Khell wrote:I'll give the AU a go as soon as I can, promise! Can't keep the ladies here waiting. ;)

Thanks Khell. That's right--don't do it for me, do it for them!

And I got your chapter, Philippa, so I'll read it as soon as I get the chance.

Thanks, I really appreciate it. I'm not sure it's finished though, I feel like there's a tiny piece missing near the end, but I'm not sure what to write (I wrote that in the chapter itself too)
The vital part of the next chapter has already been written, I've done that part back in December I believe, and haven't looked at it since. So that'll be interesting for myself to read back. I've been thinking about various endings, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. But I am on a roll, because I've got ideas for 2 more fics playing in my head at the moment

Philippa wrote:Thanks, I really appreciate it. I'm not sure it's finished though, I feel like there's a tiny piece missing near the end, but I'm not sure what to write (I wrote that in the chapter itself too)
The vital part of the next chapter has already been written, I've done that part back in December I believe, and haven't looked at it since. So that'll be interesting for myself to read back. I've been thinking about various endings, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. But I am on a roll, because I've got ideas for 2 more fics playing in my head at the moment

Yeah, new ideas always pop in when you're trying to finish old ones. Anything Purdey/Gambit related in there...?

Yes!

Philippa wrote:Yes!

Goodie!

Writing fanfiction is so much harder than I initially thought! Not that I ever thought it'd easy, mind. There's so much you need to consider and think about. I find dialogues very hard. They have to be just right, in order to stay interesting, and I'm having trouble doing that. Same goes for good storylines. I don't think I'll try to take on a long story anytime soon. I've got a few ideas for shorts, and I think I'll stick to that for a bit, to practice. You'll notice that with my long story, I'm sort of abandoning the plot near the end, because I just didn't know what to do with it anymore.

But hopefully with a lot of practice, I will get better at it someday, because I do enjoy it

Philippa wrote:Writing fanfiction is so much harder than I initially thought! Not that I ever thought it'd easy, mind. There's so much you need to consider and think about. I find dialogues very hard. They have to be just right, in order to stay interesting, and I'm having trouble doing that. Same goes for good storylines. I don't think I'll try to take on a long story anytime soon. I've got a few ideas for shorts, and I think I'll stick to that for a bit, to practice. You'll notice that with my long story, I'm sort of abandoning the plot near the end, because I just didn't know what to do with it anymore.

But hopefully with a lot of practice, I will get better at it someday, because I do enjoy it

It's very hard! Part of it is just keeping disciplined, because I promise you, any long story I've ever written, I've hated by the end. You just see too much of it and get sick of it, and I often have to push through the last few weeks to finish it. This is why you need betas, who will be able to view it objectively with fresh eyes, and tell you that what you've written isn't the crap you thought it was. rabidsamfan just did this with my AU, which, at 55 pages, I swore was good only for the scrapheap. Now I'm excited about posting it! But I had seen too much of it for 6 weeks to be able to evaluate it properly anymore.

Long stories are worst of all for this, because you inevitably have to write scenes that you find boring to push the plot along. This often means the dialogue is dull, too, but I do my best to get it reasonably entertaining. "Brazil" was the all-time hardest for this.

But I think shorts are a very good idea. You get maximum bang for your buck--written quick, little editing, and quick feedback. I wrote a few shorts before I went back to writing longer pieces back in 2007 (after I'd resurrected a few of my old pieces)--"Magazines" was one. I find my best shorts are written almost all in one go--just off the cuff when I get an idea and have dialogue bouncing through my head. People like shorts, too, because they don't require the same commitment to read. I'd love to see what you do with a short. That disco one that you sent me had lots of promise.

Yeah I still don't know what to do with that one. All of a sudden I had an idea for a piece of dialogue, but that's it. Now I've come up with something else as well, which I'm sure you'll approve of since it's Gambit centered
I don't know when either of them will be finished, but both will be relatively short I think, since that's so much easier.

And I agree about writing it in one go. I did that with the A2A fic too, it came in at just under 700 words, and I wrote it without stopping even once!

Philippa wrote:Yeah I still don't know what to do with that one. All of a sudden I had an idea for a piece of dialogue, but that's it. Now I've come up with something else as well, which I'm sure you'll approve of since it's Gambit centered
I don't know when either of them will be finished, but both will be relatively short I think, since that's so much easier.

And I agree about writing it in one go. I did that with the A2A fic too, it came in at just under 700 words, and I wrote it without stopping even once!

Most of my shorts started out as a brilliant piece of dialogue that popped in my head, which I rushed to write down, and then usually snowballed--Gambit, Purdey, Gambit, Purdey. Back and forth, usually all at once. If you break the momentum and come back to it, it instantly becomes more of a chore. What I'll do is write it once, rough, all at once, and then when I go back, it's for editing. Like "All Wet." I wrote it, then when I went back I saw places where it needed better descriptors, or the dialogue needed tweaking. But those pieces are pure fun, and what writing fanfic should be all about. I think if I never wrote arc stories--longer, more involved ones that do what I always wanted to see onscreen--I'd be dissatisfied. So I need a variety. Write some arc, then do an AU (like I just have), and then some shorts (or Vignettes). Now that I've finished the AU, I actually want to go back to the arc because it's "new" and I'm excited about it. But it takes time to get in a groove, and there will be lots of writing you force yourself to do when you don't want to but don't want to let things molder, either--ask Khell.

So have fun and keep it simple. Sometimes less is more. And if it's Gambit-centred, you know I'll be there.

The annoying thing is, that I came up with the most amazing lines for my Gambit story, when I was in bed last night. I was about to fall asleep, and that's when I usually come up with the best stuff. And of course I've forgotten all about it now. All I can remember is the title and the first couple of sentences..
Damn!

Philippa wrote:The annoying thing is, that I came up with the most amazing lines for my Gambit story, when I was in bed last night. I was about to fall asleep, and that's when I usually come up with the best stuff. And of course I've forgotten all about it now. All I can remember is the title and the first couple of sentences..
Damn!

I hate it when that happens! I come up with really good stuff at night, too, and sometimes I rehearse it in my head, but I still often forget a lot of it. It happened with Vignettes, and I was lucky I managed to remember what I did for my AU. Otherwise those last few scenes would have been even harder.

Maybe it'll come back to you? Take a notebook to bed next time.

Upto chapter 12 of Brazil This is going to get imense

M-J;;W wrote:Upto chapter 12 of Brazil This is going to get imense

I take it you're enjoying it, then?

Timeless A-Peel wrote:

M-J;;W wrote:Upto chapter 12 of Brazil This is going to get imense

I take it you're enjoying it, then?

Definatly enjoying it :D
Gunna read the last 2 chapters tomorow, iv'e been so busy lately so havent had chance to read as much as i wanted in one go. Seriously tho this is an amazing story. Il let you know how much i love it when i finish it tomoro

M-J;;W wrote:

Timeless A-Peel wrote:

M-J;;W wrote:Upto chapter 12 of Brazil This is going to get imense

I take it you're enjoying it, then?

Definatly enjoying it :D
Gunna read the last 2 chapters tomorow, iv'e been so busy lately so havent had chance to read as much as i wanted in one go. Seriously tho this is an amazing story. Il let you know how much i love it when i finish it tomoro

Wow, you're almost finished already? You must have put in some serious reading sessions! Soon you'll be caught up with everyone else and reading "Life on Mars." Anyway, I'm really happy you've been enjoying it thus far. Long fics are hard to do, so it's always a good thing when they work out.

I feel like I need to read Brazil again sometime soon. I've forgotten so much of the actual storyline already.

Philippa wrote:I feel like I need to read Brazil again sometime soon. I've forgotten so much of the actual storyline already.

I won't complain if you do. (Or post more comments. )

Yeah perhaps I should review it on ff.net
I don't think I ever did that, because I always posted my thoughts in this thread.

Philippa wrote:Yeah perhaps I should review it on ff.net
I don't think I ever did that, because I always posted my thoughts in this thread.

Well, you know I won't mind if you do.

I should do some more writing, since it's hard to focus on much else at the moment. I did edit a little bit of "Life on Mars" last night. I need to really get into that one and finish the rewrites.

Can't wait for a Life on Mars update!

How are things with the fire by the way? I can imagine you're not in a writing/editing mood because of that..

Philippa wrote:Can't wait for a Life on Mars update!

How are things with the fire by the way? I can imagine you're not in a writing/editing mood because of that..

Well, we haven't had to evacuate, which is good. The wind was blowing the fire away from us yesterday, too, so it's still a ways away. Last update I heard it wasn't contained (there are two fires, actually, the other one 40% contained, but not a threat to us), but there's no wind now, and they're hitting it agressively, so it seems we're not in danger at the moment, and hopefully it'll stay that way.

I find I need things to distract me, because I've done enough sitting and thinking about everything going up in flames already. I watched a lot of TV yesterday--16 episodes of Shaun the Sheep (which are only 6 minutes long, but still) in between press reports about the fire. So writing is another distraction. It's too smoky to go outside, and I've still got my stomach virus, so I'm a little queasy (sounds rather like what you had, actually. I dont' want to eat much, either). So I might write to keep my mind off things. Might result in an update or two!

Well I don't mind any updates of course

Shaun the Sheep is great isn't it? My dad's addicted to it

Philippa wrote:Well I don't mind any updates of course

Shaun the Sheep is great isn't it? My dad's addicted to it

I didn't think you would.

I love Shaun the Sheep. I read some articles about it and just had to try it. I love Wallace and Gromit, so something by the same people, with sheep, was always going to be a winner for me. They're so cute! Especially the baby one, Timmy, with his teddy and pacifier. Aww... (The fat one's cute as well. ) I had a box set I bought last summer and thought I may as well watch it. I'm trying to watch all the DVDs I've got before I order more. I think I have four more shows to go, and then I can buy Ashes to Ashes season 2.

(The sheep made me think of "Silent Night," when I wrote about stereotypical English sheep. I'm guessing the ones Purdey saw didn't play football, though. )

Ahaha no they probably didn't. Or maybe she did see them play football, in that case she'd mixed her Purdkas a bit too strongly

Oh and I wouldn't mind a vignette update either if you're in the mood for that

Philippa wrote:Ahaha no they probably didn't. Or maybe she did see them play football, in that case she'd mixed her Purdkas a bit too strongly

Oh and I wouldn't mind a vignette update either if you're in the mood for that

I'll see what I can do...

I have images of a sloshed Purdey watching football playing sheep and tugging on Gambit's sleeve. "Mike, the sheep! The sheep! They're offside!"

Cue Gambit. "No more Purdkas for you."