Discussion Writer's Block Party: safe haven for batty fanfic writers

I'm with you there, Thorn. Amazing what stories you get to hear about yourself at breakfast, should you manage that state at a sleep-over party.

I participate in NaNo every year. I've gotten up to 35.000 words but then it gets stressful and I don't feel like writing for at least a week.
I won't make the 50K this year and I don't mind. It's just to get the juices flowing, so to speak.

Do you listen to music while writing? Just curious.
Because the last few days have been horrific when it came to writing -- huge, great, humongous lull. And then I discovered new music and voila: the muse is back and it's fun to write again. With new ideas and everything.

Music sort of pushes inspiration, I think.
I need quiet while writing but in between I lay back and listen to music and just let the ideas flow and then I take notes.
Works really well.

I find that music helps a great deal with the creative process. Although depending in what I am listening to it has a habit of creating new plot bunnies. When working on SW fic i do not recommend listening to the B-Star G soundtrack. It causes to many new and interesting ideas to pop up

I totally and completely agree with you.
I love the BSG music but it gets WAY too many ideas flowing.

It depends on the story I'm writing. If I have no idea where I want my story to go, then yeah, I listen to lots of music. I can turn it on, and it gives me an excuse to write things I never would have written, just based on the mood of the music. I find that symphonic goth rock (like Within Temptation) will inspire whole short stories. Yes, I listen to the same song like... twenty times or something, but it works!

I've been listening to "Way Beyond" by 32 Leaves for hours on end -- there's this short vig tickling at my mind. It's really hard to explain because right now I'm just missing the words. The lyrics are perfect for a vig!
Dark Sider teaches apprentice -- apprentice notices Dark Sider is a big fat liar.

When it gets you to write 35.000 words I'd say it worked!

I see some people here comment about NaNo as if it's only for original work, but I actually know of fanfic that's been written during NaNo as well. Nice long noveltype kind of fics....

As for music, no, I work in utter silence, can't concentrate with music on. What I do in between is read good books, with good writing style and hope that its quality sort of flows over into my own writing. It's strange maybe, but I need something to read at hand when I write and when I get stuck I read for a little while, and then I can go on again.

But never for long, alas....

Like the title of this thread, btw.
Now have a fanfic called 'Going Batty'

I had the most intersting thing happen to me last night. Well, actually this morning because I've been having trouble sleeping.
Anyway, I go to bed and I always listen to music before I fall asleep. Helps think about other story ideas and so on.
This time I go for the Xena Soundtrack.
And suddenly I have these pictues pop into my head for an Original Fiction piece!
Suffice it to say, I didn't get to bed until four thirty because I sat in front of the computer typing down notes and character profiles.

I thought that was kinda cool.
Music is wonderous when dealing with a Block.

Suddenly, I feel less alone! lol!

I keep trying to get away from fanfic, but fanfic keeps dragging me back in..... On the other hand, it's a good way to get creative without having to take too many risks.

The other day, for no reason whatsoever, a very large, Jack Bauer-shaped bunny came along and bit me really hard...and then threatened to do unspeakably painful things to me if I didn't write a fanfic. While I'm in the middle of another fanfic. *rolls eyes* That's ok, though. I'll be paying him back for that one.

Also, did y'all ever notice characters talking to you -- and sometimes for you?

As an example, I'm actively participating in a type of roleplay called e-fedding (or e-wrestling), wherein you handle a character who is a wrestler, and you manage his or her career. Typically, you have to write 1 - 2 roleplays (usually promos like you see on real wrestling) per week, and then a winner is decided based on the quality and content of those RP's. My character is "The Inveterate Confederate" Johnny Reb. Obviously, he is a Southern boy.

Anywho, my roommate and I were at a restaurant one time -- it's important to point out here that I'm living in Ohio, but originally from Texas -- and we were seated near some extremely unpleasant and obnoxious women who were talking loudly enough to be heard across the entire restaurant. At some point, one of these women said something about all Southerners being ignorant, uneducated, and flat-out stupid (or words to that effect) and being shocked that there were actual colleges south of the Mason-Dixon line. Now, I was personally offended by that little diatribe, but it was Johnny who started hollerin' about it -- thankfully only in my head. It was so strange, because while I was offended, he was violently angry, and it was like having two distinct people in my head....

Or I might just be insane, I never know....

Ithink merging Indy with SW would be awesome!! But who am i to speak. I mean come on, I'm an Indy fangirl ina SW community

A lot of people have done just that.