Post Ata5xjFpE0IkkeNeFs by FeralRobots@mastodon.social
(DIR) More posts by FeralRobots@mastodon.social
(DIR) Post #Ata4gzrc7NjJO6VtMe by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-04-29T10:50:27Z
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Hey fiction writing persons:Think of the times that someone has given you feedback on your in-progress writing. Some kinds of feedback can make you loose momentum. Other feedback can make you excited to write more. The later is better most of the time (unless the story is a dead end, I guess)Some positive feedback (confoundingly) can make me loose momentum. I write to see if I can share some ... something. If I succeed some part of me is done.Keeping my projects "secret" has helped!
(DIR) Post #Ata50MwQXYC2Sp0C6i by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-04-29T10:53:57Z
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It's also making me more and more like a little kid just bursting with "I've got a secret" energy. It's the top thing on my mind. "How are you doing?""I'm writing a story. AND it's a SECRET. I'm not going to tell you about it. NOPE. Not a word. Not going to talk about it AT ALL."This is fine I guess. It's working but it's a little unsustainable. At some point I've got to find out if the story works at all, and that is a little scary. I'm considering sharing the first chapter only.
(DIR) Post #Ata5GOE9WjOZ5Lvs6C by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-04-29T10:56:51Z
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The first chapter is pretty much done. It's been revised a great deal and I do know how the story ends, all the things it needs to do. I'm not thrilled with how all of those things fit together just yet. So, maybe when I think I have the plot in a condition I'm totally proud of THEN it might be safe to share that first chapter?I don't really know. Maybe the secrecy must continue until the whole book is done?What do other fiction writers think?
(DIR) Post #Ata5MLUuaZ3QMBbxx2 by clarablackink@writing.exchange
2025-04-29T10:57:52Z
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@futurebird For me at least, positive feedback creates anxiety around..."oh no! Should I write more stuff like this, someone liked this so maybe I need more of this. What if they were just trying to be nice? Oh, it must be terrible and they didn't want to be mean." etcKeeping things secret means I'm only working with my own internalized tastes and critiques. At least once I'm done I've *mostly* made peace with that. Which I think is necessry to handle external critique.
(DIR) Post #Ata5NPyzOmKUYaBuzo by DaveRussell@stranger.social
2025-04-29T10:57:58Z
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@futurebird My current project is so secret, I haven't even told myself what it is.🤦♂️
(DIR) Post #Ata5d3qLTplwWfbiC0 by atbeaune@social.vivaldi.net
2025-04-29T11:00:50Z
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@futurebird If I can help in any way, please let me know. I just finished a feature-length screenplay and feel much the same way about all of this. I do enjoy the feeling of having a secret world! Works in progress are a delicate thing, too. Creators need to protect ideas as they germinate and take care of our psyches.https://linktr.ee/atbeaune
(DIR) Post #Ata5ojmpsN9XnRX8Eq by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-04-29T11:03:03Z
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I'm deeply critical of the storytelling and writing of others. I will slice and dice and find things that could be improved in just about anything. This means that when looking at my own work making a decision about the plot is difficult since once I decide "X happens" I can see all of the obvious weakness of having made a choice apply. This leads to not wanting to nail anything down since then I can imagine I will find a solution that avoids all imperfections.
(DIR) Post #Ata5xjFpE0IkkeNeFs by FeralRobots@mastodon.social
2025-04-29T11:04:40Z
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@futurebird my variation on this is that I usually keep closer to the chest about what's going on. One WiP (currently back-burnered, but I will return to it) I've done a LOT of thinking about & there are some surprises in it; when I show parts to people, I have to work very hard to limit what I say in response to their feedback, & sometimes that also means keeping my request vague: "Tell me how you read character X." Nothing specific.
(DIR) Post #Ata63F1oW8IukESHtg by Jay@episcodon.net
2025-04-29T11:05:38Z
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@futurebird when #IAmWriting I find it helpful to tell the few folks I share my WIP what kind of feedback I’m looking for & where I am in the process. I’ll mention that I just want to know if the premise works, or the characters are interesting, or the action is believable, or whatever. I’ll also tell them explicitly, that I’m not looking for them the proofread or edit my work at this stage, nor do I want any suggestions as to where the story should go, additional details I should know/put it, or how they would change it. I remind them, often repeatedly, that it is my story & I am seeking a specific kind of feedback. When the work is finished, and ready for proofreading/editing, I have professionals do that. Only then do I turn to beta readers for their thoughts on the work as a whole.
(DIR) Post #Ata6E7yz3M764vK3hQ by FeralRobots@mastodon.social
2025-04-29T11:07:38Z
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@futurebird these days I mostly use group feedback for two things: 1. test for mood & voice2. spur to keep moving
(DIR) Post #Ata7rHjwoCnZaYWc2C by llewelly@sauropods.win
2025-04-29T11:25:55Z
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@futurebird I'm writing a secret storyAs secret as can beA story so very secretnot even read by me
(DIR) Post #Ata8fRCTuTw7PMmneC by martinhowitt@urbanists.social
2025-04-29T11:34:56Z
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@futurebird best for nothing at all to happen then?