Writing question

[rhi]

The following poll brought to you courtesy of a fic where I have no idea if the body is in the road because he was murdered or just because he was stupid....  (Feel free to check as many boxes as apply.)

Poll #11381 Writing style, or maybe writing motivation

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 38

View Respondents

How do *you* write stories?

View Answers

I have a beginning?
19 (50.0%)

I know how it ends?
14 (36.8%)

There's this scene, and I have to know how they got there or what happens after...
27 (71.1%)

The opening line ambushed me.
13 (34.2%)

Writing this crossover/pairing/scenario was a moral imperative.
20 (52.6%)

I have to find out how it ends!
6 (15.8%)

I signed up for a challenge.
18 (47.4%)

Somone gave me a plot bunny/good idea.
18 (47.4%)

A character wouldn't shut up.
21 (55.3%)

It's too neat a fandom not to go play.
8 (21.1%)

I wanted to cheer up and/or thank a friend.
9 (23.7%)

The ever popular, 'It seemed like a good idea at the time?'
20 (52.6%)

It's Methos' fault.
17 (44.7%)

It's [your nuisance character of choice here]'s fault.
11 (28.9%)

Other, to be explained in comments.
3 (7.9%)

Comments

[rhi]

Oh, the answer I forgot to put in:

"Well, I thought it was part of the previous story. My betas gently explained that no, really, it was the start of the next story..."

And I know damn well I'm not the only one who does this...

[highlander_ii]

I think I've probably done *all* of them, but I just marked the ones I've done recently, plus 'Methos' fault' - b/c it always is! =)

[rhi]

I went and looked them over, and um, yeah, okay, I have to cop to all of them too. Including the one Mischief added below about 'someone bribed me with chocolate.'

[em_kellesvig]

There's also: Rhi asked a theoretical question...

And: My friend double dog dared me to sign up for this challenge...

Or: Someone offered me chocolate...

Valid reasons all for writing. As for how? Check the icon. *grin*

[rhi]

::groans:: Re: your icon? Mine would read more like 'Someone send chocolate or TNT, the characters revolted again!'

Yeah, okay, I'll cop to the theoretical question, but isn't that more like 'this is a moral imperative?' Now, I forgot the 'someone bribed me' part, definitely!!

[em_kellesvig]

"Moral imperative"? Maybe, if I had any applicable morals. (I do have morals, just not any that apply to writing other than not violating my own squicks and abusing commas.)

"Someone gave me a plot bunny" might work in your case. (That was one thumper of plot bunny!)

"A character wouldn't shut up" comes closest except it turned into a Greek chorus: none of them would shut up and they're still talking to me. (Yes, as soon as I get all comfy with the new computer, I'll tidy the fic up and send it to you.)

"It's [Rhi's] fault idea" works best. You do come up with the most outrageous concepts. How could I resist? (((hugs)))

[rhi]

::giggling:: well, I'm thinking of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLZ5cn_apHg this scene from Real Genius.

And, um, it's my fault, huh? There would be other writers who'd agree with you, so um, I guess I'll just hush. (You would not BELIEVE how many McCormick muses I've been blamed for....)

[rhi]

By the way (she asks two years later), can I use that icon? Dear GOD but it's perfect.

[em_kellesvig]

Of course, you may! And Re: Two or Three Years Later-- I may have a comment fic draft to send you sometime soonish. Still up for it? Or should I let sleeping fic lie?

[rhi]

Sure, go for it! whee!

clarification of "good idea"

[jenna_thorn]

Someone says something along the lines of: "You know what would be really funny?

Because I can't really say they are all good ideas, since some of them are more along the lines of, "I bet you can't ..."

So then I do, usually in email or comments. Most of my fic stops there, but some of it gets expanded upon, and maybe I'll see the edge of a plot or just think, "you know, I bet if I tossed this out for general consumption, somebody might laugh."

To a lesser extent, all the rest, from cheering a friend (fairly often) to wanting to play in neat fandoms. The only one that completely doesn't apply any more is challenges. I've quit writing for challenges, though. The few stories I've written that sank without any ripple at all, not even a comment from the mod or the person who requested that pairing/plot/prompt, have been for challenges.

Re: clarification of "good idea"

[rhi]

How did I miss that?!? 'I bet you can't...' has been responsible for a lot of fic, from a lot of writers, some of it really, really good.

::laughing:: Yeah, I firmly maintain that plot is really implications, consequences, and historical trends/human behavior. (Not everyone agrees, but hey.)

And yeah, I've had a lot of luck with some of my challenge fics? But like you, some of it's sunk without much of a ripple, even when it was good. Annoying, that!

[beccadg]

Dreams. Seriously. Some times I remember enough to turn into a whole story. Other times I do write ups of the ones that I found cool, but couldn't take beyond the dream fragment I happened to remember.

[rhi]

Gah! I so completely forgot dreams!!

[beccadg]

Heh. I feel like I should apologize.