InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Where's the Beef?"

E. M. Pink (empink) wrote,
@ 2008-04-20 22:04:00

Current mood:	accomplished
Entry tags:	items of interest, updates:general, writetalk:a surreal tale

Items of Interest #2
[1] Have finally updated FF.net profile *collapses*
Well, okay, it wasn't *that* hard. I have to wonder whether I'm going to be eating some of the words I put on there (I always seem to end up doing that XD). Nevertheless, I go on.

[2] Have chosen Scrivener as my writing tool of choice for now, after long consideration and some tinkering with the software. I guess I realized I was freaking out over semantic HTML output (Scrivener spits out HTML 4.01 files, I think), and needlessly too, considering I STILL only really post to FF.net, and they're chill with old HTML and RTF, which Scrivener does just fine.

[3] Have been downloading way too many Wiki/HPL files into my Scrivener binder for reference purposes.

[4] Have been scrawling up tremendous amounts of backstory. I think I may finally have the 1980-1981 period covered as far as major events go. Sometime after my current semester ends, I am going to sit down and try and power through 1982-1991 *shudders*. The trick so far has been to make only rough notes, and worry about splitting stuff up into files and fleshing shit out (which Scrivener is really flexible about) later. WAY later.

[5] May have new series and story names for rewritten!AST hammered out. I'll sit on them until the end of this week and see what I think of them then, but yeah.

[6] Have sort of come to terms with the most annoying (well, to me) Deathly Hallow, the Elder Wand. *smiles triumphantly* Now, to do the other Hallows, and the Horcruxes...

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spiritwhite
2008-04-21 09:18 am UTC (link)

I've heard a lot of good reviews about Scrivener. My problem is a huge amount of disorganization, old storylines, old scenes, chapters, outlines, notes - absolute layers of it. My epic is crazy disorganized, with folders like 'Old Chapters', 'Old New Chapters', 'More Old Chapters', 'Relevant Chapters', 'Old Notes', 'New Notes', ect.

Will Scrivener help with that? I suppose I should just delete most of it, but I can't bring myself to do it.

Also, my epic is Deathly Hallows compliant, and it's surprisingly fun to work with the Hallows in a believeable fashion. It's a definite challenge since I don't want Harry to be super powerful, nor do I want him to bring back his parents all the time, but I'm having fun with it. I hope you do too.

Also also - I'm actually very excited about the AST re-write. I don't know if you remember, but mid-AST, I left HP fandom in favor of Star Wars, and stayed there for a year, and when I came back I shamefully admit I never picked it up again. You woke me up when you came back, and if you hadn't posted about the re-write, I would have gone and picked it right back up from the beginning - but now, I think I'll wait. I'm positive that the posted chapters are wonderful, as usual, but I'm equally positive that the second-go-round will be infinitely superior.

Good luck, and have oodles of fun!

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empink
2008-04-21 05:42 pm UTC (link)

First off, Scrivener is a Mac software program, so won't help with even the most organized story effort if that effort isn't being written on a Mac :P. Secondly, Scrivener, or any decent writing program, excels at helping you organize layers and layers of work. My old AST binder in Scrivener's a mess, but it still worked because Scrivener let me put stuff down wherever I wanted or needed it, and arrange bits and pieces in whatever order suited me. For the software you end up using, the idea is that it should help you concentrate on writing as well as help you keep up with notes and stuff.

And do NOT delete anything, even if you don't use a writing program to help you plan stuff out. Just go through the whole set of folders and transfer anything that feels relevant to the new folder you're working in, and organize or write from there.

Also, my epic is Deathly Hallows compliant
Haha, you're now in the same leaky boat as I am :D. It has been surprisingly fun to work with new canon, thankfully. And it's been more useful to the story than I thought. One bit that I thought I would never want in (the Severus/Lily backstory) fits in quite nicely, and has even helped shore up some actions on Severus' part.

As for stuff that I don't want in the finished fic/series, I don't want pretty much exactly the things you don't want, and I'm trying to put the Horcruxes and Hallows firmly to one side as potential plotlines-- I think the social reasons for the Second War are way more interesting to work with, especially for groups not really mentioned or paid attention to, despite their significance.

I left HP fandom in favor of Star Wars
Ha, didn't know you left for Star Wars in particular-- I mostly just figured RL was eating you, or something ;). And I am actually glad that you didn't start up again with AST-- most of it is all right, but the backstory issues meant I was eventually going to run aground someplace, so the version that's up will never be finished, and the storyline I was heading for towards the end is probably not going to show up again. The only reason I didn't run aground earlier was because I was still following the canon event timeline in the first half of AST's sequel, and that freed me from needing to think back and work stuff out for my own universe quite as much.

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spiritwhite
2008-04-21 10:37 pm UTC (link)

First off, Scrivener is a Mac software program
Damn! I should have known that - I know you have a Mac, but I didn't realize. Damn.

And no, I don't delete anything! But I'm so utterly disorganized I don't know what to do - I have three computers, all with their own folders of files that are basically the same but not...grrr.

I'm truly excited about the new version of AST. Do hurry, won't you? :D

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