Snowflake Challenge: Day 11

[toujours_nigel]

Day 11: In your own space, talk about your creative process(es) — anything from the initial inspiration to how you feel after something’s done. Do you struggle with motivation or is it a smooth process? Do you have any tricks up your sleeve to pull out when a fanwork isn’t cooperating? What is your level of planning to pantsing/winging it?

On a 0-10 scale where 0 is pantsing it and 10 is meticulous planning, I'm at about a 4, which is considerably higher than it used to be, which was at about 0. I started out in fandom writing drabbles, pretty much into the lj posting box, and that's still how I write not!fic and meta on tumblr. For longer fic I usually carry an idea around for weeks before I get to writing it down, but even then I rarely have scenes planned out, and it shows: most of my fic is utterly without plot, just a knotty ramble of feelings and introspection.

Since a lot of my stories are distant in time and place, I do end up doing odd little bits of research, but I'm very lax even there, and far more likely to abandon things when they get difficult. No surprises that I've left a Wimsey crossover hanging for absolute years because I can't possibly plot out a detective story. The lack of planning also tells on my lack of longer fic, which I can't really manage in a febrile rant, and my two abandoned HP stories bear sad witness to this tendency. I have to say no to the tricks up sleeve for uncooperative fic, and how!

Well, that turned self-deprecating fast. I enjoy giving characters room to be introspective, and I like writing moments of calm in frantically-paced canon. I don't have much luck self-starting, so I'm always happy to get prompts. In fact, if you like my fic, do suggest a prompt. Or if you wanna know about any particular fic, drop a line and gimme an excuse to be voluble.

Comments

[musesfool]

because I can't possibly plot out a detective story

Might I suggest stealing the plot from another detective story and reworking it slightly for yours? The basics anyway - from Agatha Christie or whoever. I've done that when I needed a plot and couldn't figure out how to write one...

[toujours_nigel]

Oooh, that's a thought!

[grrlpup]

moments of calm in frantically-paced canon
Ah, these are such a gift to read, too!

[toujours_nigel]

♥

[summerstorm]

I've always found it easy to come up with stories, but I've lost practice to an alarming extent and now that I'm trying to write again, it is a disaster. I love when I can write a whole story in one go - and they tend to do better than stuff I meticulously work on for a long time - but I did get more planner-y as I went, too. My outlines are half outline, half nonlinear writing, though.

[marzipan77]

The first time I wrote a detective story I had to go back HUNDREDS of times and rewrite. Wimsey crossover with what?? I love the Wimsey stories!

[toujours_nigel]

I know what the crisis would be, but I can't get it to work. Though it's been a couple years, probably I should go back to it and see if something's shaken loose.

Wimsey cross-over with The Charioteer, set in 43. The first chapter is here https://archiveofourown.org/works/5960377 because I hoped posting it would get me writing.

[maplemood]

I'm right there with you when it comes to plotting--it's probably my single biggest weakness as a writer, always has been. On the other hand, knotty rambles of feelings and introspection are usually my favorite types of fics!

[toujours_nigel]

I try and try and then it all devolves into why so-and-so feels the way they do about x, y, z.
I do like writing that, while plotting is like pulling teeth, so.