Challenge Dear Diary (a 2007 challenge) Come on in and vote!

What do you think about an annual challenge? Would you do it again?

Probably not for a while. It's like writing an epic. I have to figure on at least 26 posts.

The muses smiled benevolently on me for this challenge, and I have an OC that is a real chatterbox. I don't think I'll see another like her for a while. I would rather wait for another unique OC than simply invent a knock-off of my current one.

The diary challenge reminds me of the drabble challenge a few months ago. It seems like a lot of people were writing drabbles (myself included), then they kind of went out of fashion. That could well happen to the diaries: they could lose their "freshness" if they become a permanent fixture, and people would be less likely to follow them.

Ok, I finally have time to answer this.

How you came up with the idea for the diary? Was it spawned by another of your stories, just another story, or did you start something completely new?

My story really isn't something based off another one of my stories, but I had the idea of who I wanted to right about and went from there. I thought it would be interesting to write about a what going through the Clone Wars as a teenage Jedi Padawan would be like and that's where Jorya Lank fell into place.

Did you know where you want to go with it right from the start?

Yes I did, I wanted to show her thoughts and feelings about not only going to war, but also dealing with being a teenage girl and all the insecurities that come with that.

you still writing as inteneded, or did you just go off an tangent?

I started it with a set plan in mind, and yes it has evolved from there and I have come up with some new ideas along the way, but my basic plot is still going strong.

Will I do it again next year?

I knew going into this challenge that it would be long and sometimes trying, but I still jumped at the chance. Granted I nearly dropped the ball completely, but I still plan on finishing till the end of the year. Next year, however, I don't think I want to do another challenge like this one. Once year is fine, but it would hard to do it another one. At least for me.

What do you think about an annual challenge? Would you do it again?

My diaries end somewhere in the future by the end of this year. But another challenge for another year: 12 posts but no more.

Well, I have an entry but it isn't exactly in the same format as most of these. Oh well, I may as well post it in here! I do so hope you enjoy the first thing I've written in about 6 months or so.

Dear Diary - A Private Journal

And there ya go.

sign me up just started a fic called the journal of brook solo I would love if it was entered

I'd also like to enter my story into this challenge.

It's here:

In Repair

Thanks.

- Shouri

Like BaronCoop, you can link your diaries to the thread, PrincessBrookSolo and Shouri.

But I think it would be kinda unfair for those who work on their fics for about half a year already to accept new entries now.
If there are enough participaints around at the end of the year, I might start another challenge.

I have worked on mine for two years and just posted it

You finish the fics before you post?
I heard about that idea, but never managed to incorporate it.


And Happy Half-Time to those who are still around.
And don't you dare drop out now.

I wouldn't dream of it, even though one of my diaries only has one reader. I enjoy writing them. In fact, I may continue even after the challenge is over!

EDIT: Correction, the diary I spoke of now has two readers!

I'm going to drop out of the competition part itself, but would still like to keep my diary entry listed. Real life and the plot line are both making it impossible to do more than one entry a month, so that knocks me out of consideration for the challenge contest (not that it would have ever been a serious contender anyway. It's a fluff piece, after all).

How you came up with the idea for the diary? Was it spawned by another of your stories, just another story, or did you start something completely new?

my OC is from another 'fic I'm writing and the diary is telling the story before the other 'fic actually starts


Did you know where you want to go with it right from the start?

in a way since it somehow has to end where the other 'fic starts


Are you still writing as inteneded, or did you just go off an tangent?

uhh ... I had nothing outlined, just ideas I wanted to work in and posts are written right before I post them ... and at times the characters are developing their own life and are not behaving the way I want them.
right now I have no idea what I will write for the next post


- Mags

How you came up with the idea for the diary? Was it spawned by another of your stories, just another story, or did you start something completely new?

It was spawned off of Dare to be Oblivious. I wanted to cover more serious aspects of an OCs backstory. Kasrit Noyas just kept bugging me to figure out why she's... how she is.


Did you know where you want to go with it right from the start?
you still writing as inteneded, or did you just go off an tangent?

Yes. I wanted to connect her to the past. See how she met Mara, how she got into In All Times..., met Ghent and what her feelings were on the Empire/Rebels, as well as flesh out the Whills involvement. I wanted to figure more about them and connect the dots. I want see what it would be like for a refugee who starts out with neutral leanings in the era when all characters are either good or evil Alliance or Empire. It's still following that plan. In a way it's like Pink 5- behind the scenes help of OC who isn't recognized but could have been important.


Will I do it again next year?
If I have time, sure. I am planning on finishing off all my fics this year so I should. (In All Times first, if anyone cares to know, I am trying to get back into the swing of writing)

And Happy Half-Time to those who are still around.
And don't you dare drop out now.

Thanks, MsLanna!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to check in. I'm still going, but I did loose some steam as my story was in an odd place just as other responsibilties of real life happened. But I'm still in.

~Obi

So I'm running out of topics... *buger*
<help me Obi Wan Kenobi> </Leia voice>

What about the PoV?
Was it new to you to write first person? How do you like it? And do you have problems including things thyt you think the reader should know, but the character mustn't?

What about the PoV? Was it new to you to write first person? How do you like it? And do you have problems including things that you think the reader should know, but the character mustn't?

I've never done a first person POV before this so is has been very different for me, but also a great learning experience. The only thing I find that I don't like is that the focus of the story is very tunnel visioned. I can't write about Obi-Wan's thoughts about meeting my OC and her relationship with Luke. That's challenged me in a way I haven't had to deal with before.

As for including things the reader should know, but my OC doesn't, I find that by using the first person POV I have to use a lot of foreshadowing. The diary genre is perfect for this as the main character writes her suspicions and speculations.

What about the PoV?
Was it new to you to write first person? How do you like it? And do you have problems including things thyt you think the reader should know, but the character mustn't?

It?s new to write from the first person to me and I like it. And for things I think the reader should know I write supporting stories.

Well, I didn't really think of it so much as writing an actual story in first person. I thought of it more as having the characters (since i'm doing two diaries) confide something in the 'diary' they would not with anyone else, and they only tell the big thing that is troubling them at the time. As such, there is much going on outside of what they reveal.

I've tried first person as a writing excercise in high school, so it isn't completely new. Not really, because I don't know all that much.

I've written first person before - several times
writing first person is ... how shall I say? It depends totally on my own mood and what I want to write

Including things what the reader should know but the character does not? in first person? the reader gets to know what the character does know - I can't think of a way how it should work




anyway - new post is up

Well, I wrote a lot from first persons point of view before, though I'm not too fond about reading such things. Wonder why?
So I had some practice.

Inserting thins the readers should know, I thought about that a lot, but I think it's all a question of connotation.
In an SW forum the allusion of 'that little blonde boy living with his uncle' means Luke clearly as anything. But if the character does not know who Luke is, the reader is one step ahead of him already. That also works with direct contact. To a stranger the name 'Hethrir' will mean nothing, but to many of us that'd be a reason to turn and run.

What about the PoV?
Was it new to you to write first person? How do you like it? And do you have problems including things that you think the reader should know, but the character mustn't?

I am comfortable writing in first person. I think it can be an effective tool in the right story. But it MUST be the right story. If I think I am going to have to reveal things to the reader that the character shouldn't know, then I don't use it.

But as an exception to the rule... I am currently writing a story in which only Qui-Gon's POV is presented as first person. Everything else is seen from an outsider's perspective. So there'll be a section where Qui-Gon talks about what he perceives and then other sections (in the same chapter) where we see what's happening to people who aren't with him or how they're relating to Qui-Gon's situation. It's been different, but enjoyable.

I was just thinking... to spice up this challenge, you could have themes of the month. Like July could be fireworks month in which one post has to deal with something to do w/ fireworks such as explosions, or fire or passion. Another month could be multiple syllable month where all descriptions must have three or more syllables. Sort of like a challenge within a challenge. Those doing the diaries can take part in the extras or not as they wish. I just thought that would be something fun to add to this challenge, plus it may help those who are running out of ideas. Or you can just wait until next year to implement it if that's something you want to do.

I'm not sure how well that wopuld work, Alexis. I have my story scheduled pretty much and wouldn't know if there was space for any 'extras' in it. It might be good as inspiration, though.

I'm afraid to ask what the others think, though. this thread seems rather - slow.

Yeah I noticed, which was another reason I came up w/ the idea to see if we could liven up the thread.