On Writing

[ladyjanelly]

 
I feel like I've recently made a major breakthrough in my writing.

When I first started it was about recording actions and motivations.

Next came the emotions behind the actions and motivations, and showing those without telling.

Now I feel like I've gone through the other side of the mirror, where the way the words fit with the other words is almost as important, where I think about the placement of a comma or the break of a paragraph.  I'm using more "run-on" sentences, and more fragmented sentences.  

I still don't do any sort of major "rewrite" on anything. Period.  But I'll go back through a chapter of the Homeless!verse before I post it and fidget with it and feel that it's measurably better than when I started.

 

I thank my husband for the change in the way I think, because after so long of him trying to hit that in his own writing, and me reading and critiqueing his work, I feel like we almost hit this point together. It's kinda neat.  I sure wouldn't have done it without him, at this point in my writing.

Comments

[greenjelloforst.livejournal.com]

this, what you've just described? it's exactly where i want to be. :)

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

We read Cormack McCarthy's work and that really pushed things forward.

Reading out loud helps. if you (windows symbol)S on word, it'll read it for you which is sort of cool.

I'm realizing the rules aren't really rules and I feel like my brain is stretching around the concepts.

[tabaqui]

Neat!
It's always a cool thing to realize that suddenly you've mastered some part of your chosen craft, or gotten measurable better at it.
Congratulations!
:)

What does your husband write? Do you ever co-write?

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

Sam writes fantasy novels (1 so far, unpublished) and these short stories that are like--surrealist fairytales.

We never co-write. I love his short-stories but not-so-much the novel. He likes the beginnings of my fics, but not when they start to get slashy. He said the first chapter of the homeless fic was the best thing I'd ever written.

[tabaqui]

Ah, cool.
Too bad about the slash - it's the best part!
:)

[nereem.livejournal.com]

I think one of the hardest parts/stages for any writer is the re-writing stage. Planning it and seeing it through and developing the storyline and character or for it to be altered during the writing process which can be stressful. But improving or critiquing is difficult because it’s almost starting from scratch again. I have been absent on your journal for a couple of weeks (due to work and sickness) and I’ve only just caught up on your homeless!Jensen saga. So far, I’m definitely intrigued to read more, especially with the back story of Jensen’s history in this piece and certainly to explore the mental sickness/state/reason for his behaviour shown thus far. I initially friended you due to your scar!verse and was sucked up into your Rollerball fic which I did rec and do enjoy re-reading. But I also try to be a keen flister and hope that your health has improved and that the kitty is doing well. I look forward to reading more and to inform you now, I am going to be honest in your writing. That’s not to say- it’s terrible or I will flat out say that (that's not constructive!), but as you have commented that you’ve reached a place where you are pleased with the movment of your writing, I think its only fair to reward you with your hard work and story prose with honest opinion/feedback. Best of luck to you with the next instalment! (On a different note- I did try emailing you a while back, did it ever get to you or were you unable to respond? I only ask because I have had trouble with my yahoo email )

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

My health is pretty good right now. I'm still eating mild and avoiding ibuprofin while the ulcers finish healing. I'm up to about 1400 calories a day, sometimes more. I've got more energy and stopped sleeping 12 hrs a day. I really feel like myself again for the first time in like a year. I got my craft room cleaned and I'm creating again and it feels so great.

Piffy's doing great. He has a cameo in the housecleaning video. He jumps out of a bush like a monster.

Sorry to hear you've been ill. Hope it's nothing serious.

Honesty is great. I'm fairly thick-skinned as a writer and love nothing more than concrit. I wrote in the LotR fandom for a little while, and then made the improbable jump to Boondock Saints fic. That was the very first time someone said "Well this and this are great, and I really loved this, but maybe that other thing is not-so-cool and you might want to consider blah." I felt like I'd been slapped, and then I was like "OMG that's soooo cool."

So yes. Concrit. Please.

[kentucka]

you know, this is really cool. can I profit from that? ;D

no really, I was meaning to ask you if you'd beta a story for me... I posted it last week, the Stargate Atlantis fic. It's not so much about the fandom, the characters or anything, more about the actual writing.

would you be willing? *puppydog-eyes*

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

Heh. I'm a not-so-good beta-reader. I have as much difficulty correcting or suggesting changes for another author's fic as I do my own. And I"m completely unexposed to SGA, besides random chitchat about it that I see on my flist.

I'll read it though, and if I see anything that strikes me I'll let you know?