The Roaring 'Tweens: Writer's Club for Ages 18-30 -- New Discussion! What motivates you as a writer?

My resolution for the new year is to finally finish the story I started posting last January DWB hit on that one; but I really hope to finish it before starting anything else big.

 

Wow! This thread is back up! I missed you guys heaps!

I'm currently HANDWRITING my next fic as my computer's dead, the ficcer's worst nightmare! I can't look up all the data that I have for the next story.

What motivates me? That's very hard to describe as anything from talkback radio to the latest Bond film to a SW cast interview (whcih inspired my Jedi Padme stories) can motivate me.

 

How old are you?

I'm 19, and I have my birthday every September.

What was your first experience with Star Wars:

The OT in their original versions when I was eight years old, in 1995. I then went into YJK after that, but took a long lay-off from SW except for the movies until Rogue Planet and NJO in 2001-2003.

Why do you like to write?

Because it gives me a creative outlet I haven't been able to do for years. I've had so many ambitions but this is the first one I've gotten any close to achieving.

Who's your favorite character to write and why?

Jagged Fel, because for some reason I identify with him. I love writing Kyp Durron too, but I like Jagged more. Incidentally, I'm a J/Jer, and my favorite female character to write is Jaina Solo. Jysella Horn is a close second.

What are you writing right now?

Three stories: One, Shattered Mirror (which is in my sig) which is an inherited AU that takes place in an alternate universe where Jag and Jaina are warped to . . . where the Yuuzhan Vong won the war. The second one, Beginning's End (also in my sig) is another crazy AU where the Vong are winning, but all of the characters who factored in the Bantam and NJO eras are involved in the war. Notably, the Skywalkers and Solos are all seperated and they can't feel each other in the Force because their's a massive and dark void weakening the Force. Three is Legacy's Scions, is a so-far canonical fic set in 62 ABY at the outbreak of a massive war . . . and a Sith conspiracy.


How does it differ from anything you've written previously?

Well, my writing is more understandable, now. I also made sure of the plots had a general plan now, unlike everything else I've written (and incidentally haven't finished) up to this point.

How have you changed as a writer from when you first joined these boards?

I've hopefully gotten better. But I've seen my writing style tighten up, and I've become more detailed and more organized, and I don't do sudden POV shifts when in the middle of a scene anymore.

What motivates you as a writer to tell your story? Fun? Feedback junkie?

For fun, definitely. But I do love feedback and I like receiving reviews and constructive criticism.

What is your best strategy for overcoming writer's block?

When you write three stories you don't have time for writer's block. However, I have to dodge distractions . . .

Does music help or hinder your writing?

Helps, definitely. Prog rock and concept albums perform pretty well, but I also listen to classical movie and game soundtracks like Lord of the Rings or Call of Duty . . .

 

Oh my goodness. I have never seen this thread before - until now. I have wondered where I would belong since I can't join the Teens or the Writer's Over 30. Home sweet home, this is!

How old are you? 25

What was your first experience with Star Wars? Just like I was born a Yankees fan, I was born into a Star Wars fandom family. My first true experience with the GFFA was when I was a baby. My folks took me to see RotJ. It was one of my 1st films. Needless to say, Jabba the Hutt wasn't a hit with me then - nor is he now.

Why do you like to write? Cheaper than therapy.

Honestly, I love the creative freedom and expression.

Who's your favorite character to write and why? I always love writing Talon Karrde because of his fatherly heart to his crew and his honor and truth. Mara Jade has always been my favorite female to pen. She is a strong character that has risen above the dark past that has followed her. I find her inspirational. And when I do get the chance to write them, Han Solo and Lando Calrissian couldn't be more fun to write!

What are you writing right now? Currently, I'm on the 30th chapter in what was supposed to only be a ten chapter story. The Blood of the Hand is a Mara Jade centric story and it deals with her past and the uncertain future she sees for herself. It takes place shortly after I, Jedi and it's a canon fic. I feel profic left a lot out during this timeframe and my story could be taken as a "here's what might have happened" scenario while staying true to canon.

I'm also working on two other bunnies and fleshing them out.

How does it differ from anything you've written previously?

Well, BOTH is the first SW fanfiction I ever wrote. I always enjoyed the EU novels, but when the reading wasn't taking care of my imagination, I decided to jump in and start my own stories. Before that - I had only written original work as well as Harry Potter fanfics.

Does music help or hinder your writing? Music is definitely a driving force for me when I write. I usually prefer strictly instrumental music since I find anything with lyrics finds it's way to side track my mind.

How have you changed as a writer from when you first joined these boards?

I've learned to show the story I've created. And not tell it. I've also overcome my fear with writing action and find I now look forward to writing anything with flying punches or blaster bolts. Being among other gifted writers is a fantastic thing and I love reading their work because I find I learn so much through them.

What motivates you as a writer to tell your story? Fun? Feedback junkie? I'd have to answer both to this. If a story isn't fun to the author, why write it? I need to enjoy what I'm doing or the work will match the mood I'm in. Reading my audiences responses is a great treat. They're such a support and I always love to read their notes and speculations.

What is your best strategy for overcoming writer's block? Still haven't figured this one out just yet.
Hmmm... Going for walks, or long drives helps. I also find watching movies or reading a book written by an admired author gives bad old DWB his walking papers.

This was lot's of fun! Looking forward to learning more about my fellow 'tweens on the boards.

 

Welcome, one and all again. Katana, my deepest sympathies!

 

How old are you?

Almost twenty.

What was your first experience with Star Wars:

My dad, token Star Wars nerd and Trekkie, took me to see The Phantom Menace when I was twelve. My mother told me that if I got bored I could lay my head back and go to sleep, because that's what she was gonna do.

She's been eating those words ever since.

Why do you like to write?

My mind likes to investigate all avenues of possibility. I get plot bunnies from the tiniest snippets of conversation, part of a song, or just one event in a day. If I kept them all in my head I'd explode.

Who's your favorite character to write and why?

Mara Jade and Jysella Horn. Mara, just because she's awesome...a strong woman, with so much baggage, and such a fun personality. So many possibilities! I like Jys because other than the loosely defined parameters that the Jacella group have for her, she's pretty much a blank slate. She's such a spunky girl!

What are you writing right now?
Um...lots. Thy Mother's Glass, a crossover with X-Files. I am actually still working on the Shades of Green trilogy. It's going through massive reforms. Two Jacella stories...I heart Jacella SO much. A crossover between Harry Potter and the X-Files, and a Harry Potter fic. And several X-Files fics by themselves.


How does it differ from anything you've written previously?

Well, I write a lot of crossovers now. That wasn't always the case. I love finding connections between fandoms and making them work in a believable way. My current fic, Thy Mother's Glass, is the best thing I've written so far, I believe, because of the connection I'll reveal later on in the story and the execution is much better than in anything I've ever written.

How have you changed as a writer from when you first joined these boards?

Oh yeah. I've been here over six years. I've improved by leaps and bounds since I first joined.

What motivates you as a writer to tell your story? Fun? Feedback junkie?

All of the above, really.

What is your best strategy for overcoming writer's block?

Stopping, taking a walk, listening to music. Music always generates new ideas.

Does music help or hinder your writing?

See above. Rock music, generally, but all kinds work.

 

LOL, that's such a cute story about TPM and your Mom.

 

I have a question: how do you get someone who has an idea for a fan fiction story to start writing?

One of my friends, he's a JCer, had an idea of doing a Blackadder SW crossover set in the Clone Wars with Blackadder trying to get out of fighting and Baldric ad his Padawan learner.

It sounds so funny, but he hasn't started writing it yet and it's been two months! Should I give you guys his username so we can all harass him? He's a year younger than i am.

 

I got one friend to start writing when I wrote a related story and that kinda broke the ice.

 

Too bad I don't know anything about Blackadder other than what he's told me.

 

Good point. Obscure fandoms complicate things.

 

Particularly if you don't know all the details.

I'm not sure I could do a cross over, I'm to into serious fics even if they are AU.

However, I have a little idea at the back of my mind of a fic about Palps' wife called "The Empress".

I;m thinking Livia from Robert Graves's I, Claudius. the only one IMHO who could Sidious a run for his money.

 

Ooh, Livia would be an intriguing challenger.

 

For some twisted reason I'm picturing them in a boxing ring together.

 

How old are you? Twenty-seven.

What was your first experience with Star Wars? Heh. I'm not absolutely sure, but it was either seeing a bit of Yoda and Luke in the swamp at home with my parents, or seeing part of the scenes at Jabba's Palace at my grandmother's house. I actually was under the impression for a while that Star Wars was mostly kind of gross and slimy. Then I managed to catch more of it at once and got to see the lightsaber battles.

Why do you like to write? It's fun! I like telling stories -- I've gotten to where I'll sometimes write stories down just for myself, that I don't feel are really sharing-material, but mostly if it's just for my own eyes it can just as well stay inside my head. *g* Unless I want it out. I've found, though, that sometimes the writing process will help me think out a story in much more detail.

Who's your favorite character to write and why? Umm. Good question. I got drawn into writing Star Wars fanfic by some fanfic about Dooku and Qui-Gon and the EU novel Yoda: Dark Rendezvous, and I guess I mostly write Dooku and/or Scout.

What's the hardest bit about writing? Getting around to it! Once I do that... editing? I'm getting better about it, but I've never liked it very much the way I know some people do.

Maybe, for me, it's... hrm. Not so much making characters realistically flawed, but making their flaws come out in a realistic way. I'm reluctant to let characters do something mean or something stupid, and I always expect that if I let them be stupid someone will tell me the character wouldn't be stupid in that way, and that I just did it because my plot required someone to be an idiot.

What are you writing right now? When answering the first question I ask that you please be courteous to others, provide a link to the story you're referencing, a summary and a sample paragraph. Limit to about five sentences only please and no more than three fics per person.

Um... meep. I was going to answer this when it was one of the "casual" questions, but actually I haven't got any Star Wars fics that are currently mid-posting. I've got several that are in the bunny or partly-written stage, but I guess I shouldn't get into that.

How does it differ from anything you've written previously? It's Star Wars. No, really. I posted my first fanfic in 1999, but my first Star Wars fic was posted to Livejournal... um... a week ago last Sunday. *ponders* And I'm actually still working through some of my first SW bunnies, so they haven't really had time to evolve a lot. I'm a slowpoke.

Does music help or hinder your writing? Hard to say. I'll get ideas listening to songs sometimes, but I haven't really done mood-sets. I haven't listened while writing very much for a while.

How have you changed as a writer from when you first joined these boards? It's only been a year and I'm a slowpoke, so... not sure. I suppose I've gotten more confident around the boards, but that's more of a function of joining new places.

What motivates you as a writer to tell your story? Fun? Feedback junkie? Yes. *grin*

What's your new year writing resolution? Um, well, I really want to finish my HP year-seven fic and get it archived before July 21. *sigh* Did I mention I was a slowpoke?

What is your best strategy for overcoming writer's block? I find being nagged is helpful. Or just insisting that I have to sit down and write something. Or tell the story to someone. I usually have less writer's block than either laziness or confusion.

 

I just found this today, and I decided to venture in

How old are you?Twenty-Three

What was your first experience with Star Wars? My first memory of Star Wars is watching it in our basement when I was four, and I've been hooked ever since

Why do you like to write? I just recently started writing, and I've found it to be a lot of fun; kind of an escape from classes and studying.

Who's your favorite character to write and why? Definitely Obi-Wan. He's always been my favorite. Other than that I like Anakin, Siri, Luke and Han.

What's the hardest bit about writing? Probably just wording it; that's always been hardest for me. Also just finding the time.

What are you writing right now? Twist of Fate, an AU where Luke is kidnapped eight years after ROTS.

How does it differ from anything you've written previously? I'd never written an AU before this, and I actually rather like it.

Does music help or hinder your writing? It helps me most of the time, but sometimes I prefer silence.

How have you changed as a writer from when you first joined these boards? Hmm, hard to say; After all, I've only been around for a few months, but I think I've probably improved, at least a bit, in my writing style

What motivates you as a writer to tell your story? Feedback. Definitely feedback.

What's your new year writing resolution? To get this story finished, start a few others, and hopefully get knighted so that I can take on a Padawan of my own.

What is your best strategy for overcoming writer's block? Well... I havn't quite figured out any strategies yet

 

Hi!

How old are you?
Twenty-three years old.

What was your first experience with Star Wars?
Well, I saw ESB when I was about 10 years at a sleepover at a friends house. Loved it right away. Vader scared me and I can distinctly remember thinking: "Who's that funny green creature and how does he know where this "Yoda" is?" Three years later I borrowed the old trilogy on VHS from a friend and I've been hooked ever since!

Why do you like to write?
It's fun. I just like telling stories. Especially stories set in a Galaxy far, far away.

Who's your favorite character to write and why?
Original characters. I feel like I can't really do Lucas' characters justice. I mean, I might be able to do it, but most of the time it just doesn't feel right. Besides, there is a big universe out there and plenty more interesting people with interesting stories in it.

What's the hardest bit about writing?
Descriptions. I like to really set a mood and I find to hard to transform what I feel in my gut to words. You know what I mean?

What are you writing right now?
Nothing really. Haven't really written anything in about five years. I used to write a lot though. I was part of Talon Intelligence Squadron if anybody around here remembers it... Star Wars just recently became an active part of my life again after reading Alan Dean Foster's brilliant novel Splinter of the Minds Eye and now I feel like writing again! I'm just planning something right now... We'll see how it turns out.

How does it differ from anything you've written previously?
Sorry, can't really answer that right now. Ask me again in a couple of weeks.

Does music help or hinder your writing?
It hinders me. I'm a serious musician (mostly a drummer, just venturing into bass) and when there is music playing in the background I just have to listen to it. Analyze it in my mind.

How have you changed as a writer from when you first joined these boards?
I sure hope so! I've recently re-read some of my old stuff and there are a lot of passages in it that I feel I can do better now. So, I hope so!

What motivates you as a writer to tell your story? Fun? Feedback junkie?
Fun and telling a new story that hasn't been told yet. Feedback is always nice though. It helps.

What's your new year writing resolution?
Writing something, anything!

What is your best strategy for overcoming writer's block?
Beating the drums real hard and pretending to be Keith Moon!

 

I can't believe this thread is back up. Are we gonna have any challenges?

 

Hi I'm new here, I thought I'd try this out!

How old are you?

Twenty-five.

What was your first experience with Star Wars?

I first saw them when I was nine I think. I don't remember thinking that much about them. I saw them during the SE re-release and fell in love.

Why do you like to write?

I started off writing because as a Han/Leia fan, their interaction in the official books was sorely lacking! So I started writing fanfic to fill in the gaps.

Who's your favorite character to write and why?

I think Leia. I love Han, but he's really difficult for me to write, because my personality is nothing like his. I find it easier to get inside Leia's head.

What's the hardest bit about writing?

I find action scenes hard to write, and humor is difficult for me as well. I also find developing the setting, culture and place challenging as we have to remember it's all in a GFFA and Earth-isms don't apply.

What are you writing right now?

Too many things. I'm currently working on a longer AU fic, one short individual challenge issued to me over at another site, and a monthly challenge at the same site.

How does it differ from anything you've written previously?

I've been reading a lot of Han/Leia fanfic by people whose works I admire, and seeing what intrigued me about these particular pieces. One thing that's consistent is the sharp dialogue and banter between Han and Leia, and I'm trying to work on that in my fics.

Does music help or hinder your writing?

I don't really use it. I have one of those minds that can't do anything involving their mind if there's music in the background.

How have you changed as a writer from when you first joined these boards?

I just joined so I don't think so

What motivates you as a writer to tell your story? Fun? Feedback junkie?

I've never gotten much feedback, so I suppose it's mostly my own motivation and friend's encouragement to keep going. Also reading other people's stories and hoping one day I could be as good as them.

What's your new year writing resolution?

To finish an epic. I never have before!

What is your best strategy for overcoming writer's block?

I try to write through it. Even if I end up tossing what I write, it helps.

 

Oh, hey! I ran across some advice on breaking writer's block and maintaining momentum here at A. C. Crispin's blog.

One of her tips for not getting stuck is not to stop at a stopping place. Once you finish a scene or chapter, she suggests going ahead and writing at least a little bit of the next section before you leave off.

For getting back into a story when you feel stuck, she recommends editing the previous parts of it for a while, or even printing out the last few pages, deleting them from your file, and typing them back in, editing as you see fit along the way.

There are some more, but the ones I just described are the ones I think I might try out soonest. (I'm sort of working on the "write every day" thing. I'm doing very, very badly at it. )

 

Oh! I totally forgot about this thread gang, I really didn't mean to abandon it for so long.

If you guys want to, we could either lock this thread and start a fresh one with a sock so it's easier to change hands if someone has to drop out of sight, or keep on going.

I personally would like to lock this thread and start over just because it's been so sadly neglected, though I don't want to run it by myself.

 

I'm all for a new thread. Bring it on!

 

If thats what you want to do.

 

I'm old enough to post here!


How old are you?

23


What was your first experience with Star Wars?
Saw the original OT on USA all the time, but didn't really understand what was going on until the Special Editions. My cousins told me that way back when I was very young, they used to play "Star Wars," and I was either Vader (just had to walk and breathe) or Leia (just had to be rescued). I don't remember any of this.


Why do you like to write?

I like telling stories, and I love entertaining people. If I write for myself, I usually don't share those stories. If I write to tell people something, or make them laugh and cry, I post them.


Who's your favorite character to write and why?

Anakin, because I get where he's coming from a lot of times, and for the times I don't, there are so many layers to explore. I think Han would be a lot of fun to write as well. I also love OCs because you can really go nuts.


What's the hardest bit about writing?

I'm lazy, and I procrastinate. If I could conquer those problems, everything else - descriptions, action sequences, plotting epics - would be solved. To me, discpline plays a big part.


What are you writing right now?

1) Have to clean up a long-overdue last post for a short story.

2) A WIP about Anakin working for the Separatists - have to get cracking on a new post.

3) Any number of unfinished vigs sitting on my computer.

4) A couple of longer epics that I've been writing on and off for the past couple of years.

I'm easily distracted, in case you didn't notice.


How does it differ from anything you've written previously?

I don't know if it does. I can be very eclectic when it comes to writing style and subject matter.


Does music help or hinder your writing?

It inspires stories, sets the mood for particular stories, and sometimes I'll have the same song repeating for a scene. But unless I'm really focused on the writing, or unless the music is mostly instrumental (loud guitars, trippy synthesizers, what have you), it can distract me.


How have you changed as a writer from when you first joined these boards?

I've been experimenting with style lately. The narration sometimes is closer to the character than 3rd person but not quite 1st person. Or the way I describe things, not lingering on the tiniest details but getting the important things out of the way, and then moving on to creating atmosphere. And I'm definitely more conscious about character roles, strengths, and weaknesses. I'm much more open to all kinds of story ideas and characters than I was when I first joined.

What motivates you as a writer to tell your story? Fun? Feedback junkie?

I love making people laugh. If they cry, that's fine, too. As I said before, I love entertaining folks, no matter what emotions I elicit from them. If I write for myself, the story either plays out in my imagination or stays in My Documents.


What's your new year writing resolution?

Don't be lazy. Don't procrastinate. Be disciplined and write something every day. Yeah, already broke that last one...


What is your best strategy for overcoming writer's block?

I follow Hemingway's advice: You've written before, and you'll write again, so don't worry. Stop when you still have something to write down. Once you do that, do something else and don't think about the story because in the back of your mind, you'll be collecting details and ideas. Then, sit back down, cut out all the unneccessary junk, and just write the truest sentence you know.

 

How old are you? 18

What was your first experience with Star Wars-Don't remember

Why do you like to write? It's fun

Who's your favorite character to write and why? Allana or TK. I can't decide.