Oh noes!

[wiseheart]

Where has the time gone - again? picowrimo has arrived to mid-term, and I still haven't finished either the story I wanted to finish during pico, or the Torchwood AU that simply demanded to be written. I'm so close with both, but there is a lot of transition stuff that needs to be written to reach the actual goal... *sighs*

Of course, the heat weave and the resulting commplete exhaustion isn't helping. The wave itself broke yesterday, but I still haven't recovered and am basically useless, despite the fact that by the current temperatures I can at least sleep during the night.

I've come to realize that pico is basically the only forum that appreciates quality writing. That's probably because we're a bunch of struggling writers over there, trying to make our respective projects work. So we can really enjoy each other's excerpts, the work that's being put into a story, the little touches that make it more enjoyable... that sort of stuff.

Everywhere else I have very little chance to gain readers. People either want to read short, superficially written stuff bashing their least favourite character with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, or repetitive sex scenes featuring their OTP. I find the first of those way beneath my niveau and the second one simply boring.

That doesn't mean I won't envy the hundreds of gushing comments such drivel usually gets. I do. God only knows how much I do. I'm only human, after all.

Comments

[dr-doomsduck.livejournal.com]

blegh, heat waves, unfinished fics and non-readers, all of that does not sound like fun. I can't quite go from the writers POV, because I am NOT a writer. But I do love long stories and no, I don't need sledgehammer Gwen bashing or just Janto sex scenes to make a story...just saying, it's not all superficial drivel loving going round.

[jsks.livejournal.com]

as i type i am melting in the heat wave that has hit the ne us coast. i am not sleeping and am walking around like a non brain eating zombie. need an an hour or two to feel human at work
while enjoying a bit of sledgehammer gwen bash fic and a good janto smutfest i find that there are a bit like cheesecake to much is not so good. for me a finely reserched and detailed plot that engages the brain are pure joys.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I know, and I do count my blessings, believe me. :)

Above heat wave, unfinished fics and non-readers, a long-planned piece of original fiction suddeny chose this most unpassing time to resurface, and I had to write several pages for it - mostly world-building stuff, but also a short scene for Loki Skywalker, one of the dashing heroes.

Which I did, well beyond midnight. That, in turn, resulted in me being unable to get up at 7 am as planned and do some writing on the TW wedding, of course. And then we got a visitor who sat here for the whole mornig, beyond noon, and then it got frigging hot again. *sighs*

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

There's nothing wrong with a good Janto smutfeast - I enjoy it occasionally, too. I'm just a bit depressed about how man people (save from you, dr_doomsduck, aviv_b and a handful of others) have no interest for anything else. It's discouraging when you put so much love and work and research in your writing and so very few people like it.

It's not a solely Torchwood phenomenon, either. I make the same experience in all my fandoms, and I'm writing in at least a dozen different ones from time to time. And yeah, I know most people are fed up with my whining, but, well, it bloody hurts sometimes.

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

I sympathise so much - it gets really hard at times to keep working on stories that I know very few people are going to want to read. For me the temptation is always there to do the fun bit (working out what is going to happen, writing the first draft) and then leave it as all the polishing and sorting out for posting are hard work.

Good to know that the people at pico are being good to you. :)

Yes, people seem to really like a lot of bad stories, but it also seems that people have a strong preference for short stories, which makes it harder for those of us who are happier writing longer ones. I can understand this as a reader - it is much easier to read and comment on something short, grab a few minutes to do so, rather than hours immersed in a longer story, plus it feels bad to read a good (or better) long story and leave a comment saying "nice story! or similar - it feels like it deserves more. It seems that the only stories that people want to read are humour or porn.

*Gets off soapbox*
Sorry I'm in a bad mood about various things in fandom at the moment

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

*hugs back*

At least I gave in to the insistent muse and wrote a bit of original fic. *points at next post* I know, it's even more unlikely that anybody would give it a rat's chance, but it's great fun to write.

I'm planning to write it as a loose collection of short pieces, eventually ordered along various storylines, at various points in the planet's history. That way, I can write whenever inspiration strikes, without feeling guilty for not writing on it continually.

[lhun-dweller.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear the heat is bad for you, too! I understand how much that saps one's energy...

I'm very excited to hear you've written something original and am looking forward to taking a peek!

And yes, yes, I still have to finish my own WIP Tolkfic Sue spoof. Work has continued to consume my brain and energy. I'm finally just getting back to checking LJ regularly. Soon, Prrrrrrrecioussss...