The it's a loooooong story thread: Support group for epic fan fic writers - poll 6/14 (red)

Well I have actually started writing a fan fic for the first time, after gathering idea's in my mind for the last 4 years. What first inspired to write a Star Wars fan fic was back in 1999 when I first so Episode 1, ever since I have thought up of a story that I actually think will work.

I'm trying to keep the story a secret until I release it here at the fan fic forums, but what I can say about it is that its a long story, with a new Alien race and characters, as well as a new never before seen planet.

But yeah, my fan fic is a long and have been writing it from last summer, but as I am in school I still havent completed it and I have quite a bit to do.

 

Well, I have a story that is supposed to be rather long and part of a series, but work on it is slow. I don't really prioritize writing, so I go months without a new chapter; I only have 5 so far. I feel bad about letting it go so long and I fear everyone has abandoned it, but I do try to keep at it. Of course, recently I've had computer troubles and so I really haven't gotten anything written, it's been over two months since the last chapter. The worst part is having the next chapter completely laid out in my head, just not having the opportunity and motivation together to get it down. So to everyone who posts once a week. It's my first long story to so I'm also afraid it won't be as good as I want it, since I haven't really laid down any long-term plans for it. Lol, it's fun to see how it develops as I go along. It's going to take forever just to finish the first part, but I'm sticking with it.

 

Oh boy...gotta tell sj about this thread...

The only fanfic project I have worked on and am currently working on is an OC-centric 9-part saga. It's largely based on characters and stories that I made up when I was younger, which I'm now trying to put together in a cohesive and interesting manner. It's quite a challenge, to say the least. But mainly because I have so little experience writing fanfiction! And I also feel like my writing skills in general are...lacking...greatly. :\

I've thought about perhaps doing some smaller things first- vigs, short stories, etc. But I really, really want to at least complete my first entry into the saga, Dawn of Legends, first, and I'd even like to finish this first trilogy of three. The problem is...zero motivation. Every time I go back and read the story, I just feel like it's Force-awful. And there are only two people who post feedback, so it's not exactly the most rewarding thing in the world...

Writing skills...motivation...readership...help!

 

Well, me and MerryWLukeFan are going to write Agonizing Nerfs together and the plotline is massive, the idea rather complicated. It's going to be wicked fun. And hopefully, I'll be posting long things.

 

*Walks into thread with cookies and Mountain Dews for all*

You need energy to complete a long story...and notes.

 

I try to write long stories, but generally inspiration leaves me for months at a time. I then try to get it to a point where there isn't a cliffie. Others I work at as much as possible. Or whenever inspiration strikes, normally in math class

 

*latches onto thread*

I need you Boy do I ever

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

I really could have used this about two months ago. I was writing an epic story. It took me about a year and two months of sometimes off and on work to complete it. It was 105,551 words long, about 494 pages in word and the only thing that kept me going were my readers. I had about 4 or 5 loyal readers that I could count on to be there to read and leave feedback every week and they are the only reason that I finished that story. Towards the end, I kept getting stalled. I would see how I wanted to end the story, I just couldn't get it there and so much of the time I just wanted to give up. It wasn't fun anymore.

Of course, I have that feeling almost anytime that I finish a story and then about two days later I get a major rush of the wonderful feeling that it was so awesome to have actually finished it up. And then I go and start something else.

 

Okay, I have a question for you all. How many characters do people tend to have in their epics? Myself, I have rather long dramatis personaes for both my novel length fics. And that doesn't count various characters who are only in a handful of chapters as minor players! Needless to say, I'm known for my characterization. Anyhow, having not read many long fics, I'm curious as to the cast list of some beyond my own works.

BTW: If anyone is curious as to what I consider a long D.P, I can post my two here.


JD.

 

If it's an epic, two words: Ensemble Cast. Keeps it interesting, at least for me. You have to have a diversity of perspectives.

 

I have three main characters, 6 semi-main characters and several (ie lost count) of minor characters.

 

I've really only got 4, but others wander in and out.

Ugh . . . I should really be writing now, but I don't wanna!

How do you guys force/bribe/mind trick yourselves into sitting down to an epic length fic when you really don't feel like it?

 

Well, I just wrote a side-story of the main fic and posted it in the same thread. My readers were quite happy to get something and I actually was able to add to the overall plot line even though it wasn't directly related. It also renewed my interest (and overcame my WB) in the (by this time intimidating) fic. I also asked my readers if they would mind if I wrote other short fics in the same AU and posted them on the thread and they enthusiastically agreed.

 

Well, I myself am not a writer (longest thing I've ever written was 10,000 words), but I'm a major reader of epics, and I have a deep admiration for what you do. Bleh...those 10,000 words were hard enough, and when I think of writing more, I'm glad other people do it for me. I'm just in for the story, after all.

Well, really, I'd just like to say that there *are* people who read uber-long fics, and appreciate all the hard work that you put into them. *grin* Just remember, there will always be some readers that read your fic, no matter how long it is. They may be lurkers, but they're there.

 

Thank you Aggy_Head, it always helps to hear things like that!

I ended up reading the last page of what I had written, going out to take a walk and sort of think about what was coming next, and then coming back in to write some more. I didn't get a ton accomplished, but it was better than nothing.

P.S.--Approximately 9 more pages until I break my word-length record.

 

Yes, thanks a lot Aggy....dang lurkers...jk

 

Aggy_Head Wow! You mean some people who actually go looking for these monsters of ours, from time to time?!


JD.

 

I'm still amazed at the response to this.

By the way, I'd like to encourage writers in this thread to include links to their long sagas and go ahead and post about it whenever you've passed some kind of milestone (like say... 100 pages done or if you've finished an episode/part in a series) and we'll cheer you on.

An idea I had recently was to do a directory for longer stories but I don't think I'll have time to work on that. Anybody interested in taking over the idea?

sg

 

That's a good idea sg, but goodness knows I don't have time for that or I would do it

If it's an epic, two words: Ensemble Cast. Keeps it interesting, at least for me. You have to have a diversity of perspectives.

See here's where I'm having a problem. I have an ensemble in each of the stories in my series, but still only one perspective thusfar, and that's Obi-Wan's. But it's been a very deliberate move on my part because it's a character study and I don't want to put too much of anyone else's perspectives in it. Because Obi-Wan doesn't see a lot of what's going on or what people are thinking, and that's kind of the point, to simply see what he's seen to try to better grasp who he is in these situations without the advantage of knowing what the other characters are expecting.

So is that a bad thing to do? I mean, I know it probably sounds really boring to some people but this is coming from the author who just saw Before Sunset, a movie with two characters and only dialogue, and absolutely adored it I mean, thankfully I get to write a lot more than dialogue given the nature of Jedi missions and life, and there are a lot of characters in my story, but only one perspective thusfar. The next story might have opportunity for Obi-Wan, Anakin, and one of my OCs to be in a kind of different arrangement that might allow for perspective shifts, though...

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

Does a fic trilogy count?

 

I'm desperately, desperately trying to finish chapter 9 today, because I'm going to need to start posting the first sections of it in a week or so, and I need time to edit. [face_panicking]

I am currently goading myself into writing by trying to break my personal fic word count record.

Previous record: 82,321
Current fic total: 79,908

Words to go: 1,413.

Must . . . not . . . leave . . . computer . . .

 

Go Ophelia. You CAN do it!!!

 

Word count: 80,998.

Words to go: 323.

That's only another page, but I've got to knock off for a while . . . I'm tired!

 

I know the feeling, but "Do it, just do it." And of course "You can do it!"

 

Chug, chug, chu- ......er, no

You're going to get there. I admire your work ethic so much, since I only seem able to hammer out around 2,000 words a week.

Which reminds me... I really need to work on the next chapter of SotC today

sg, I know just what you mean about being a little intimidated by long stories. I have several I'd really love to read but it's just so hard to catch up with those things once they're started. It would be so much easier if all these fanfics were conveniently in book format here on my shelf for me to read

Anyway, I'm so honoured by the dedication you've shown to catch up with SotC like you have and to keep up with it. It's not *all* that long right now (around 70,000), but by George is it ever going to be... estimates I've made tend to come in at around 364,000 ....

....

....

*jumps off rooftop*

-sj loves kevin spacey