Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2013 10:08:10 GMT -5
I seem to be the master of "good, but not great".
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Drall
Scribe
Miniature Buddha Sheltered Within a Lotus Blossom
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Post by Drall on Feb 14, 2013 10:19:58 GMT -5
Agro, you were correct about my first entry.
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Post by Matteo ((Taed)) on Feb 14, 2013 10:26:19 GMT -5
I seem to be the master of "good, but not great". Honestly? ..... I blame the fan fiction. For reals. I know we've been ragging on you for it lately, but I'm genuinely serious. You've probably written -more- than anyone else on the site, and that practice has turned you into an awesome technical writer. But most of your stuff that I've ever read has had very little creative spark. That was my complaint in your Thunderdome review. And I think a big part of it is that, despite all of that great practice you've had, the lion's share of it has been done in fan fiction universes, where a bug chunk of the creative heavy lifting is done for you. The next big thing you write should be a 100% original work, and you should really try to push the envelope. It will be harder, but it will also be better. Even if it's terrible, it will be better, because it will be yours. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2013 10:27:57 GMT -5
Nah, it's definitely not the fan fiction, since anything I've written, original or not, has always been described as "good, but not great". I've also written two seperate NaNo novels, so...
Edit: I do agree that my stories lack a creative spark. But that's a failing I've always had, not just because I've written fan fiction too long.
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Post by ASGetty ((Zovo)) on Feb 14, 2013 11:59:33 GMT -5
Nah, it's definitely not the fan fiction, since anything I've written, original or not, has always been described as "good, but not great". I've also written two seperate NaNo novels, so... Edit: I do agree that my stories lack a creative spark. But that's a failing I've always had, not just because I've written fan fiction too long. It's all right, Tam. I think we can all agree that you need a creative spark to make it in the literary world these days. |
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Post by J.O.N ((Dragonwing)) on Feb 14, 2013 12:03:13 GMT -5
Nah, it's definitely not the fan fiction, since anything I've written, original or not, has always been described as "good, but not great". I've also written two seperate NaNo novels, so... Edit: I do agree that my stories lack a creative spark. But that's a failing I've always had, not just because I've written fan fiction too long. It's all right, Tam. I think we can all agree that you need a creative spark to make it in the literary world these days. Besides, 50 shades of Grey was Twilight fanfic. So if you stick with the fan fiction route, you'll probably be able to fill the Aral Sea with money instead of just a pool. |
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Post by ASGetty ((Zovo)) on Feb 14, 2013 12:08:15 GMT -5
It's all right, Tam. I think we can all agree that you need a creative spark to make it in the literary world these days. Besides, 50 shades of Grey was Twilight fanfic. So if you stick with the fan fiction route, you'll probably be able to fill the Aral Sea with money instead of just a pool. ^This. Just take someone else's story, make it angsty and cash in. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2013 12:13:04 GMT -5
Funny you mention that, since my Penryhn Entry Two was based somewhat on a book by Brandon Sanderson, The Alloy of Law. The time period and the two characters are reminiscent of the main characters in that book; I had just finished reading it before I wrote the entry, too, so I think that affected my style.
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Post by James on Feb 14, 2013 15:01:22 GMT -5
Nah, it's definitely not the fan fiction, since anything I've written, original or not, has always been described as "good, but not great". I've also written two seperate NaNo novels, so... ... I think Taed was saying that fan fiction is the reason why your original stories are "good, not great". Your original stories are missing something, because you write so much fanfiction and it kind of shows by the missing creative spark. But at this stage, I feel like I could write a thesis on the cons of writing fan fiction and have it universally praised, and you would still ignore it and deny it because you're thinking we're attacking you -personally-. We're not. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2013 15:19:16 GMT -5
I don't think that, though. I just genuinely believe it's not Fan Fiction that's my problem. Like I said, it's my fan fiction that's "good, but not great" as much as my original fiction. I'm just not a creative writer in general.
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Post by James on Feb 14, 2013 15:31:20 GMT -5
I don't think that, though. I just genuinely believe it's not Fan Fiction that's my problem. Like I said, it's my fan fiction that's "good, but not great" as much as my original fiction. I'm just not a creative writer in general. I wasn't a good technical writer. You can attest to that. My pieces were littered with mistakes. My Arena Entry, I don't think anyone spotted a mistake. If there were mistakes present, it was only the odd one or two. How did that change? I forced myself to concentrate on it. I didn't rely on my old saying of "well, that's what editors are for, it doesn't matter". I spent hours working on my grammar, writing little pieces honing on grammar and sentence structure. I think there's a similarity with you. You say you're not a good creative writer. And I think often that's true, your stories aren't the most original of stories. And if I have to hazard a guess, I would say it's down to fan fiction and the creative heavy lifting you're missing out on (like Taed say). But I think you're still on the "that's what editors are for, it doesn't matter" stage. You don't see it as a problem. And you get defensive when people bring it up. I really agree with Taed and would say that you'd be best served by doing some really original, envelope pushing pieces. Put yourself out of your comfort zone. Get creative. And work on that. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2013 15:38:30 GMT -5
I've been puzzling out what's wrong with my stories for a long time now, trying to find out what's wrong with them compared to how successful everyone else is. It's something I've thought a lot about, and tried to combat, but I just haven't gotten there yet.
Getting out of my comfort zone of fantasy and/or military fiction is a good idea, one I tried with Arrival a few months ago. I think I did pretty well. But I don't do it often, which I admit is something I should do.
But I don't think fan fiction is the root of the problem. That's the only thing I disagree with, because it's not just my original fiction that suffers. It's the fan fiction, too. If it were only my original stuff, I'd agree. But it isn't, so I don't. And I don't intend to come off as 'oh, you're attacking me'. I just disagree because I have a different opinion.
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Post by Jenny (Reffy) on Feb 14, 2013 15:41:49 GMT -5
Maybe it isn't the fanfic but the fact that you always stay in the safe zone and never try something super-bloody-daring? Possibly?
Bah-procrastination from the assignment. Oops!
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Post by James on Feb 14, 2013 15:42:28 GMT -5
I don't know why you think fanfiction should be immune to this failing. It won't be. Your fan fiction will suffer as well from a lack of a creative spark. It's just, instead of being left without a limb in original writing, you're using a crutch (the universe's built-in creativity) in fan fiction.
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Post by ASGetty ((Zovo)) on Feb 14, 2013 15:48:40 GMT -5
Maybe it isn't the fanfic but the fact that you always stay in the safe zone and never try something super-bloody-daring? Possibly? Bah-procrastination from the assignment. Oops! Writing outside your comfort zone is tough. I have a hell of a time with it. I find that, even if I get a pretty good start on it, by the time I reach the end I'm right back in there. I love a twist ending and I have a hell of a time writing a striaght forward story. I'll often just keep writing well past an appropriate ending just to see if I can work in a twist somewhere, or even just a little turn... just one last sentence to make the reader go, "Hmmm..." And I don't have to do that, I -know- I don't have to do that, but it's like a compulsion. When constructing a story in my head, I generally begin at the end and build the story toward that last sentence. In fact, virtually everything I can think of the -didn't- begin that way never got finished. I guess it's like having a target to aim for, if I don't know what I'm shooting at I either don't shoot at all, or miss the mark. For me, writing outside my comfort zone isn't about genre or themes or moods or styles... it's in the construction phase and I'm terrible at it. |
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