Thinky thoughts.

[emmagrant01]

I sometimes wonder if my days of prolific fic writing are over. If I write 1000 words in one day now, it's been a fantastic writing day. I'm stunned that people manage to churn out 60k+ words of fic in a matter of weeks. People with full-time jobs! How is that possible?

Even before I had a kid, I couldn't have done that. Now I'm lucky if I get a few hours to myself in a day even to think about what I want to write. And quite often by the time everyone else is asleep and I have time to actually write, all I want to do is something less intense, like read fic or watch vids or just hang out in fandom.

Writing has always been a fairly consuming process for me, I guess, and it's exhausting to be in that place of total obsession with a story. I've tried and failed to write a Big Bang fic twice now, mostly because I just didn't have the time or energy to sit down and write it. So many things in my life consume that energy -- and I'm not complaining about that, mind -- that I just don't have much left to pour into intensive writing.

Yet another reason why I was not cut out to be a professional writer. :-P

Comments

[inell.livejournal.com]

I look back on how much I used to write and wonder how I ever found the time or energy. Lately, I'm thrilled if I could manage 100 words, but just two years ago I wrote two series in like two months with only food/sleep/work interrupting me, it seems. I think you're right, though, because it does require so much energy and focus to really get into a longer fic, and I just feel like chilling with a good story or talking to a friend when I'm home from work now instead of losing myself in writing. Anyway, just had to comment because I've thought about this lately when I see how little I've written in recent months/years compared to just two years ago. ♥ (And I still need to make it down to Austin one of these days...)

[littleroo27.livejournal.com]

I used to work full time and still beta 5+ hours every day. Now - I can't even get through one fic with a virtual red pen! I think everyone has cycles where life overwhelms our pleasures. But tiny child will not be tiny forever. Perhaps for now you should enjoy reading when you can and watching your son grow. Then, when he starts to become a surley teenager and hates you all, well, we'll be here ready and waiting to read what you've written!

[leni-jess.livejournal.com]

The lovely thing about writing, and enjoying it, is that you can come back to it, when you have the free time/energy again. Meanwehile, you can take notes on bunnies that hop your way, and hope that they're still appealing later. Some are bound to be!

This is the time to enjoy your child, and the less intensive aspects of fandom.

[girlthatsaidno.livejournal.com]

More than having the time, I think it has to do with the mindset you are in. I find that if a story wants to be written, it will get written. It is almost like the flu. Once you catch it, no matter what you do, you will be sick for a week. You just have to accept it and go with it. I will have months and even years where I don't do any creative writing, then out of the blue, I will get that itch and I will write for 4-5 nights straight with no sleep. It won't matter if I have work or an exam or anything else. It is not something that can be forced.

I really envy people who can write everyday like clockwork. If I could do that, I would quit everything right now and throw my hat into doing it professionally. I think that kind of discipline is a talent, too. It is that drive that separates professional writers from casual writers.

[aubergineautumn.livejournal.com]

Me either *sigh*

[slytherincesss.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can churn out 5000 words+ in a day now, on a good day, but my kids are in school all day and I'm a sahm, so I don't have to be anywhere. When they were younger, I simply didn't have the time to write prolifically. I can't imagine turning out a 60K+ fic in just a couple of weeks. My last fic was 70K and it took me six or seven weeks to write. I often have a hard time just concentrating enough to seriously write. There are always these challenges, aren't there?

[madlori.livejournal.com]

For me it's just about getting suitably inspired and then getting a propagating response. I have written 75,000 words of a Sherlock AU fic in the last month. It started as a prompt. It got a really enthusiastic response. I've had more fun writing this story than ought to be had by decent people. So it's not a challenge to write several thousand words a day (once an 8000 word chapter in a single day). This happens to me fairly frequently. Earlier in the summer I wrote 100,000 words on a different Sherlock fic in two months. My first Brokeback fic was over 100,000 words in six weeks. When I get going I really get going. But then when it stops...it stops. :-(

[karaz.livejournal.com]

I'm in total awe of people who turn out thousands of words of fic weekly (or more). But you know, quality over quantity. Some of those people should spend a bit more time editing down.

Besides, BG is way more important than fanfic. You should write when it feels good to write and don't sweat it when it doesn't - I'm saying this as someone who squees when you post new stuff.

[bryoneybrynn.livejournal.com]

Yes! This! I am a slooooooooow writer. It takes me months to write a 30K fic. My brain just doesn't engage the way it used to. RL keeps me hopping but even without RL pressures, I juts can't produce fast. I wish I could crank out a fic in a weekend. *wistful sigh*

[pir8fancier.livejournal.com]

I think that fandom is elastic enough that you need to just roll with it. I find myself writing less as I'm working full time, and I'm certainly not as involved as I was, even though I play in more fandoms than HP. You've got other things pulling you left and right. As your kid ages, this level of demand will increase and decrease. Essentially, I think you need to be zen about this. You have a kid you adore. You are incredibly respected and loved in fandom, and if your days of writing epics is over, then why not just take joy in churning out those 5000K fics every now and then? It keeps you active in the fandom, keeps your fans happy, and keeps your kid and husband happy. I think that smaller fics get more play now anyway. People don't have time to read these epics. You're ahead of the curve!

[jedirita.livejournal.com]

Me too, man. Me too. *SIGH*

At least I still write fanfic in my head at night when I go to bed. I doubt that will ever end!