris Evans' naked torso is more than enough punishment... ;D

Seriously, I find that if I'm feeling blocked on one fic, writing on a different one tends to get the creativity flowing again on all of them. That's just what I find, so...for what it's worth. :)

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

That's a good point - the writing often inspires other writing. Hmmm..... Ugh. Work.

[jeymien.livejournal.com]

I think every writer when asked about it says that any writing is better than no writing. :)

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

Very true. :D

[aj.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna raise my hand over here as the lone dissenter and say... work on your book. That is something you're PASSIONATE about! Hell, use the same timeframe as the Het-bigbang, but work on that with the same devotion! But seriously, stick to your guns! YOU CAN DO IT.

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

I know! I was thinking that, too. Ugh. I'll probably end up doing that to be honest. I just miss having more time on my hands. *grumbles* However, the book is what I really want done. If only in a very, very rough draft form.

[aj.livejournal.com]

*side-eyes* Do we need to reinstate SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS? Because we totally can.

[melyanna.livejournal.com]

So glad I'm not the only one. Honestly, fic is easier. Fic has something closer to instant gratification. If you've got any momentum at all on the novel, DON'T STOP. It's way too easy to say you'll get back to it and then not for months. (Ask me how I know!)

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

Oh, tell me about it! I think I've come to a mini-compromise with myself and am going to go for a mini-bang with the promise that if I feel the need for original fic - I go with it!

[miera-c.livejournal.com]

I gotta agree here. I have firm plans to actually work on my novel as soon as the semester is over, if not before. Although there are fic temptations, I want to get this damn thing done.

And I say that despite this: research opportunities in regards to making sure I describe Chris Evans naked torso accurately making me whimper and I don't even like Steve/Darcy ;)

And there is no such thing as wasted writing, only practice writing. I won't say "bad" writing because, well, we all know that does exist out there.

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

I'm with you! I want this thing DONE. And then see where I am.

[boosette.livejournal.com]

is ANY writing better than NO writing

YES. Absolutely.

Write what you WANT to write, not what you think you "should" be writing. Give yourself permission to let go of things that are not bringing you joy.

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

Very true words. And it's not that I don't have joy in the novel/story/thing, it's simply that it's been very hard to do. Hmmm... Decisions.

[hiddencait.livejournal.com]

I totally went through this last year and semi am doing so this year too. But ya know, multi-tasking is fun too. That way if you get blocked you can switch back and forth from Chris shirtless to Richard shirtless. Cuz really... that's an EXCELLENT position to be in.

Plus, you can always do the shorter version of the bang - it's not like your oneshots having ended up close to 10k fairly often lol

...so yeah fun fun fun.

Course now I have to figure out what I will actually write for hetbang if I commit lol.

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

*snickers* I think I can do a bit of both. I have a few Darcy/Steve snippets tucked away that can easily be put into a larger story, so I'm making a deal with myself about the whole thing.

Oooh! Doooooo it! :D

[hiddencait.livejournal.com]

Yup! It's all about finding a balance!

I think I'm going too! I have no idea what/who to write... but that's not unusual lol

[irony-rocks.livejournal.com]

Okay, first, SO GLAD YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HET BIGBANG. But as your flister, I gotta say, if you get motivation for Original Stuff, then drop Big Bang like a hot potato. You gotta do what you gotta do, and I say this as a mod: We'll understand!

Either way, i am glad for any of your awesome writing!

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

if you get motivation for Original Stuff, then drop Big Bang like a hot potato. You gotta do what you gotta do, and I say this as a mod: We'll understand!

And this is why you're fabulous! :D And thank you! I think Imma go for it and see how I get on.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

But basically my question is this – is ANY writing better than NO writing? I have extremely limited time and I might be able to devote time to only one story at a time.

If it's fanfiction or writing nothing, than yes, I'd say write fanfic. If it's fanfic or original fic, I'd vote original fic.

That said....

‘Cause, I kinda sorta had an idea for a Darcy/Steve epic adventure where they fight sharks created by mad scientists. fringedweller pointed out the research opportunities in regards to making sure I describe Chris Evans naked torso accurately, which I have to say would be a hardship that I’m willing to endure.

That sounds really awesome.

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

Hee! I'm going to be writing this summer come what may! :D