Writers' Workshop General Chat Thread

[Beth Pavell]

Does anyone who regularly uses FanFiction.net and normally gets some sort of readership a day also noticed they've gotten no views lately? I am wondering if it is just me or not - I thought it was from not updating, but I posted the new 8ES a short time ago, viewed it myself to check it was all working and nothing has come up yet. Beginning to become a bit unnerved...

Some sort of technical thing apparently. I can't even see my views right now.

And @Jack Pschitt, I wrote something about that problem: http://bmgf.bulbagarden.net/blogs/33222/beating-block-65318/

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

Well, I won't be writing much for a bit. Thanks to a minor injury to my elbow, I can only get one hand to the keyboard properly, without a lot of pain. Surprisingly, this injury didn't happen in the swordfight, it was before that.

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

So now that OBC is finished, I'm gonna start doing something I've been meaning to for a pretty long time now: post in the Weekly Prompt thread. I'm gonna make a topic for my own one-shots eventually, but for now, check for that thread if you wanna see anything else I write! Any of you guys write for the Weekly Prompt thread?

Well, I won't be writing much for a bit. Thanks to a minor injury to my elbow, I can only get one hand to the keyboard properly, without a lot of pain. Surprisingly, this injury didn't happen in the swordfight, it was before that.

First off, that sucks. Second, ​what fucking swordfight?!

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

False alarm, as it turns out - I can type fine with both hands, as long as I rest my damaged elbow on a cushion. That really was quite simple actually.

Second, ​what fucking swordfight?!

Nothing important, sorry to disappoint. Just a series of duels with a friend of mine. I did pick up a bruise or two, though.

So I know I've been talking about this a lot recently, but... I am having serious motivation issues still. I've not written at all for probably a couple of weeks now, and it's really starting to get to me. Every time I try to get something written, I just... can't. And because of that, next time I try, it becomes even worse. I know I've never been confident in my own writing ability, but now, I am starting to wonder if I can really write at all. And even if I did come out with something at the end of the day, what do I get from it? I've been fine with writing for no reason in particular up until now, but now I've been doubting everything else, this has come into question too. I mean, I'm probably fine, it's probably just a phase I'm going through, but still, it's pretty disheartening.

 

[Kelleo]

Aw, that stinks, Kyuubi.

My stepdad just scared the living daylights out of my mom and I, by slamming his laptop twice (and ultimately breaking it). He said he just had a moment. My mom explained that later too, and that they're going to do that once in awhile during their healing from my brother's suicide. They also assured me that moments are all it is and nothing more. Hopefully said moments will get less and less common over time.

 

[Beth Pavell]

My stepdad just scared the living daylights out of my mom and I, by slamming his laptop twice (and ultimately breaking it). He said he just had a moment. My mom explained that later too, and that they're going to do that once in awhile during their healing from my brother's suicide. They also assured me that moments are all it is and nothing more. Hopefully said moments will get less and less common over time.

They're probably right, Kelleo. Sure isn't nice to witness :/ But everyone grieves differently, you know? Kinda found that out when my uncle died

 

[Arkadelphiak]

Do you all pay ridiculous prices for textbooks outside of the United States? I just dropped $300 on an introductory aerospace text.

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Do you all pay ridiculous prices for textbooks outside of the United States? I just dropped $300 on an introductory aerospace text.

Welcome to the complete and utter Rethuglican-induced bullshit we call the American school system. Trust me, unless Bernie gets into office, ​it's only gonna get worse.

 

[Tophat Dragoneye]

I know that the Danish taxes can be a bit high, but I don't remember paying that much for textbooks.

In other news, we got our very first Danish astronaut in space

 

[AceTrainer14]

@Beth Pavell: Glad I'm not the only one then. Now I can't even view my account stuff in the slightest. Makes me so glad I've got a back up

 

[chaos_Leader]

So I know I've been talking about this a lot recently, but... I am having serious motivation issues still. I've not written at all for probably a couple of weeks now, and it's really starting to get to me. Every time I try to get something written, I just... can't. And because of that, next time I try, it becomes even worse. I know I've never been confident in my own writing ability, but now, I am starting to wonder if I can really write at all. And even if I did come out with something at the end of the day, what do I get from it? I've been fine with writing for no reason in particular up until now, but now I've been doubting everything else, this has come into question too. I mean, I'm probably fine, it's probably just a phase I'm going through, but still, it's pretty disheartening.

Yeah, that sucks, a lot. I know, I had those very same issues not too terribly long ago. I hadn't written really anything for months at a time at one point; partly due to lack of motivation, partly lack of inspiration, partly distraction; and for a while I was wondering to myself if I'd "lost that spark" I felt like I used to have, if it had degraded or gotten worn out. It took me finally writing and publishing something (and a little minor nagging for feedback), for me to realize that I did still have that "spark" and skill that was there before.

My point is though: I can almost 100% guarantee that your skill and ability to write is still there, and still works at least to the capacity it had been. Sometimes it can simply feel like it's degrading if you feel like you aren't making forward progress. Just because you haven't made tangible forward/upward progress doesn't necessarily mean you've taken a few steps back or tumbled down.

I'm not saying that reviews helped my state of being by being reviews and being gratifying. The feedback was actually much more helpful in terms of information: solid critical response and opinion that I could use to gauge where I stood as a writer. The information I gleaned from getting even just a few responses; the information that my skill hadn't atrophied and dried up over a long period of disuse; was a huge weight off my mind, and I hope my relaying my experience to you can put some of those worries to ease.

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

In other news, we got our very first Danish astronaut in space

And yet Poland still can't into space.

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

Yeah, that sucks, a lot. I know, I had those very same issues not too terribly long ago. I hadn't written really anything for months at a time at one point; partly due to lack of motivation, partly lack of inspiration, partly distraction; and for a while I was wondering to myself if I'd "lost that spark" I felt like I used to have, if it had degraded or gotten worn out. It took me finally writing and publishing something (and a little minor nagging for feedback), for me to realize that I did still have that "spark" and skill that was there before.

My point is though: I can almost 100% guarantee that your skill and ability to write is still there, and still works at least to the capacity it had been. Sometimes it can simply feel like it's degrading if you feel like you aren't making forward progress. Just because you haven't made tangible forward/upward progress doesn't necessarily mean you've taken a few steps back or tumbled down.

I'm not saying that reviews helped my state of being by being reviews and being gratifying. The feedback was actually much more helpful in terms of information: solid critical response and opinion that I could use to gauge where I stood as a writer. The information I gleaned from getting even just a few responses; the information that my skill hadn't atrophied and dried up over a long period of disuse; was a huge weight off my mind, and I hope my relaying my experience to you can put some of those worries to ease.

Thanks, yeah, this does definitely help. I guess direct feedback and suchlike would probably help me too but... well, I've not uploaded and can't see myself doing so probably. But still, this is very helpful, thank you! And huzzah, I've just written a paragraph at least, which is a step in the right direction. So yeah, that's something I guess.

 

[Misfit Angel]

I was wondering why I wasn't getting any birthday wishes, the bloody forum unset my birthday!

Also, yeah, fanfiction.net is completely broken for me, too. I log in and I get a white screen. I log out and I can view stories just fine. I don't think it's a problem with NoScript, that's always been sorted out properly... Oh well, doesn't matter. I haven't updated in about a year.

 

[FullMoon]

On another note I've made a commission in DA for a couple of characters and here is the result

The designs are sorta accurate for the most part (the pink-haired girl is the one that looks the least like how she actually is) but I guess it's pretty hard for someone to do draw exactly like how you want it to be =P

Those are characters that are going to appear in Wonders of Unova at some point and yes I'm still working on it I swear, college is just being mean.

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

Those are characters that are going to appear in Wonders of Unova at some point and yes I'm still working on it I swear, college is just being mean.

I meant to ask, how's the latest chapter going? I did remember to give it back to you, didn't I? Just wondering, I can be awfully forgetful sometimes and, well, we've already had the rant about my inability to get around to doing things.

 

[FullMoon]

Those are characters that are going to appear in Wonders of Unova at some point and yes I'm still working on it I swear, college is just being mean.

I meant to ask, how's the latest chapter going? I did remember to give it back to you, didn't I? Just wondering, I can be awfully forgetful sometimes and, well, we've already had the rant about my inability to get around to doing things.

You did, I was just doing some finishing touches and stuff but then I didn't have the time to finish doing it.

 

[Lugion]

I was wondering why I wasn't getting any birthday wishes, the bloody forum unset my birthday!

Also, yeah, fanfiction.net is completely broken for me, too. I log in and I get a white screen. I log out and I can view stories just fine. I don't think it's a problem with NoScript, that's always been sorted out properly... Oh well, doesn't matter. I haven't updated in about a year.

Whoops! Happy birthday, KP!!

 

[AceTrainer14]

I was wondering why I wasn't getting any birthday wishes, the bloody forum unset my birthday!

Also, yeah, fanfiction.net is completely broken for me, too. I log in and I get a white screen. I log out and I can view stories just fine. I don't think it's a problem with NoScript, that's always been sorted out properly... Oh well, doesn't matter. I haven't updated in about a year.

Happy Birthday!

And its meant to be fixed now. Which is still annoying as it means my latest chapter apparently got viewed by no people so I have no idea if my story is getting attention or not anymore -_-

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

I was wondering why I wasn't getting any birthday wishes, the bloody forum unset my birthday!

Happy birthday! I'm probably a day or two late now, but...