#rambling about writing

[anthurak]

It feels like we always think of the concept of 'humanizing villains' as making them 'sympathetic' or 'relatable'. However, recently I've been thinking about different interpretation of that idea:

'Humanizing' as in showing villains to be fallible. Showing them to be just as prone to mistakes and misfortune as anyone else. Whether inflicted on them by the heroes' actions, their own actions, some third party or simple bad luck.

It's not meant to make the audience feel sorry for the villains or relate to them in any way. They are still bad people doing bad things. Rather, it grounds the villains and the conflict as a whole. The bad guys don't have the magic of 'plot' to give them some elevated edge over the heroes. Perhaps the plot is even working against the villains in some way.

And I think that can make the actions of the villains more unsettling and dangerous. In a similar vein to the idea of 'the banality of evil', I think it can make villains and the threat and actions they commit all the more realistic, and unsettling.

[lurkerdelima]

I should write some kind of sappy Loustat thing to the theme of Red Wine Supernova

shouldn’t I

[dragonologist-phd]

does blood magic really make a mage more likely to be possessed. does it. because the more i look into the lore the more it feels like a skewed statement at best and a straight up lie at worst

like i’m sitting here doing way too much research for fic reasons and trying to think about this stuff and it’s like...we have somniari, who are super connected to the Fade and therefore in extra danger  from demons. And sure, that makes sense.

But then we also have blood mages, who are less connected to the Fade because they draw their power from blood instead- and they’re also supposedly in more danger from demons? That one just doesn’t make sense to me? The best i can figure is that mages who use blood magic to summon/control demons simply have more interaction with them than the typical mage, but by the previous logic they should also find demons easier to resist

[im-just-a-mississippi-girl]

In the mood to write, just don’t know what to write about.

Going to see about working on Tear in My Heart and Your Biker in Worn Leather, maybe revisit some ideas from forever ago too.

But in the meantime, What’s your favorite prompts, tropes, etc.?

[snarky-magpie]

So if I were to write a story set in Hogwarts where James isn't the sun we know and love but rather the original arrogant idiot from canon who nevertheless becomes a kinder and better person to be worthy of Regulus, and where Regulus doesn't act like a BAMF but rather like an actual kid from an abusive home who gains the courage to stand up for himself thanks to James' love and support, would anyone want to read that? Just an idea I've been toying with for my next writing project. But then again, I have a lot of them.

[kylobith]

Oh shit, I am MORTIFIED. In my last piece for LotR Week, I wrote that Gimli should ask Ironfoot for help. EXCEPT THAT I COMPLETELY FORGOT THAT IRONFOOT WAS KILLED IN THE SIEGE OF EREBOR DURING THE WAR OF THE RING. Now I feel like a complete silly goose and I am so upset about it haha

[micro-moth]

three months later i finally post scene three! it's so long it more than doubled the word count of the whole script so far when i posted it 😭 anyway it's a little wack to read cause there's so much going on and timing it all with the song was really hard but i'm so proud of it!! this honestly probably isn't the most complex number of the show tho- makes me scared cause this number didn't look hard to write but it was, wish me luck on the numbers that i already know will be complex ;-; (looking at you bulletproof heart and scarecrow... AND PLANETARY)

[mitsuki91]

... How is this fic became a "murderous secret college club" is beyond me but here we are, the magic of plotting things :v

(I have at least still one year of uni to plot sigh help me)

(Also this is a fix-it now)

(Also I think I have at least two more years to plot after uni and before the fix-it because I mean it's already a stretch being president at 23 but at 21 is fantasy, sigh)

(ALSO now I have this terrible headcanon about dr Gaul and I only have to thanks anti for this who make me wrote my dead!dove because now the main issue became a fair plot point for everything - still I will not write the story as a dead!dove and I suppose no one will know)

[okamirayne]

Hello Rayne!

A bit more of a private one so of course, feel free to not answer if it crosses any boundaries.

Do you have tips to get adult life, day jobs and creative writing under one hat? (German saying, not sure if it translates to English at all lmao)

I've started my Bachelor's in a very non-creative field this week and it has been and is going to be very demanding in terms of time and energy. I've noticed that I get extremely drained and burnt out when I try to be creative after a long day. The ideas are there (sometimes even better than when I have more time) but the energy just... isn't.

I appreciate any advice you have and hope you're doing well! 💜 It's been cooling off here quite a bit, I've already had my first Chai today 👀🍵getting autumn-y

Heya lovely @sunlightrays!

A bit more of a private one so of course, feel free to not answer if it crosses any boundaries.

Aw, thanks for the head's up. Don't you worry, I'll go full dodge-ball acrobatic if I feel any uncomfortable curveballs thrown my way. As it stands, I'll do my best to offer support with my very humble input - PLEASE trash anything that doesn't resonate with you.

I've started my Bachelor's in a very non-creative field this week [...]

First off...

FAITO! Congratulations on taking on your Bachelor's degree (I recall you mentioning this was in the pipeline) - I'm wishing you every success for this chapter of your story, luv.

[...] and it has been and is going to be very demanding in terms of time and energy.

Gods, understandably. Please shore up on whatever you need; tea, coffee, the blood and tears of your enemies. You got this!

I've noticed that I get extremely drained and burnt out when I try to be creative after a long day. The ideas are there (sometimes even better than when I have more time) but the energy just... isn't. [...] I appreciate any advice you have ...

Right. I hear you. I'll do my damnedest to help -- but again, throw out anything that doesn't work for you. I'm spit-balling here, so just take what sticks.

How do you GET your energy? Would you consider yourself to be more extroverted or introverted? Maybe you're a combination of the two (ambivert)? Do you need alone time to refill your well, or do you require the energy of others to help recharge your battery?

What is FUN for you? What hobbies/downtime GIVE you energy?

What helps you to DECOMPRESS completely and switch off? Even if this isn't writing. Something that doesn't necessarily COST you energy (which writing does, even if it's a fun investment and pleasurable price) -- something where you are chilled, having fun, or resting...which brings me to...

What is REST for you? What is RECOVERY for you? What does that look like? What do you need to REST (which leads to recovery and hopefully more margin/capacity -- which allows for your empty well to accommodate creative energy again)?

What kind of WRITER are you? Do you fly by the seat of your pants and just enjoy rolling with whatever inspiration hits or do you like planning and plotting? Can you test the waters on a day you feel like you have some energy, and see how that leaves you feeling e.g. drained or lifted?

What I'm predominantly getting at here, is asking you to consider what GIVES you that energy back. What RESTORES to you the energy that isn't there (which your degree is currently consuming). I'm not sure what Bachelor's you're doing, so I won't and can't presume exactly what that costs you energy-wise (though it sounds like it costs you a lot, given what you described about feeling extremely drained and burnt-out).

I would advocate ENERGY RESTORATION. Which means, REST, RECOVERY, RECREATION, REMEDIAL PLAY. The light, easy, fun, restful, or joyful things that don't require you to invest too much of your energy. That can be alone or with others. It can be anything that works for you. It looks different for everyone, so it may take some experimentation or maybe you've got some go-to places, people, past-times or pleasures that are tried and tested?

This is where I'd start, sweetie. Looking to balance the scales by getting energy back so you don't end up in the flaming hell-pit of total burnout. The writing isn't going anywhere. It will wait for you to have the energy for it. Your degree will probably demand a lot of you right now, which is why sustenance for your creative energy (even if you have to stockpile it for a bit) is so important.

Do you have tips to get adult life, day jobs and creative writing under one hat? (German saying, not sure if it translates to English at all lmao)

Translates perfectly, no worries. As for me having tips...

No word of a lie. I am furniture crawling my ass along a very strange path at the moment. Getting adult life, day jobs, and creative writing under one hat depends on so many things; your financial situation, your personal capacity (mentally, emotionally, physically), your goals/desires, your needs and values, your UNMET needs/desires etc. It's a very individual journey, and the artist/creative path, however archetypal at times, is changing a lot in our modern landscape (which can be a very good thing).

The good thing is, creative writing can manifest in many different areas (copywriting, ghostwriting, editing, journalism, developmental media, blogging, vlogging, etc) -- again, I don't know your personal capacity, means, or margins, or what it may or may not require / cost you if you're balancing/sacrificing other areas of your life. Which is totally normal. I think work-life balance all at once is an overrated and unrealistic metric.

It would be so easy for me to say "follow your heart" and "do what you love" and do I advocate that? Abso-fuckin-lutely. So long as you're prepared for the TRADEOFFS and the COST. I think that's the biggest tip, luv. Getting real damn clear on what you are prepared to give up. And what you are NOT prepared to give up/compromise on? For whatever reasons. Zero judgement. It's what works for YOU.

So my tips are ASKING YOURSELF THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.

What do you want to get out of your creative writing? Do you want to do it professionally or just as a pleasure pursuit? Both are awesome.

Why are you taking your current degree in a non-creative field? Job security or genuine joy/interest for the field? If it's for joy/interest, it will cost a little less than if you're grafting without pleasure at all. Btw, no need to answer any of these questions, I'm literally brainstorming question suggestions with you to get CLARITY.

Clarity = awesome.

How can you balance your creativity against necessity/security/other job etc.? Do you need to cut yourself some slack and get the degree out the way before you decide that? Maybe you can dabble in creative writing as you go along and figure out how you regain and sustain your energy?

These kinds of questions can help a lot, especially when you're looking at your energetic capacity so you don't burnout.

I have no clue if any of this was helpful...it sure as hell went beyond my two cents, so I do apologise for the massive word-vomit of a response. I feel passionately about this, given my own god-awful experience with burnout, energy mismanagement, and the flaming brimstone underworld that kind of shit puts you in -- I would hate to learn you ended up there. Please be kind, patient, and gentle with yourself. You're embarking on a big quest here with your degree, which sounds like it demands a lot. May the writing, when you have energy for it, be a cosy non-demanding companion and a supportive compadre. Not a bloody albatross around your neck or a hellhound snapping at your heels. Writing is better when it's FUN. Hard, tiring, and frustrating 'maybe-I-need-a-safe-word' kind of fun...but worth it. Worth the investment (energy) it requires.

Please, please, please prioritise your rest and your recovery whenever you can, luv. I am sending super-charged positive vibes your way, with a gallon of tea. Autumn is a magical time, so I hope the chilly, crispy, colourful, chai-drinking vibes of this season nourish and support you. Ganbatte, my dear!

~ Rayne x 💜☕️🍁

[lysblack]

Did I just write THE scene in my fanfic where Nere gets to kill Balthazar, thus avenging the wrongs done to him in-canon?

Yes, I did.

Also Nere wasn't alone. He did most of the damage and landed the killing blow, but he still had Tav counterspelling Balthazar's shit while the rest of the team took care of the undead minions and golem.

And Balthazar, before dying as he very much deserved, did manage to stab him with a cursed dagger that would have turned into a zombie. Luckily Shadowheart was there to remove the curse and patch him up, free of charge.

TEAMWORK! (What a novel concept for him... and yet, how could he think that going against a powerful necromancer and his minions ALL BY HIMSELF was a good idea?!)

But yeah, most importantly REVENGE for my little meow meow.

[davnittbraes]

Me reading slow burn fic: 3k words and they haven’t fucked yet??? Omg kill me please this is inSANE

Me writing slow burn fic: 20k words and they’ve barely made eye contact. Suffer though.

[lurkerdelima]

Context: the first option would be a reference to the ABBA song of the same name, and the second is lyrics from Lady Gaga’s Bloody Mary that mean ‘I don’t want to die alone.’

[dragonologist-phd]

the fun thing about inserting my own oc's as side characters in my fics is that to me it's like finally having a big name guest star come and make a cameo, and to everyone else it's like. who is this person.

[ethereal-feline]

I have so many wips

Some abandoned, a shadow or a frame that may never become what I imagined. Some cut and glued back together until its almost unrecognizable from its original state. Some that yearn to be finely crafted works of art but I can only manage a tiny trinket.

And yet they're all mine and that's what make me happy. I made it, it exists, and while there may be others similar, that just means there's more of what makes me happy because someone somewhere made something that made them happy too.

[snarky-magpie]

I'm wondering if my writing is getting worse or if my standards are getting higher as I continue to improve. It's a vicious cycle.

[staceymcgillicuddy]

I was in this really interesting Discord discussion the other day about detail, and how to write it, and how to know what's too much vs. not enough. It's absolutely more an art than a science, but I was thinking about it this morning when I was writing on nu-fic, because it's a whole scene where Chrissy is showering and getting ready (for Eddie, though he doesn't know he is going to be ~got at this point), and I had to work to pick out the details of her body/routine to focus on that read both as things she'd think about, and things that inform her character.

So, like, she absolutely cares that her bathing suit makes her breasts appear bigger, or that she has pimples on her chin, or that her hair looks good. And I think there's a way to write about that stuff without it turning into "hi my name is Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way and I have long ebony black hair (that's how I got my name) with purple streaks and red tips that reaches my mid-back and icy blue eyes like limpid tears" but it does take some time and skill to balance on that tightrope.

Anyway, I'm not even sure what I'm rambling about, only that it was an interesting writing exercise in light of the conversation I'd had with some fellow Hellcheers.