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I have been doing a lot of beta work lately. *A lot* Last night, I got an email from one of my newer writers that, in addition to thanks for my *fine* beta job, included: I really appreciate you taking time do this for me, and I would love to hear sometime what the writing process is like for you. You have such an eye for detail and the ability to really get the sound of the characters' voices down. I think I would benefit from hearing how you do it." This? Is either a budding writer's shrewd attempt at keeping me beta-ing happily, or the absolute, unequivocal TRUTH. I'm going with the latter.
So all shall benefit from her cunning, as I give you "The Writing Process" by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
crazydiamondsue. Er, this won't be a well thought out thesis on the skills I've learned in becoming a better writer. I'm not actually secondverse, I only impersonate her at cocktail parties. And although this is an illustration of just one incident (last night), it's pretty much indicative of the whole thing.
It's a Meat Process
After distractinguberaeryn from the fact that life, indeed, does suck at times by talking about myself (a tried and true tactic), I head home to work on the final Bad Smut day ficlet to be written for adis723. I snog Caza, reassure him that Uberaeryn is fine, and grab the laptop and head to my writer's garret (also known as an attached garage.) I boot up, load Word and proceed to jot down the notes I made on the story that had occurred to me during lunch, a most inopportune time (since lunch means "While I was driving around smoking and listening to early 90s pop.")
Remember that I toldwinterlive I'd be on MSN messenger in order to beta her Jon Stewart/Eminem RPS. Log on and chat briefly, read fic and squee (unlike me, whenever I'm worried over how a story idea is going to pan out, she didn't go for the easy jokes. She actually used good writing. Huh.)
Go back to Word, realize I'm now not in the mood to write Spike & Cordy snark. Suddenly wish I'd had more than 1 1/4 beers at Uberaeryn's (tried to be responsible.) Pop in appropriate AtS DVD for inspiration. Get an email fromadis723 that she had finished my new cowboy icon (see above.) Email back thanks, as well as pull quoting what I considered the funniest line from the story I was writing for her, because I'm an absolutely unrepentant attention whore. Decide to check flist.
Remember thatstoney321 had called while I was at uberaeryn's. Call her back, offer reassurance that Uberaeryn is fine. Giggle with Stoney over things on LJ that we found funny (some deliberately so, some not.) Get a rec from her of sdwolfpup's Season 7 Buffy vid set to La Resistance from South Park. Download and watch with a big grin on my face the entire time. Call Caza in to watch. "Play it again!" he says. We watch again, both of us wincing at the darker moments for Xander and Anya, respectively. Close out media player and sit down to write.
Refresh flist.
Realize that I still have appropriate AtS ep pulled up for inspiration. Fast forward to relevant scenes. Get distracted by Charisma's noticeable brow and forehead wrinkles. Take comfort in that, since I am three months older than she is. Realize that, as fascinating as this train of thought is, it's getting me nowhere near story completion. Close out DVD and re-open Word.
Refresh flist.
Get another email fromadis723 telling me that the line rawked. Ego stroking Inspiration has occurred!
Write several paragraphs. Introduce Spike into scene. Giggle. Think of notes for later in story, jot them down. Consider cheesiness of particular line. Shrug and go with it.
Caza comes in to give me American Idol update. Brief flash of irritation at myself when I realize I forgot it was on. Realize thatentrenous88 will have highlights tomorrow, and continue writing.
Refresh flist.
Write a few more paragraphs, realize that, due to flist distractions, repeated trips into house to pee and chronic email addiction, it is now 11:30 and I have written roughly seven paragraphs plus notes. Sigh and give up for evening, because, again, responsible, and I have work tomorrow. Take laptop inside and make Caza read scene. He breathes a sigh of relief at the lack of a slash mark in the intro and reads. Comments on favorite line. Am well stroked.
Go to bed, after nightly: Caza, Sue, weiner dog, cat in bed comfort shuffle. Relax, close eyes and let mind drift. Write the entire fic in my head with a vague feeling of annoyance, knowing that I won't be able to remember half of it in the morning. Most of my best fics disappeared this way. Comfort myself with the knowledge that deadlines are my best friends, and I'll hammer out something.
And that's the process. Really, don't try it at home. So...what's yours?
ETA: I just realized that I wrote: the final Bad Smut day ficlet. Hee - Freudian slip, thy name is Sue. Eh. I'm not changin' it.
So all shall benefit from her cunning, as I give you "The Writing Process" by
crazydiamondsue. Er, this won't be a well thought out thesis on the skills I've learned in becoming a better writer. I'm not actually secondverse, I only impersonate her at cocktail parties. And although this is an illustration of just one incident (last night), it's pretty much indicative of the whole thing.It's a Meat Process
After distracting
uberaeryn from the fact that life, indeed, does suck at times by talking about myself (a tried and true tactic), I head home to work on the final Bad Smut day ficlet to be written for adis723. I snog Caza, reassure him that Uberaeryn is fine, and grab the laptop and head to my writer's garret (also known as an attached garage.) I boot up, load Word and proceed to jot down the notes I made on the story that had occurred to me during lunch, a most inopportune time (since lunch means "While I was driving around smoking and listening to early 90s pop.") Remember that I told
winterlive I'd be on MSN messenger in order to beta her Jon Stewart/Eminem RPS. Log on and chat briefly, read fic and squee (unlike me, whenever I'm worried over how a story idea is going to pan out, she didn't go for the easy jokes. She actually used good writing. Huh.) Go back to Word, realize I'm now not in the mood to write Spike & Cordy snark. Suddenly wish I'd had more than 1 1/4 beers at Uberaeryn's (tried to be responsible.) Pop in appropriate AtS DVD for inspiration. Get an email from
adis723 that she had finished my new cowboy icon (see above.) Email back thanks, as well as pull quoting what I considered the funniest line from the story I was writing for her, because I'm an absolutely unrepentant attention whore. Decide to check flist.Remember that
stoney321 had called while I was at uberaeryn's. Call her back, offer reassurance that Uberaeryn is fine. Giggle with Stoney over things on LJ that we found funny (some deliberately so, some not.) Get a rec from her of sdwolfpup's Season 7 Buffy vid set to La Resistance from South Park. Download and watch with a big grin on my face the entire time. Call Caza in to watch. "Play it again!" he says. We watch again, both of us wincing at the darker moments for Xander and Anya, respectively. Close out media player and sit down to write.Refresh flist.
Realize that I still have appropriate AtS ep pulled up for inspiration. Fast forward to relevant scenes. Get distracted by Charisma's noticeable brow and forehead wrinkles. Take comfort in that, since I am three months older than she is. Realize that, as fascinating as this train of thought is, it's getting me nowhere near story completion. Close out DVD and re-open Word.
Refresh flist.
Get another email from
adis723 telling me that the line rawked. Write several paragraphs. Introduce Spike into scene. Giggle. Think of notes for later in story, jot them down. Consider cheesiness of particular line. Shrug and go with it.
Caza comes in to give me American Idol update. Brief flash of irritation at myself when I realize I forgot it was on. Realize that
entrenous88 will have highlights tomorrow, and continue writing.Refresh flist.
Write a few more paragraphs, realize that, due to flist distractions, repeated trips into house to pee and chronic email addiction, it is now 11:30 and I have written roughly seven paragraphs plus notes. Sigh and give up for evening, because, again, responsible, and I have work tomorrow. Take laptop inside and make Caza read scene. He breathes a sigh of relief at the lack of a slash mark in the intro and reads. Comments on favorite line. Am well stroked.
Go to bed, after nightly: Caza, Sue, weiner dog, cat in bed comfort shuffle. Relax, close eyes and let mind drift. Write the entire fic in my head with a vague feeling of annoyance, knowing that I won't be able to remember half of it in the morning. Most of my best fics disappeared this way. Comfort myself with the knowledge that deadlines are my best friends, and I'll hammer out something.
And that's the process. Really, don't try it at home. So...what's yours?
ETA: I just realized that I wrote: the final Bad Smut day ficlet. Hee - Freudian slip, thy name is Sue. Eh. I'm not changin' it.
