What are you trying to write right now?

[mitchermitcher]

Post about your current writing endeavor, fictional or not and potentially kill any motivation you ever had to actually finish it.

[~~~~]

this post

 

my will

[Snatch Steal]

I'm writing a series of short stories that are actually not short at all. The theme is dreams, and they're going to be terrible because I have 2 weeks to write it.

[Catterjune]

Current Writing:

Arena - A Duel Academy Fanfic:
http://forum.yugiohcardmaker.net/topic/350681-arena-a-duel-academy-fanfic/

One Sentence Summary: "A slice-of-life fanfic, taking place in a Duel Academy."

Longer Summary: "After a fire burns down his school, Arthur Surrogate and a few other boys are transferred to Hawthorne Academy, a premier all-girl school in Silvershine City. There he meets his roommate, a girl named Arena who is not quite what she seems (and if you REALLY want to spoil it for yourself, just read the title of chapter 6)."

My own thoughts about my fanfic:
... It's okay. One of the few stories I can actually stand to re-read, and I think it gets better after a second draft.

"I'm not sure if this is a parody, or if the author is just hiding behind the word parody to excuse their terrible writing."

It's more lighthearted and more comedic than standard YuGiOh fics, though there is the standard end-of-the-world plot slowly (very slowly) creeping in.

The plan is to finish this school year at Chapter 27, then have two more of these. Currently on Chapter 13. Chapter 14 will be posted tomorrow. All chapters are posted on Fridays.

[mitchermitcher]

Should probably contribute myself.

 

Trying to write a magic fantasy setting with two girls as childhood friends. One develops a life-long obsession with becoming an angel, the other develops an obsession with the first girl, she chases the other around the world or something like that. Got an ending in mind I can work towards but getting the story to that point has been nothing short of unfruitful. Wanted to write something where the MC picks his/her own selfishness over being with a loved one, not sure that's actually driving the story at all but I'm trying.

[Catterjune]

So you've got your ending. That's better than most would-be writers.

 

What I'd recommend is finding several of those kinds of "anchor points" throughout the story and building towards them. Make a quick one paragraph kinda summary of how we get to the ending. Then keep adding other points and other details along the way. You don't need to write it down but just sorta get the idea out there and keep building from there until you get more anchors, have a good enough start, and then finally get your story going.

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

Besides RP stuff...Almost at the end of the first book of a fantasy series that is more/less about seemingly normal people who are in some mysterious way linked to a fallen angel who had reformed their ways and tried to build a group of warriors (not the ones linked to them) to protect the world from evil creatures. This particular book involves meeting a couple such "normal" people, and attempting to prevent an invasion.

 

And another one I will be working on which will deal with a more futuristic society based on Humans forcing Elves to work in mines to get an unusual and dangerous substance that's used to power the world's technology. It's gonna be a somewhat superhero story as well.

 

Very very vague descriptions I know.

[Maeriberii Haan]

After a long while of neglecting it, atm trying to finish the first few chapters of a Touhou fic before posting it, although since I haven't made a fanfic for a long while, considering to make one-shots first and post them as warm ups.

 

Other than that...working on a novel concept set in an alternate world Age of Discovery, about two pen pal separated by continents that attempted to find each other. Still only having rough ideas regarding this one, but right now I'm mainly still settling in and trying to play around with the style I decided on for this. Having letters drive a significant parts of the narrative might be a bad idea but I'm interested in trying it out to see if it can work.

[mitchermitcher]

Having letters drive a significant parts of the narrative might be a bad idea but I'm interested in trying it out to see if it can work.

I dunno but that sounds pretty bloody amazing to me. I always liked that sort of narrative, conveyed through texts that actually exist in the story. I can't see anything inherently bad about it at least. Dracula had a sorta similar thing, almost.

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

[spoiler=Current plan (spoiler tagging because details)]

Basically working on my 5Ds hybrid fic (meaning that card games aren't the only way major issues are resolved, and some things from other series come in) that's been written off-site since 2010, which I have been lazy with updating lately and not at the ideal place I want to be in the story (i.e. I should've been done with the first set of main villains and moving on, but that arc hasn't even begun yet).

 

Supposed to involve Synchro users (main characters) in a battle against the main antagonists: Members of the local university (professors, faculty and students alike), along with their beneficiaries, who specialize in Xyz Summoning and firmly believe that their way of dueling is the only correct one; anyone who disagrees with their thinking is hunted down. 

 

Part of the plot is fueled from reading the Tale of Heike / the Taiga drama that was made about it (mostly the latter half up to the war); in essence, the university were once respected by all, but became corrupt with power and starting destroying lives for the sake of it. With respect to the analogues, you could say that the university will be the Heike, and protagonists and their allies are the Genji. (And yeah, some of the university members will change allegiances because they disagree with the way things are going)

 

I'd like to actually finish this fic before I get too busy with a job / coursework to do anything and end up having to dump it. 

 

The fic itself is rated PG-16 though because of language and violence (card games deal actual damage, non-Yugioh brawls, etc.). I'll be glad to give more specifics if you wish; don't want to write text walls on my fanfic plans. Though looking at it, I do feel that it'll end up being really convoluted in the process. 

 

 

 

I'd also try to write a fanfic in a custom Pokemon region (original idea was based in a region themed off Hawai'i way before Alola was a thing); otherwise I can settle for writing a playthrough-esque thing once Sun/Moon actually come out in November or I get enough data from the previews to work with to do it earlier on. Had a White 2 thing based on current run, but I sort of scrapped it. 

[Maeriberii Haan]

I dunno but that sounds pretty bloody amazing to me. I always liked that sort of narrative, conveyed through texts that actually exist in the story. I can't see anything inherently bad about it at least. Dracula had a sorta similar thing, almost.

I feel like the main issue here is deciding how much of the narrative is covered by the letters.

 

Basically the letters are the only way the two could communicate with each other (with months of delay), however a thing I want to try out is, aside from properly portraying the different time, is to actually tell something with the letters, instead of basically making them just recaps of what has already been written.

 

The chapters are meant to be either something leading to each letters, or something that happens afterwards.

 

I guess that's the gist of it, and i feel that both the time difference (unless i cheapen my way out of this and made a faster mail system) and the way i emphasized on these letters would pose as quite the challenge.

 

I forgot how Dracula used it, I think I need to read it again.

 

I guess an alternative would be making each letters a framing device for the chapters, but it would require a big change in the format.

[mitchermitcher]

I feel like the main issue here is deciding how much of the narrative is covered by the letters.

 

Basically the letters are the only way the two could communicate with each other (with months of delay), however a thing I want to try out is, aside from properly portraying the different time, is to actually tell something with the letters, instead of basically making them just recaps of what has already been written.

 

The chapters are meant to be either something leading to each letters, or something that happens afterwards.

 

I guess that's the gist of it, and i feel that both the time difference (unless i cheapen my way out of this and made a faster mail system) and the way i emphasized on these letters would pose as quite the challenge.

 

I forgot how Dracula used it, I think I need to read it again.

 

I guess an alternative would be making each letters a framing device for the chapters, but it would require a big change in the format.

At least, I'd be interested in a thing where all the narration happens in letters. Maybe not even as a framing device, you only read what each of the two felt was something to include in their letters. There's a lot of interesting exposition and worldbuilding you can sneak into the things they decide to convey to the other. And it gives a sort of lonely, detached mood, which might not necessarily be what you're going for but it's an option I guess. 

 

Months inbetween letters might make it hard to substantially develop something over time but it also allows a lot of change to occur between each letter.

 

Dracula was kinda similar. Each chapter was a diary entry from one of the narrators, and if I recall right it also portrayed letters.

[Maeriberii Haan]

I feel like fully relying on letters wouldn't achieve what I'm aiming here, especially since my viewpoint characters are quite limited intentionally. I'd rather not turn this into a full Epistolary-styled novel due to the angle I'm trying to explore more would be inexplorable with only letters.

 

Although, i might be just being overly skeptical here. I should probably try doing it to see if it can work.

[Catterjune]

Re: Letter Writing story:

Random Thought: Would you ever be open to a tandem writing experiment for that? I've always kind of been interested in that (because I'm lazy and would ike to do less work ;D) but also it seems like the absolutely perfect concept for a tandem writing thing to work. You're one character, someone else is another, that way they each have a unique writing style. Bounce ideas off each other, play off each other, etc etc.

You'd give them a rouge outline of things you'd expect from them, they'd give their own ideas and possibly work as an equal. And if they're being a belligerent jabroni, you can kick them to the curb and you'll be exactly where you are right now, but maybe with a few more ideas and a little more writing experience, or at the minimum you'll know how it DOESN'T work.
 

[I Hate Snatch Steal]

A yugioh arc-v friendship cup fic that people probably won't even bother reading once I post it here but oh well. It will be styled more for me to read really.

 

More info here:

http://forum.yugiohcardmaker.net/topic/355223-requesting-feedback-on-what-archtype-my-protagonist-should-use-in-an-arc-v-fic/

[Catterjune]

Current Writing:

 

Arena - A Duel Academy Fanfic:

http://forum.yugiohcardmaker.net/topic/350681-arena-a-duel-academy-fanfic/

 

One Sentence Summary: "A slice-of-life fanfic, taking place in a Duel Academy."

 

Longer Summary: "After a fire burns down his school, Arthur Surrogate and a few other boys are transferred to Hawthorne Academy, a premier all-girl school in Silvershine City. There he meets his roommate, a girl named Arena who is not quite what she seems (and if you REALLY want to spoil it for yourself, just read the title of chapter 6)."

 

My own thoughts about my fanfic:

... It's okay. One of the few stories I can actually stand to re-read, and I think it gets better after a second draft.

 

"I'm not sure if this is a parody, or if the author is just hiding behind the word parody to excuse their terrible writing."

 

It's more lighthearted and more comedic than standard YuGiOh fics, though there is the standard end-of-the-world plot slowly (very slowly) creeping in.

 

The plan is to finish this school year at Chapter 27, then have two more of these. Currently on Chapter 13. Chapter 14 will be posted tomorrow. All chapters are posted on Fridays.

Still working on this. I recently finished a rough draft of chapter 22. Currently working on a draft for chapter 23. Will edit Chapter 22 Friday morning, as is tradition.

 

If anyone else is reading it, do you read the Chapter Summaries? =\

[ChampionZero]

So, I'm writing a Novella about a criminal hitman/single father who discovers black magic and has to use it to kill abominations that lurk in the darkness and threaten humanity with extinction.

 

Yeah, that's the best summary I can give you.

[Catterjune]

Sounds... a little bit interesting. Any idea when it'll be written?

[I Hate Snatch Steal]

Probably not going to write it, but I did have an idea that someone could enjoy writing:

 

Take a fandom with 2 similar but not identical versions of a universe. EG Avengers animated VS avengers cinematic or Yu-gh-oh 5d's VS arc-v's synchro dimension.

 

Take someone with knowledge of one (could be a fan insert but doesn't have to be) and throw them into the other.

 

If you do end up using this idea, feel free to PM me a link to your story.

[JessicaMuddy]

Actually doing lots of planning for a comic. It's pretty standard, superhero fights baddies that escape from prison and gain special powers etc etc. Though I am going to try to put my own special twist in it, I just don't know what that twist should be. Oh well.

[Dova]

Aside from two RP posts I am trying to work concurrently on, several Tales and actual SCPs for the SCP Foundation. (I'm the sort of person to who spends his entire time planning something but then lacks motivation to actually finish it.)

 

I also had a Metroid fic underway, but it's pretty much dumped now.

[ChampionZero]

Well, I'm sorry to say that my magic criminal thing came out as a flop Catterjune, but I'm using the same character in a Sci-Fi project of mine that I started when I was a little younger: In a galactic community with all sorts of strange aliens, Humans are basically Orcs in space, terrifying and volatile. They'll come in little bits, being very short books about the main character's individual endeavors, but from other people's perspective so you get just scary humans are to the rest of the galaxy.

 

So that's going to be My NaNoWriMo entry, hopefully.

[Catterjune]

Probably not going to write it, but I did have an idea that someone could enjoy writing:

 

Take a fandom with 2 similar but not identical versions of a universe. EG Avengers animated VS avengers cinematic or Yu-gh-oh 5d's VS arc-v's synchro dimension.

 

Take someone with knowledge of one (could be a fan insert but doesn't have to be) and throw them into the other.

 

If you do end up using this idea, feel free to PM me a link to your story.

Idea doesn't sound that interesting if they're so similar. Though I do like the idea of alternate history kinda stuff though. "What would have happened if something or someone never existed?", it's a Wonderful Life kinda nonsense.

 

 

 

Actually doing lots of planning for a comic. It's pretty standard, superhero fights baddies that escape from prison and gain special powers etc etc. Though I am going to try to put my own special twist in it,

Oh well that could be-

I just don't know what that twist should be.

Nevermind.

 

On a serious note, if the twist is important to the story you need to get that sheet nailed down fast. That way you can drop hints and build up to it, and avoid mentioning things that would explicitly negate it.

 

And if the twist isn't important to the story... why bother having a twist anyway?

 

 

Aside from two RP posts

Get that sheet done yo'. Even if it's a shitty post. Other people are depending on you, and they might be able to pick up the slack from where you left off.

 

 

I am trying to work concurrently on, several Tales and actual SCPs for the SCP Foundation. (I'm the sort of person to who spends his entire time planning something but then lacks motivation to actually finish it.)

I used to be like that (still kinda am ;D)

 

What helps me is to just... write something. Not something important, not even a full scene. Maybe not even something I'd actually plan on posting. Just... put down some words to paper. A scene, a couple lines of dialogue, heck even just one or two funny one-liners you think would be funny or interesting or whatever for your character to say. Imagine what it would take for that line to become relevant. Work backwards, and soon you'll have a scene. What would cause THAT scene to come up? Write another scene prior, using the same kinda stuff.

 

The main problem I think is people expect their story to be 100% perfect on the first draft, but writing should always go through revisions.

 

in my opinion

[Sleepy]

I'm working on a Yugioh fanfic with 10 main characters taking turns being the spotlight whose stories gradually merge into one.

It has an overarching plot that builds up sort of in the back as the characters go about with their personal goals. The viewer is not supposed to have a clear main character to root for.

 

Knowing how to write it/start it is proving to be difficult but ultimately I intend to draw it out.

Many characters also suffer from having names that sound too... American (I don't know how else to describe it)... as of now. 

 

[spoiler=The overall plot is inspired by an underdeveloped (and pretty much discarded) plot from 5Ds; psychics]

 

One day, portions of the nearby population developed psychic abilities after a meteorite rain that had bathed the region. There was no clear enough causes for it, and because the users could not reliably keep these powers under control, the population gradually fragmented itself until it reached the point of general segregation. Now the city where this story takes place is in a state of chaos, with crime and conflicts shooting up to become normal occurrences ever since. It is from here that we'll follow different characters trying to live their life or accomplish a personal goal.

 

Some of the characters include a psychic that hides the fact he has those powers, a girl that's investigating the cause of the phenomenon, heroes that intercede in behalf of each of these groups, and some more. Yes I know it is kind of vague on the juice but don't know how to expand on this one without pretty much describing the whole story so I'll leave it at that for now.

 

 

 

 

 

I made not one but two card mechanics for the sake of this so I'm also having a rough time with it because of the card-making factor, mostly because I'm trying to showcase a game much more tame in power and speed than the IRL game.

 

[spoiler=Mechanics]

 

First the now somewhat overused "new Summon" trope in these kinds of works.

Ascend Monsters.

Ascend Monsters are bright red, go in the Extra Deck, and are themed on singular evolution untapped in the right situations, as opposed to Synchros/Xyzs/Fusions which are based on monsters teaming up in order to upgrade into a stronger one. There are only 2 requirements to bringing up an Ascend monster:

1- You use only one single material, which can be any monster the Ascend Card requires.

2- You must fulfill a situation/scenario to use the above material. It is an inherent +0 but it is meant to be situation-based. Example:

Happy Waterfal Dragon
[Ascend/Dragon] Level 7 WATER 2800/1300

1 Level 3 or lower Fish-Type monster when "Umi" leaves the field.

 

 

The second mechanic I can better resume by saying "Deck Masters". It's an idea I've posted before although I've kept working on it ever since.

Player Cards

They are their own kind of card, and you start with them "inactive" by your side. They are lime-green colored.

You activate them by using up your LP right after you gain LP by effects, and they'll carry those LP as their own set of points, which will keep them "active". You cannot pay from their LP nor heal their points while they are active. Only while "active" can you make use of any of the Player Cards' perks. Which are:

 

Player Cards can take battle damage in your stead.

They also carry around their own mini-Extra Decks. Each Player Card has a + and a - stat. + is the amount of Extra Deck cards they can hold, while - is a reduction from the inherent size of your regular 15 card Extra Deck in exchange for running them. You cannot run any more Player Cards once their total - stat adds up to -15.

 

Player Cards also have their own built-in upgrade called "Star Mode", which can come with an effect unlock. Only 1 of your Player Cards can be a Star at a time though, so a new Star would be stripping down the focus from the previous one.

 

 

 

[Catterjune]

Re: Names -

 

Nothing wrong with having American names. I have an American name. ;D

 

I guess it depends on how you write it. If it's like "My name is John Smith. I put on my kimono and eat onigiri from my bento on my kotatsu1. Eat your hamburgers Apollo!" then like... what the funk? But if it could take place in anytown USA, or if it's meant to be an international thing, then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

 

Re: Starting It -

 

Eh, like I mentioned to the other guy, don't worry so much about starting. Just write anything. Any random cool scene or funny lines that sound interesting to you, then work your way to it. Worst case scenario, you had a little practice with your characters and how they'd react. Best case scenario... you start and write a great fic.

 

 

 

Re: Plot -

 

PLEASE NOTE: I DO NOT ACTUALLY CARE TO READ THE ANSWER TO ANY OF THIS. THESE ARE JUST GENERAL QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT IT AND DEVELOP AS TIME GOES ON.

 

1) What specifically do you mean by "Psychic Abilities"? Does it vary per person? Is there an upper limit or lower limit to theses?

 

2) About how big is the city? About what percentage are affected? Half-and-half? 90/10?

 

3) How long after psychic powers does the story take place? A week or two, and I don't think it would be fragmented already. A year or more, I'd assume the military or whoever got it under control.