The five stages of writing meme
May. 25th, 2014 07:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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draycevixen who always has the most interesting memes. I'm taking this to apply to my longer fics - applying five stages to drabbles, 221Bs, or ACD 60s seems a bit like overkill, although the process is still there, just in a shortened version.
1. The idea. Generally it's a challenge or an exchange or a prompt from somewhere/someone. Looking through AO3, that's where nearly all of my fics originate. This is certainly true for drabbles and 221Bs.
2. Gestation. I mentally work through part of the plot, tossing it around, seeing what could happen, what will work and what seems a good idea, but doesn't actually make sense (A might do X, but surely B would notice/call them out on it). Again true whatever length I'm writing. If it's a longer fic then I can only go so far before I start writing, so that I will move onto stage 3 and will return to stage 2 for the next part and rinse and repeat.
3. Writing. As I've said elsewhere, I have to write in order. I cannot leave a gap and come back to it. I'm not one for writing a framework and then filling in the gaps. If I can't work out how to phrase a sentence I will spend my time sitting and fiddling with it. I have now trained myself to put in the occasional second-best word when I know there's a better one around, but other than that there's no way I will move forward. If, further down the line I decide I need to amend something I've written earlier, that's okay, I can do that, but, however much I may know where I'm heading for, the words need to be recorded in the correct order.
4a. Editing. Checking the number of words and fiddling around to get them exact. Which is where the perfect phrase within a drabble/221B/ACD 60 so often gets ditched. But I love the challenge of producing something that makes sense in a few words. And sometimes there is the supreme satisfaction of hitting the word target first time.
4b. Re reading and sending the wretched thing to the beta. I will read the finished fic through and make sure I'm happy with it. And then off it goes to the beta, who points out the typo I've looked at three times (at least) and missed every time. Who picks up the word repetition of that day's 'word of the day'. Who says that something doesn't quite make sense, which normally means there's a paragraph still in my head which I have failed to type, because I know perfectly well why C did Y but unfortunately osmosis hasn't worked through the ether.
5. Amendments from beta. Either I accept their suggestions, occasionally I reject them (because they've said 'did you really mean Z' and I did) and additions as required so that the fic makes sense. I am extremely grateful to all those who beta for me - without fail they pull my fics up to the next level.
And then just the posting and the hope that somebody, somewhere, likes what I've written. Apart from the kudos received when I post something new, the other thing I really love is when someone has obviously just found my fics and posts kudos for two or three of them, it's such a lovely feeling.
draycevixen who always has the most interesting memes. I'm taking this to apply to my longer fics - applying five stages to drabbles, 221Bs, or ACD 60s seems a bit like overkill, although the process is still there, just in a shortened version.1. The idea. Generally it's a challenge or an exchange or a prompt from somewhere/someone. Looking through AO3, that's where nearly all of my fics originate. This is certainly true for drabbles and 221Bs.
2. Gestation. I mentally work through part of the plot, tossing it around, seeing what could happen, what will work and what seems a good idea, but doesn't actually make sense (A might do X, but surely B would notice/call them out on it). Again true whatever length I'm writing. If it's a longer fic then I can only go so far before I start writing, so that I will move onto stage 3 and will return to stage 2 for the next part and rinse and repeat.
3. Writing. As I've said elsewhere, I have to write in order. I cannot leave a gap and come back to it. I'm not one for writing a framework and then filling in the gaps. If I can't work out how to phrase a sentence I will spend my time sitting and fiddling with it. I have now trained myself to put in the occasional second-best word when I know there's a better one around, but other than that there's no way I will move forward. If, further down the line I decide I need to amend something I've written earlier, that's okay, I can do that, but, however much I may know where I'm heading for, the words need to be recorded in the correct order.
4a. Editing. Checking the number of words and fiddling around to get them exact. Which is where the perfect phrase within a drabble/221B/ACD 60 so often gets ditched. But I love the challenge of producing something that makes sense in a few words. And sometimes there is the supreme satisfaction of hitting the word target first time.
4b. Re reading and sending the wretched thing to the beta. I will read the finished fic through and make sure I'm happy with it. And then off it goes to the beta, who points out the typo I've looked at three times (at least) and missed every time. Who picks up the word repetition of that day's 'word of the day'. Who says that something doesn't quite make sense, which normally means there's a paragraph still in my head which I have failed to type, because I know perfectly well why C did Y but unfortunately osmosis hasn't worked through the ether.
5. Amendments from beta. Either I accept their suggestions, occasionally I reject them (because they've said 'did you really mean Z' and I did) and additions as required so that the fic makes sense. I am extremely grateful to all those who beta for me - without fail they pull my fics up to the next level.
And then just the posting and the hope that somebody, somewhere, likes what I've written. Apart from the kudos received when I post something new, the other thing I really love is when someone has obviously just found my fics and posts kudos for two or three of them, it's such a lovely feeling.
