What are you Writing?

[starbreaker]

i've been working on a series of a fanfic since about 2017 i believe. it's kinda cringe and self-indulgent, hehehe but who cares. i write it only for myself anyway 

Listen: my Starbreaker saga is basically fanfic, except that I don't use an existing setting or characters. I've been working on it since 1996. It's basically a pastiche of all the stuff I've enjoyed (Final Fantasy, Michael Moorcock, Shin Megami Tensei, Blue Oyster Cult, etc), it's weapons-grade cringe, it's as self-indulgent as the worst progressive rock albums, and I stopped giving a fuck decades ago.

What you're doing is valid, no matter what actual or wannabe English teachers and literary critics might think.

[starbreaker]

I love the world building you establish so quickly, it seems such an interesting blend of ideas!! :)) The main character's personality comes off very obviously from the way you write, which is awesome!

Thank you! It's from a setting/saga I've been working on since 1996. It actually started with a story I had written for a creative writing elective in high school. The story got me a failing grade, and the teacher read it aloud in class as an example of what not to do, and told me that I'd never get published.

I ended up sending that teacher a paperback of my first novel back in 2013 along with a jar of Grey Poupon and a copy of David Lee Roth's Eat 'Em and Smile album. :)

[MrsMoe]

I'm currently writing a half surreal half mundane short story about a mother and daughter being bound together by a wedge of flesh connecting their sides. It's a VERY personal story to me and it's as of now the longest thing I've ever written.....but I'm starting the worry if the middle portion is getting boring as I'm writing it 

[Bluuu2000]

Right now I'm working on a microfiction trilogy abt a guy stranded in space. It's a bit of a challenge bc there's only one character and there isn't much of a plot to speak of. Still, I'm happy with how it's going so far hopefully I get it done and posted today

[grubbyfox]

I've been writing fic since before I knew fanfic was a real thing, because I didn't have the internet. Have fun, it's a fantastic hobby. What's your fandom? :D

All writing is good practice, too.

Haha, yeah I think one of my first "fanfics" was from like, the movie Red Dragon? lmao so stupid. I was just a teenager back then. But I liked to write like, original stories too. I had one super duper long one that got lost to a harddrive crash ;_;

Right now, my long running one is a fanfic/fanfic spin-off I guess? of a norwegian TV series called ZombieLars.

Fanfic is awesome! I've tried over and over to actually write for fandom but haven't thought of/made a project that I'm really invested in that regard. Hats off to you! 

I feel ya! A lot of my friends have been writing fanfics for all sorts of fandosm for a long time! I usually end up with like, just writing an "OC" into the universe of the fandom and just indulge in tropes, lol!

Listen: my Starbreaker saga is basically fanfic, except that I don't use an existing setting or characters. I've been working on it since 1996. It's basically a pastiche of all the stuff I've enjoyed (Final Fantasy, Michael Moorcock, Shin Megami Tensei, Blue Oyster Cult, etc), it's weapons-grade cringe, it's as self-indulgent as the worst progressive rock albums, and I stopped giving a fuck decades ago.

What you're doing is valid, no matter what actual or wannabe English teachers and literary critics might think.

losing it at "weapons-grade cringe"      and also, holy moly that is impressive! For real, 1996???!!! Oh man, respect...

And yeah, my target audience is ....ME, and I re-read them when I want some real "comfort" stuff to indulge in, hahaha. 

[starbreaker]

losing it at "weapons-grade cringe"   

Oh, you have no idea. I wanted to write an uber-pretentious science fantasy rock opera but didn't have enough musical talent or the ability to get a band together, so I wrote a novel instead.

holy moly that is impressive! For real, 1996???!!! Oh man, respect...

Yep. 1996.

[grubbyfox]

Oh, you have no idea. I wanted to write an uber-pretentious science fantasy rock opera but didn't have enough musical talent or the ability to get a band together, so I wrote a novel instead.

Yep. 1996.

 
Mad respect for that, lmao!!  Gives me a good reminder to just keep on keeping on!

[Melooon]

uber-pretentious science fantasy rock opera but didn't have enough musical talent

You wanted to be the bad guy from Totally Spies who tried to do an evil space rock opera using AI from the moon

[J. Soda]

Thank you! It's from a setting/saga I've been working on since 1996. It actually started with a story I had written for a creative writing elective in high school. The story got me a failing grade, and the teacher read it aloud in class as an example of what not to do, and told me that I'd never get published.

I ended up sending that teacher a paperback of my first novel back in 2013 along with a jar of Grey Poupon and a copy of David Lee Roth's Eat 'Em and Smile album. :)

That's so impressive!! I've definitely got a passion project like that on the back burner at the moment because it needs a serious overhaul (started it in middle school). That teacher absolutely sucked at expressing their opinion professionally!! Creativity is something that always appeals to different people, and I'm sure you know now but their thoughts definitely failed to recognize that the story just didn't appeal to their taste. Obviously you know how to appeal to at least a certain kind of reader if you have published work. Once it gets published I'd love to have and read a copy :))

*edit* Just saw I can read it online! Coolio!! Definitely will peruse and let you know how I like it. If you don't mind of course, no constructive criticism unless asked.

[J. Soda]

I'm currently writing a half surreal half mundane short story about a mother and daughter being bound together by a wedge of flesh connecting their sides. It's a VERY personal story to me and it's as of now the longest thing I've ever written.....but I'm starting the worry if the middle portion is getting boring as I'm writing it 

That sort of stuff is right up my alley!!! I love writing that deals with things so 'freakish' but correlate to a certain normalcy. To be fair, I think as long as you feel that mundane or 'boring' piece has purpose, then I think it fits! To use that bored nature to emphasize the mundane nature of the situation, to reflect the mood of the characters and the mood of the situation, then it fits thematically!! If it's not enjoyable to you though, don't be afraid to change it. I know as soon as a piece of writing becomes personal to me I have a hard time getting in there and changing it :))

[J. Soda]

I feel ya! A lot of my friends have been writing fanfics for all sorts of fandosm for a long time! I usually end up with like, just writing an "OC" into the universe of the fandom and just indulge in tropes, lol!

Ahh that's fair!! Who knows, the mood might strike me for sure. There's definitely a piece of media or two I wouldn't mind making an OC for, specifically the resurgence of hype of spidersonas when Across the Spiderverse came out. I don't know too much about Spiderman, but I sure do love Spiderman

[J. Soda]

Right now I'm working on a microfiction trilogy abt a guy stranded in space. It's a bit of a challenge bc there's only one character and there isn't much of a plot to speak of. Still, I'm happy with how it's going so far hopefully I get it done and posted today

Aw sick!! I get the one character struggle, it means the environment and the MC really have to play together, which isn't always easy, especially with space being mostly 'empty.' Good luck with that!! Where are you going to be posting it if you don't mind me asking? :))

[starbreaker]

Obviously you know how to appeal to at least a certain kind of reader if you have published work. Once it gets published I'd love to have and read a copy

I appreciate it, but it's not gonna get published except on my website. Unless I make my own ebooks and sell 'em on itch.io.

Publishing didn't really work out for me last time; I sold enough to complicate my tax preparation (dealing with W2s from a regular job and 1099s for book royalties is not fun) not not nearly enough to even think of quitting my day job. Mainly because I'm absolute shit at marketing, creating an audience, or building a community and have zero interest in getting better at these things.

[J. Soda]

I appreciate it, but it's not gonna get published except on my website. Unless I make my own ebooks and sell 'em on itch.io.

Publishing didn't really work out for me last time; I sold enough to complicate my tax preparation (dealing with W2s from a regular job and 1099s for book royalties is not fun) not not nearly enough to even think of quitting my day job. Mainly because I'm absolute shit at marketing, creating an audience, or building a community and have zero interest in getting better at these things.

Fair enough, definitely sounds like a lot of extra hassle for sure!! Get it out however you want, if people want to read it they'll go through the avenue you create. Definitely is a lot of hoops to jump through, publishing that is. Haven't learned much about it quite yet, gotta get past the second draft first lol :))

[starbreaker]

Just saw I can read it online! Coolio!! Definitely will peruse and let you know how I like it. If you don't mind of course, no constructive criticism unless asked.

Yep. I've got a bunch of stuff here: https://starbreaker.org/fiction/

Though I fouled up the year for Spiral Architect.

I'm not looking for detailed feedback, but if something worked for you (or didn't) I'd like to know.

Fair enough, definitely sounds like a lot of extra hassle for sure!! Get it out however you want, if people want to read it they'll go through the avenue you create. Definitely is a lot of hoops to jump through, publishing that is. Haven't learned much about it quite yet, gotta get past the second draft first lol :))

Good luck with the draft. If you'll pardon a bit of unsolicited advice, now's probably a good time to start building up that audience if you do intend to attempt publishing. Publishers pretty much expect you to be big on TikTok or one of the other skeevy corporate socials.