(no subject)

[emmagrant01]

Is there any interest in a writing challenge that would pair experienced writers with newbies to co-write a short fic?

I've been tossing this idea around for a few days, and I have no idea if people would find it intriguing. It seems like it could be a good way for newer writers to get real feedback on their style and to get some exposure by working with a more recognized fanfic writer. This is also motivated by the issues I have with the various "tell me if I suck as a writer or not" memes that seem to be going around. I think there are better ways to improve as a writer than asking anonymouses for their opinions...

Thoughts?

ETA: Wow, lots of strong opinions on this! Let me flesh out what I was thinking of to clarify:

1. The idea was not for this to be a mentoring/betaing situation, but really a co-writing set-up, where two people work together to write one fic. The idea of putting a newer and a more experienced writer together was one way of going about that, but I could easily drop that part. I was mainly interested in the collaborative aspect.

2. I had imagined matching people up based on a two things: pairings of interest and whether or not they would write NC-17. I was also considering asking people for one strength and one aspect to improve in their writing and then matching up complementary folks as much as possible.

Comments

[katina-r.livejournal.com]

As a newbie to writing fic, I'd certainly appreciate it. :D

[pir8fancier.livejournal.com]

Emma:

This is a thorny issue. I am in a critique group and there is a sort of hump that all writers (me included!) have to crawl over and to distance themselves from criticism. I think this is a very difficult step. People THINK they want criticism, but in reality it's always hard to swallow, even if you're a seasoned author. A newbie doesn't often have the writing skills (and yes, I believe that at a certain point you develop skills that are separate from imagination and voice) to make changes and feels that the criticism is coming out from left field.

I'm not trashing the idea, I'm just saying that it's a hard concept to put into action without hurting feelings. And, also, some writers are NOT good critiquers, either.

[physixxx.livejournal.com]

well, notto be a harsh critique of your comment (tee hee), but the actions of a few (or is it many) sore-loser 'writers' shouldn't justify ixnaying a perfectly good exercise tool for newbies.

if they can't handle the criticisms, then go to myspace and start a group or summat.

and, if an experienced author can't be at least respectful in their criticisms, then maybe they should not criticize and simply iron out their own plots and get to writing their cool stories and leave the educating to those who deserve to be educators.

right?

but your point is not lost on me... even my beta kept pulling punches with me b-c she was used to people getting huffy and puffy with her about the criticisms. i can't even contemplate why anyone would ask for opinions/critiques and then want to bite the hand that feeds them.


oh wells.

takes all kinds, i reckon.


NOTE TO EXPERIENCED AUTHORS: feel free to rip my stories two or three assholes... i have thick skin.

not calloused, tho...

:snigger:

[paper-tzipporah.livejournal.com]

I think the pairings would have to be very carefully thought out. It might work better to have someone who has trouble with a specific aspect of their writing paired with someone who's good at that but has trouble with something else. Cancel out the weaknesses, as it were.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

That's not exactly what I was thinking of. I added an ETA above to clarify. If you have a chance, could you tell me if you still think it's problematic?

[splix.livejournal.com]

Speculatively, I think it's a good idea. In practice, I would guess that the more established fic writer's opinions and style would prevail over the newbie's - not in a malicious sense, but if a newbie's intimidated by a bigger-name writer, I think he or she might naturally defer to the BNW.

[physixxx.livejournal.com]

not if the newbie is headstrong.


:tee hee:

i think the person with the most connection to the story will prevail.

ie. if i got together with a more experienced writer, but the writer just didn't really care for the plot as much as I did, wouldn't my ideas and style prevail b-c i would care about the story alittle more, maybe?

[abbycadabra.livejournal.com]

This is also motivated by the issues I have with the various "tell me if I suck as a writer or not" memes that seem to be going around.

Whoa, where are you finding those memes? Cause I want in!

As for the real topic at hand, yeah, I think it's safe to say that I'm really interested in it. It seems like it would be fun, and especially helpful to newbies. I think there would be a lot of interest in it, especially from the newbie side of the coin-- you might, in fact, be flooded with more newbies than experienced writers. Would there then be a sort of selection process or something, or first come first serve?

If it's first come first served ...

[elsie.livejournal.com]

<<
>>

DIBS ON YOU.

[allysonsedai.livejournal.com]

I think it sounds great and terrifying at the same time. I'd love to participate... on the newbie side, obviously. :)

[physixxx.livejournal.com]

yeah, this is a cool idea, especially in facilitating better writings from newbies.

[skarch86.livejournal.com]

That's very interesting! I'd definitely participate.

[fatale.livejournal.com]

Newbie or experienced?

[carvedwood.livejournal.com]

How would the "co-writing" process work?

[obi-ki.livejournal.com]

Very interesting concept. I think the most difficult would be pairing writers whose basic style is the same. Otherwise I think the stylistic issues which are really just matters of taste would overwhelm the rest.

I would be interested in participating in such a project but I fear that most of the contact you have these days come through HP, Emma, and my experience there is limited to editing fem slash as you know :)

[eleal.livejournal.com]

I honestly have very little time even though I would love to write more. I think co-writing a fic would be a lot of fun and it'd be great to be held accountable to someone.

How would you pick the writing pairs? Would it be challenge style or would each pairing pick the ship, plot, etc.?

Thanks!

[fatale.livejournal.com]

I rather feel like a new writer, but I can't be sure. Is there like, a cut-off? "You have been here this long so you are an experienced writer"

[kali-sama.livejournal.com]

I think it's a good idea in theory, but might need some tweaking. It might be a better idea to have a sort of mentoring thing go on, though I really hate that word. It would basically be giving a newbie and experianced writer as a beta, and then have the experianced writer endorse the finished fic. It would allow the newbie's style to stand on it's own, and give them some good tips along the way. I guess it would sort of be like rec'ing, because I know I personally tend to think better of newbie fics if someone recs it and I know they've got good taste/talent.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

I don't intend for it to be mentoring so much as collaboration. I added an ETA above in an attempt to clarify. :-)

[oddnari.livejournal.com]

As a newbie to fic-writing (well, semi-newbie anyway), I'm all for it ^_^

I don't need hand-holding as much as a co-writer/co-plotter, actually.

Yes!

[dm-p.livejournal.com]

I would absolutely love to be involved in a project like this. As a new writer, most of my reviews and criticisms come from ffnet and I know that, as an aspiring writer, I would like to have more concrete help.

Sign me up!

[forever-silky.livejournal.com]

It would be a good experience/opportunity to partner with an experienced author, share ideas, etc. count me in please

[thinkpink4891.livejournal.com]

I've had fic-writing aspirations for a while now, and I've actually managed to crank out a few. However, I can't seem to shake the feeling that my writing is utter crap. I would love to be involved in something like this! Just tell me when & where!

[winnett.livejournal.com]

I would be interested... Though depends on the time. I can get overwhelemed and just not get to some things as often as I want. I have never worked on the cowriting thing before. Usually if I work with someone it is me writing the skeleton (I usually have great ideas) and someone else editing what I wrote or putting pretty words together to make it flow better. So it seems I have done more of an edit type thing.

[jehnt.livejournal.com]

*raises hand*

I'm interested. This could be very cool. I think it would be good if you asked instead of just ONE strength/weakness for two or three so you have more leeway in matching up. As long as I could work on at least one aspect, I'd be happy.

I would also recommend that you include GENRE of interest rather than just pairing. For instance, I can write in pretty much every pairing, but almost everything I write turns into crackfic whether I mean it to or not (or, if not crackfic, at least slightly skewed fic full of bad puns), so it would be difficult if I was paired up with a Serious and Angsty fic writer.

whether or not they would write NC-17

What if like, they're very shy and have never written NC17 before because they're afraid they'd TOTALLY SCREW IT UP and everyone would insert everything into ALL THE WRONG ORIFICES (e.g., ears, nose, etc ... and how one could do that accidentally in writing, I don't know, but I'm sure it would happen to me if I tried) but would not be averse to trying it out if the other writer would be willing to take the lead on that part?

Also, if you do go through with this and need help organizing I'm more than willing to help.

[dramaphile.livejournal.com]

I'd totally be willing to help someone who's not done NC-17 before! I think writing smut can be one of the hardest things in fandom, especially writing good smut that doesn't get too concerned with mechanics and other such things.

People always seem to be wibbly when writing smut for the first time, so maybe if there was someone to help them through it?

[elizabeth-rice.livejournal.com]

I'm in! It's like partnering for a school project (I think), only our project will be (as you've mentioned/suggested) to co-write a short fic. It should be a fun learning experience. And that is a good way of matching people up (point #2 in your ETA).

[rolling-scone.livejournal.com]

That seems like fun... do I qualify as a newbie if I just suck at writing? :P

[cormallen.livejournal.com]

I am in, if you would still like to do this after so much varying input. I am a "newbie writer" in the sense that I've only 8 completed fics to my credit (2 of them drabbles, and only 7 of them on my LJ). However, I've been reading various fandom (with a few RL interruptions) since 1999 (mainly SW, LotR and HP). I am willing to write NC-17. As far as pairings of interest, I have quite a few, so they would have to be narrowed down.

[joesther.livejournal.com]

Speaking, as we are, about a community of people who can (and aren't always, but can) be rather egotistical about what they produce, I'd say that the one thing you have to be really careful here, both in terms of newbies and in terms of well-established authors, is the humility factor. If both (or all?) participants are willing to go into an endeavour like this with the proper humility (and that includes being sensitive mentors and being flexible learners, both from the seasoned/experienced writers and from the newbie authors), then I think it could work.

And frankly, I love the idea. I'm all for mentoring, and getting new people to learn skills is a fabulous way to go.

Brill idea, Emma. :)

[elanna9.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'd be interested. :)