ext_21940 ([identity profile] ella-macmillan.livejournal.com) wrote in [personal profile] icarus 2004-07-19 01:34 pm (UTC)

I'm much more of an Artist than a Storyteller, and I need to become more of a Storyteller, or I will never finish anything.

In fanfic, I compare myself to other writers: [livejournal.com profile] mctabby if I'm writing historical fanfic, for instance. I get unhappy with the story, so I take it down and rewrite it. Thus, the only fanfic I have ever finished is a one-shot for a challenge. (I do work fairly well with deadlines.)
In original fiction, I compare myself to published authors I admire, and also to fanfic writers I know. Novels become doubly hard, because I want to be a good writer, but I also want to have the passion a fanfic writer has. Fandom people seem more passionate about their work. At the same time, I want to be publishable, like an 'original' author is.

I suppose what I need is a deadline, arbited by someone besides myself. This will work to get original work done.
For my fanfic, I need to accept that what I write is a very long, ongoing series, and write it as such, not as a WIP which will eventually get done. I'm moving toward that now.

Post a comment in response:

This account has disabled anonymous posting.
If you don't have an account you can create one now.
HTML doesn't work in the subject.
More info about formatting