audience participation

[salixbabylon]

So far my writing goals have not been working out. BUT - new month = new plan.

I am so thoroughly stuck on the steampunk thing, frustrated trying to plot out novel-length plots. So I think going back to the basics and writing some vignettes, flexing the writing muscles that are stiff and sore, getting *something* done rather than beating my head against a brick wall is the way to go.

Prompts, anyone? Comment fics? (Not necessarily fandom, but I won't turn it down outright. I'm just not *in* any fandoms at the moment.)

Sample - Yesterday I went to get my oil changed. The guy at the autoshop is my age. The guy at the desk is very femme. What if they were a couple....?

Comments

[la-mariane.livejournal.com]

I just spent a few days visiting Edimburg, so how about a touristy prompt : men wearing kilts.

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

Hmm... *ponders* I think I'd like to go do some hands-on research, myself. Did you actually see men in kilts? :)

[randomstasis.livejournal.com]

Steampunk prompt for you; Explorers commissions an engineer to miniaturize communication and/or recording devices for a new expedition deep into the jungle. Engineer may have to go along for maintenance of portable prototype devices.

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I think the problem I'm having is with the genre, actually. I read your prompt and my brain just blanked out like tv static. I'm so used to contemporary that I'm simply locking up.

But I will put this on my list and give it a try. :)

[kenazfiction.livejournal.com]

Something from this line of dialogue: "Oh, no. Not him again."

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

OOoh, I love starting from dialogue. I will definitely give this a try! :)

[helena-s-renn.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a good plan! How about this prompt:

A salesman (of whatever product, you decide) rings the doorbell of a gruff and not-impressed but also hard-up and lonely potential client.

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

Why is my brain immediately going to the Morman-missionary porno scenario? Still, not a bad prompt at all, thank you, and I'll try to maybe pull myself out of the gutter. A little. Not too much... ;)

[4sakenmyself.livejournal.com]

Could always try a fic on inequality.. I watched District 9 the other day, and aliens + segregation = very interesting open-ended thoughts on some things...

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

Haven't seen that movie (tv show?). I think writing in a genre other than contemporary is what's tripping me up, but the theme of equality is certainly a universal one. *thinking*

Thanks!

[kc-risenphoenix.livejournal.com]

How much do you have to plot it out? If I plot out too much, I never write the story because I know what is going to happen and I get bored. Like if someone tells me the end of a movie or a book, I wouldn't watch it or read it... How much do you NEED to know and how much and you just let the characters go and have fun with it? Go back and add little clues and stuff if need be?

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

I'm mostly just thinking of writing vignettes, drabbbles, 100-5000 words. Anything at all. Anything random to get me flexing that muscle again, since it seems to have atrophied. :(

I don't feel like overplotting is the problem, although I certianly see your point. It's more the opposite - I have no IDEA who these two guys are or what their story is. I like to have a roadmap, but the muses aren't talking at all. I think the problem is that I have never written anything but contemporary and this dramatic shift is just siphoning all my creativity into visualising their world, not them or their story. And no one gives a flying fuck about the world. *shrug*

I'll keep trying though... I just need a break and a distraction. And to write some sex scenes. ;)

[todd-loves-mc.livejournal.com]

i know what you mean with the steampunk thing. I have a plot idea and have written some but have grtound to a halt as i like you have only ever done contemporary for published fiction. or fantasy fan fic.

would you possibly consider a joint venture into the world of steampunk?

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

I have about 3 chapters written and the plot mostly outlined, so it's a little late in the game for me to collaborate. I just need someone to light a fire under my ass and make it happen, you know? A writing dominatrix...

Alos, the honest truth is that I don't write well with others. Sorry, but you would never speak to me at the end. Just ask heartofslash. ;)

[todd-loves-mc.livejournal.com]

no worries :) i know what you mean lol.

That's ok i know some people don't play well in others sand boxes as it were lol you know what im saying right, clashes of minds and ideas and all that.


i've just started my first attempt at a bdsm co-op and well touch wood so far it seemes to be going ok. we seem on the same wave length at the moment, lol but who knows what will happen.

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the cowriting! I look forward to seeing the end result! :)

[todd-loves-mc.livejournal.com]

thanks :)

[ladykatiewench.livejournal.com]

I totally wish that I could be more into Steampunk. I wish I had the time and money for it. I've created a character for myself, but I don't have the time to put it together for cosplay. I'm gonna tell you about her and you can use whatever you want from it if you want. Or none at all!

One of the things that I like about my character is that the technology isn't a huge part of her. She lives in that world, but she's isn't limited to that world. The closest popular character that I can find that is similar is the character of Evie from The Mummy (except not as ditzy...she was very smart in many ways but very not in others). Get the whole scholar/adventurer thing going. Someone who is taking advantage of the ability to travel and explore the world and understand things. Like, I always pictured her dressed & ready to go on safari, so you've got a mix between

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I totally wish that I could be more into Steampunk. I wish I had the time and money for it. I've created a character for myself, but I don't have the time to put it together for cosplay. I'm gonna tell you about her and you can use whatever you want from it if you want. Or none at all!

One of the things that I like about my character is that the technology isn't a huge part of her. She lives in that world, but she's isn't limited to that world. The closest popular character that I can find that is similar is the character of Evie from The Mummy (except not as ditzy...she was very smart in many ways but very not in others). Get the whole scholar/adventurer thing going. Someone who is taking advantage of the ability to travel and explore the world and understand things. Like, I always pictured her dressed & ready to go on safari, so you've got a mix between <a href="http://i1.squidoocdn.com/resize/squidoo_images/250/draft_lens1278103module148920383photo_1300250269Gertrude-Bell-1909.jpg>this</a> (although not as frumpy) and <a href="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l53mfi7rQa1qbwvhpo1_500.jpg">this</a> (although not as done up), but have a jacket over it in chinese silk (like <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=3199143">this</a> except maybe in a longer style). You know, have it show that she's been all over the place.

And then, have the character be more interested in the world than in the technology. So the Steampunk parts of it aren't the main part of her story, they are just what makes it easier for her to go off and explore and learn.

Does this make any sense whatsoever?!

[ladykatiewench.livejournal.com]

Okay, I can't figure out where I fucked that up. Sorry.

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

The clothes = so much yum! I think that's the allure for me. But that's hard to base a story around... I don't know. There's nothing missing on the story, no reason I can't be making it go. It's just like a stalled out car with nothing discernable wrong.

So I give up, at least for a while. Think I'm going to write contemporary just so I can know I haven't forgotten how to write since November...

[ladykatiewench.livejournal.com]

Well, what I'm was trying to say with all that insanity is can you take the contemporary stuff and put it in just a slightly different world? It's still the same stories, just a different setting. Instead of 2012, it's 1900. Instead of hopping in a car and heading over to someone's house, you get into a carriage. Let the story talk, not the setting.

[salixbabylon.livejournal.com]

I need a "this is not sarcastic font" - yes! This is exactly my problem. I need to make them regular people and stop hearing their voices all stilted and weird. HUh. What if they were *now people*. Okay, I'm incoherent, but I'm pondering.

*smooch* :)