Albi, You Promised More Spectacular Seven! · 4:49am Jan 11th, 2020
Hi, guys, Happy New—
Don't change the subject!
Ahem, right. So, in... shit, October I said I would spend NaNoWriMo working on Spectacular Seven so you guys would have new chapters before the New Year.
I should really just stop saying things.
Okay, so, I did work on Spectacular Seven in November. Most of my 25,000 words went into it. At the start, I was trying to work chronologically through the story, then it kinda dissolved into me jumping around to random scenes I know are going to happen and writing them out.
And then... I stopped.
Whhhyyy?
I wrote out chapter 8. It's... fine. Nothing some editing can't fix. But, as I got to 9, I started hating everything I put down on paper, both content and quality. And yes, the point of NaNoWriMo is to crank out 50k words no matter how bad, and, I've done it before, but this time felt... different. I genuinely was not happy with this. And yes, I know I have the power to go back and edit. But here's the thing: I would rather go at a slow pace and get everything the way I want it the first time than Gatling gun through the story, realize I hate something or need to change something halfway through what I've written, correct it, then have to change everything after that to adjust to what I had changed.
Okay, that's reasonable. But it's January.
Mmm. Yeah, it is. So, there are two reasons why I haven't touched SS since November. First and foremost, I've taken SS back to the workshop to hash out the story beats again. I have some sort of... crippling perfectionism with this story. Everything needs to be at its best, which, you know, I strive for for every story I write, but I feel like I'm taking it to the nth degree here. I keep trying to make sure that, not only are there no plotholes, but everything progresses in a logical fashion while still being interesting and entertaining, but without dragging the plot on longer than it needs to while making sure every character contributes something and has a moment to shine.
And, being completely transparent for a moment: guys, Volume 4 is murky, even to me! I know what I want to happen. I know how it will end. It's getting there that's still a little fuzzy in some places, so I keep stopping to fill in some blanks and make sure that, if something needs to be set up, I set it up in Volume 3.
All that to say, I haven't had time to just sit down and have another really good think session. It doesn't help that with all the ideas and possibilities I do have down, I second guess myself on each and every one of them!
Phew.
The second reason (yes there were two) is that I've adopted a more 'go with the flow' attitude about writing. I have so many stories both out and in the wings and I have random bursts of inspiration for them, or I'm in the mood to really dig into one. I'm trying to follow that passion more. That's not to say I don't have a passion for SS (no one wants to see this story completed more than me! My current mantra is 'I will finish Spectacular Seven, then I can die!), it's just that whole "must have editing session and know with 100% certainty what I'm doing" mentality.
But, my goal for the new year is to write every day. Even just a little bit. On anything. Now that I don't have school anymore (that's still weird) I see that as completely achievable. So hopefully that means more content of some sort from me.
Boy, that was a long, roundabout way to say, "sorry, guys, I fucked up." When will there be new chapters for SS? I don't know! And it kills me that I can't give you an answer. And as my track record shows, if I did give you an answer, I'd shoot myself in the foot somehow and make it a lie. So all I can tell you is: I'm working on it. I work at the same pace as a snail strolling across Russia, but I'm working on it.
In the meantime, I'm working on a bunch of other stories that I shouldn't be working on! Who knows when they'll come out. You're guaranteed to get at least one new story sometime soon. Everything else right now is fair game. Who knows what'll happen?!
I'm still working on a dumb Spinel AU in the Steven Universe Fandom over on Archive of Our Own, so that's consuming some of my time. And I might be making another one!
I'm also uploading Long Road to Friendship over there too. Don't know why, everyone's who's gonna read it is already here. I guess I was trying to boost my notoriety so people will read my Spinel story. I'M SHAMELESS AND NEED COMMENTS ON MY STORIES, GUYS AND AO3 IS REALLY BAD AT BOOSTING YOUR STORY TO GET MORE ATTENTION.
Ahem.
That's an update. Don't let the rambling and caps lock fool you, I'm actually okay, just frustrated. Mostly with myself.
We're in a new decade, guys! I hope you have a good one! I'm trying to do better in every aspect of my life, especially writing. Will that mean more consistency? Probably not, but I'm gonna try! All I ask is that you bare with me. I will try my hardest to make it worth it.
Currently the theme song to my life, 'cause it's a bop!
Sunset sure is mean to you.
Well...I don't mind going over to AO3 to give Long Road to Friendship a kudos and a recc, but I never got into Steven Universe so....
Also, does AO3 do any story boosting at all? Shit's just kinda...there on that site.
RWBY Vol 7 is lit as fuck. Glad your still about. Stay sane
I’ll be there to kudos your stuff. I may not know the first thing about SU, but I’ll give you some a read.
NO, don't change the subject! Cause you'remy favourite subject! My sweet, submissive subject...
Easy Sunset! Your demon is showing.
Happy new year, Albi, and I'm sorry you're having such trouble. I know how that is. I hope you manage to figure out what you need out of Spectacular Seven that you shall see as good and be happy with. It really has been a beautiful and fun story all throughout and I'm, always excited about what will come next. Reading through your stories is always good for me when feeling down on storytelling and writing myself. Take care of yourself and good luck with the story! No matter when the next part will come out, I know it's gonna be another great addition.
That's the problem with muses. They act like hyperactive children on a sugar rush.
If I might make a suggestion? Once you finish a story (writing, editing, rewriting, etc.) and publish it -- walk away. Treat it as done forever and move on to the next project. If it isn't as good as you think you can do, take those lessons and incorporate them into another tale. You don't want to get into George Lucas territory.
I like you as an author, but we're not close enough to get naked together.
I've been hanging on every word of this story for a good long while.
What's a little while longer?
Keep doing the thing. You'll do it good. I know it.
We are patient, and we come to you for quality. Take your time to give us some more extraordinary content. We'll wait.
The thing about fanfic, as soon as it becomes more work than fun nothing good comes from it. So keep sane and keep it fun for yourself, the rest will feel itself out.
I know the crippling perfectionism bit all too well myself and given what happened when you tried to write chapter 9, I hope it's not getting in the way of really enjoying the process. Some perfectionism, you can absolutely do. Wouldn't be an Albi story without the TLC right down to the details. But, I don't know, could be that the pressure to update and make it 1000% perfect is sucking some of the joy out (or all of it) because, well, how can anyone live up to that?
I've gone through that, so it could be I'm seeing something that isn't there, but I can tell you that as soon as I let go (or was reminded by a friend to let go) of the pressure and expectations I set on myself and my writing, I could write more. And I started to love it again, and since I loved it and put my heart into it, it was better than when I was putting that pressure on.
I'm not saying don't give it the TLC you think it deserves (or that I never go Full Perfectionist anymore either, that still happens), just that I can say without exaggeration that you already are a fantastic writer. Trust yourself. Let yourself have fun with the damn thing first and foremost! Your readers will still be here faithfully whenever it's ready (she says, as one of them), so don't let a crowd of thousands stand on your shoulders as you write. That's your time.
... Orrr, I could be totally off-base. Either way, your writing goals sound awesome and I hope you have a good time with them!