thoughts on writing prompts

[salixbabylon]

I woke up this morning thinking about writing. Now that heartofslash and I are nearing the end of 50kinkyways (only 14 left!), I have some thoughts about the experience. Also, I'm going to teach a class on how to write erotica next month, so I've been thinking about that.

I think prompts/tables/lists/fic-a-thons are a great idea in concept, but sometimes I wonder if they don't just add pressure and a feeling of obligation to what is ultimately supposed to be an enjoyable hobby...

Recent Experiences:
We signed up for and started writing 50kinkyways in November 2005. I expect we'll be finished in June 2007 if we stay on schedule. That's 20 months, or 1 year and 8 months.

Likewise, I signed up to do that "28 ficlets" list last year, in May. I had planned to finish within 2 weeks, but didn't end up writing the last one until November - 7 months later.

Lastly, I participated in a few fic exchanges/challenges at pervy_werewolf, but only one at a time and wrote them within the time constraints. This was my first time participating in such challenges since 2003.

Reflections:
I think prompt tables/lists/challenges are *great* at getting me writing, getting me thinking along new pathways, getting me to play with characters or ideas I might not have explored yet.

I think they *suck* in that I suddenly find myself with 20+ fics to write, and a sense of obligation and time-pressure that can kill all the joy in writing even the smuttiest of smut.

The people I chat with and beta for seem to feel the same pressure, but many of you sign up for way more of these than I do. Also, a lot of people seem to be able to let go of fics they lost interest in and are ok with letting them stand forever unfinished as WIPs.

Personally, I have so much guilt with WIPs that I won't do them anymore - the whole project stays unposted until I have it back from a beta. HOw do you let go of things that no longer interest you? DO you finish them anyway? Do you feel bad and I just don't know that?

Back on topic, maybe we just need shorter prompt lists - 5 or 10 at a time? Maybe we need to not over-commit and be a lot more realistic about how long it takes to write even a ficlet/drabble? Maybe the challenges and prompts are a great idea but there could be a way of doing it without the sense of obligation/guilt?

To me, the biggest benefit of these prompts is that they get me out of a rut.

And to me, the biggest detriment is that a sense of obligation and pressure utterly kills my muses.

So what do you all think?
What have your experiences been?
Would you recommend this kind of prompt-list to a group of newbie writers or not? Why?
What about the annual xmas fic exchanges?
Are they different, and if so, how?

Thoughts?

Comments

[rotpunkt.livejournal.com]

Yes, I would recommend prompts - only it shouldn't be too many, because that makes the pressure (50 stories are many stories...). But prompts help to find a new theme, to leave the well-trodden path and try a new subject. I think "something concrete" can often be helpful. You can see that in fanfiction itself - the "canon" or how you will call it has an inspiring effect, you have something as a solid foundation and then you can build your own fantasy on it.

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

prompts help to find a new theme, to leave the well-trodden path and try a new subject

Exactly - they get your brain working outside it's usual patterns. But I agree that 50 is too much. Heck, 30 is too much sometimes. Maybe 5...?

Ooh - good point about having a solid foundation to build upon. I think that's one of the things that makes slash "easier" to write than original fiction.

[todd-loves-mc.livejournal.com]

I think that the idea behind promt/lists and the like is a good idea. They help stir up muses and ideas for things that you may not have considered before.

Although i myself find that they put an awful lot of pressure on the author, especially if it's characters or situations that they wouldn't normally write.

take the recent torchwood crossover challenge. I entered for two promts initially and eventually had to drop one of the two i went in for. which as it happened as a lotr crossover as i just could not figure out how to get the fellowship into the Hub. That and the other promt The Evil Dead/Torchwood was just proving more difficult as i just could not get my head around the characters. Which i am still working on now. as i've written 17 pages in word and am damned if i'm going to let this one go.

I'd recomend promts as a rule but don't take too many on at once. maybe 3 or 4 if you know your subject or have a clear cut idea of the characters.

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

Exactly - wee need to find a balance between stirring things up to get the creative juices flowing, but not making writers feel obligated to write 50 (or whaetver) fics that are *all* a bit of a stretch.

Good luck with your Torchwood fics - those sound like real challenges!

[todd-loves-mc.livejournal.com]

they certainly are proving challenging. lol that said my Jack/Ianto muses seem more content to having sex than working with my plots at present.

lol so at the moment along with the challenge one i have a jack/ianto crossdressing fic almost finished.

[lostiawen.livejournal.com]

*pokes head up briefly*

Honestly, I think the long ones suck. Too many prompts kills the buzz for me, because I feel like I have to get all of that done.

Fortunately, the last one I entered is better...it only has 10 prompts and it sounds like you can do crack!fic. I can crank out crack!fic.

As for rec'ing it for new writers...enh. I wouldn't want to put that kind of pressure on them. And frankly, some of the prompts are hard to work with, so they might be tearing their hair out over whether or not they're doing a good job. Not something I want to inflict on someone who's already worrying that they suck.

Annual Xmas exchanges I don't mind as much because I'm getting a fic back. Besides, there's something about the holiday spirit thing that kickstarts my motivation. And since you can ask for a re-assign, it's not as bad to me. (unless I a) happen to have a manuscript deadline at the same time or b) write a fic that starts growing out of control)

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

10 prompts sounds great - esp with crack being allowed! :)

I didn't know you could ask for reassignment for the xmas ones... Maybe I should consider them this coming year, for once.

*hug*

[heartofslash.livejournal.com]

U R stressing! Relax!

It's true. 50Kinkyways is taking way longer than we thought it would. Of course, the more than two month gap due mostly to my concussion and the incursion of the dreaded winter holidays didn't help... *still blaming the concussion...*

I've only done two prompt things. Neither is finished - 50kinkyways has 14 to go and fanfic100 has 7 to go - I don't feel stressed by either. But yeah, it's a crazy amount of prompts. I don't mind the challenge of unfamiliar territory because I thrive on challenge and I haven't run across a prompt I couldn't work with yet, but it's a big commitment and I'd feel like a schmuck if I abandoned either project. (I have not abandoned anything - I am merely taking my time;)

I wouldn't rec a prompt list to a newbie because takes a long time to comfortable sharing your work with strangers and I don't think having to share work that's not coming 100% from inside the writer would make that easier. (But then, so many 1st time writers end up doing derivative stuff because they haven't developed the confidence to do their own thing, so that's a bit moot, perhaps.)

I wouldn't choose to do a set amount of prompts for a set pairing or fandom unless I wanted to write that much in the fandom anyway, so I don't find the pressure a buzzkill, but I'm more experienced than most in doing very long series so I don't think I'm a good person to ask. I am also used to juggling 5 or more unfinished series at a time, which gives me loads of variety so if I do get stuck on what Eric is going to do to Ewan next, I can always have Lincoln do something unspeakable naughty to Laurent, and then let Eomer get all angsty and yearning, and then get back to Eric when I've figured out that he would never force the gag ball into Ewan's mouth because he wants to do the groveling. Heh.

I get terrible WIP guilt, but I've learned to live with it. i do intend to finish everything, eventually. Sure, everyone who was reading a fic at the beginning might have gone senile by the time I finish, but that's the way the slash unfolds, sometimes.

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

But I'm so *good* at stressing... And I wasn't really, just reflecting upon stressful writing situations in my past. I feel good about 50k and my ability to tell you that I'm going to be late. ;)

I am not worried or concered about 50kw - I think we could have written it faster, but we're oing wlel and are pulling in for the home stretch. It was just noticing the date of that original entry for the prompt table that blew my mind, you know? But then, the fastest I could see the whole thing happening was one fic per week, and that means only *two* delays to finish it in a year. That's a *lot* of writing.

I don't think having to share work that's not coming 100% from inside the writer would make that easier.

That's an interesting thought, to see the prompt lists/etc from that angle. I'll have to give that some more consideration and play with that in my head. *smooch* All that *and* a big sexy brain on you.

I love your variety. I love that the same situation that makes me want to run screaming is what you thrive on. :)