Thoughts on writing. · 6:32am Jun 5th, 2014
This is just some random thoughts I've come up with on why my stories aren't that good, and some of the things I want to work on to make them better.
I just recently got back into actually reading fanfiction, and not just the bad ones too. I'm once again looking at other styles of writing through new stories. Actually I have over 600 unread chapters in my favorites list.
Strange Discovery is my longest standing story, one that has changed dramatically throughout the months. I have soo many ideas for it and think I know just how to put it all together, but when I try to write I freeze. Panic sets in and I question every word I put down. This is one of the biggest reasons this story has gone through so many versions as I am too picky on what I want to happen.
I am working on this problem by doing everything to stop thinking so much during the writing process and just write what comes to mind. It's hard but I see some progress being made.
The next has to do with flow. We know that the flow of a story is similar to viscosity, or how fast a liquid travels, I.E. syrup is slow and water is fast. I can't help but stall out my stories. Some chapters are over 7000 words long but flows like a waterfall, while others are 3000 and flow like molasses. It's really confusing but adding dialogue thins the substance out and speeds it up. Taking dialogue out has the opposite effect.
What I need to work on is getting the right dialogue to descriptors ratio.
There are two big flaws in Strange Discovery and those are its flow, as it feels like you're reading a textbook compared to a fanfiction, and the fact that two out of the three main characters are human, not ponies.
I had originally envisioned Strange Discovery to be a simple Pony on Earth fic, but throughout the versions it became more about the human and pony interactions, from the human perspective. I didn't know much about plot so I just did what I thought was cute and how I would react to suddenly having a pony. Then I stopped reading fanfiction, mostly due to me feeling inferior to all of the good writers, and read more human authors like Stephen King. He has drawn out stories like Duma Key where you read about minor things like the main character getting good at panting. That sounds boring, but since it's Stephen King you know something's building up, you feel it in your bones so to say. And since that's what I've mainly been reading, that's what my writing models.
Also, I've noticed that unlike the last versions of Strange Discovery, this one has a lot of sub plots. I don't know if that's a good thing or not, but it's there. I guess I turned something really simple, like taking care of a filly unicorn, and made it extremely complex with characters that have an actual backstory (I don't know if the backstory is well written or not) with more problems than "Oh my gawd a unicorn!"
I see all ponies from the My Little Pony universe as special beings with special powers. This means that no matter how tough you think you are, a cute pony will bring something out in you. That may be good, or it may be bad. They might even tear your life apart by bringing these things out of you. The point is that ponies are more than meets the eye. They've changed my life so why not have them change the lives of fictional characters too?
Those are some of my thoughts on writing, maybe I'll make this a thing, maybe not. It all really depends on what I'm thinking.
Anywho, thanks for those who actually read this, and I hope you have a good night.
P.S. I'm still looking for people to preread the fifth chapter in Strange Discovery. PM me, I won't bite, and I'll take any feedback.
Bye!!!
Well, if you're looking for a new story, I might have an idea for ya if y'er interested. I'm too busy with IRL stuff and other fics to do it so I'd like a colab partner. You can post it but i'll take a writer's credit.
And in terms of writing styles, you can use human writers as inspiration. After all, I write like Neal Shulsterman as of late. Writing style is style, so long as you make it your own.
Interesting.
PM me the details and I'll think about it
2177487