TGRF's Fan Fiction Chronicles - Entry #47

My last update essentially boiled down to me saying I had no idea what I would be writing next. If you've followed my signature, you know that I eventually decided on writing Jandar. Now... I'm not so sure.

Everything is perfectly fine with Jandar. There were only minor problems during development. It's actually the fastest story I've ever created, and I'm already a few chapters in.

BUT... the interest is flagging.

In my last update, I mentioned how I need inspiration to carry me from start to finish with my stories. I don't think I was 100% right about that. I'm perfectly capable of just thinking something up and writing it without any moment of brilliant inspiration. And I think I know why.

When asked if he used a notebook, Stephen King once replied that he thought a notebook was the best way in the world to keep track of bad ideas. I think some of the assumptions...

TGRF's Fan Fiction Chronicles - Entry #46

In case you missed it, I have finished the first of the prequels to Eternity. Utgar is live, and can be viewed at your pleasure.

With Utgar finished, I turned my attention to the next fan fiction in line, which continued the prequels: Einar. It was then that some problems arose.

You can probably guess what the plan was here. Originally, the prequels were going to follow each of the five original Valkyrie as they rose to power. While working on Utgar though, I came to realize that I had no story for Vydar or Ullar, and was only including them because they were one of the five Valkyrie. Including material for no reason is a sure way to fail, so I cut the number of short prequels from five to three, leaving Utgar, Einar, and Jandar. Utgar was already well on the way, and I had a good idea for what I wanted with Einar and Jandar.

Like I said, some problems occurred. Before I get to that...

TGRF's Fan Fiction Chronicles - Entry #45

It's me, and I'm back with another update. Let the rejoicing begin.

So, obviously, I have not yet posted Utgar, the first of the three short prequels to Eternity. The reason is that I wasn't happy with the private stakes. While I think I (for once) actually have the stakes I need, they weren't being shown well enough. I didn't feel like their weight was conveyed hardly at all, and the set up before they were threatened was virtually non-existent.

So I've done some pondering on the matter, and come up with some ideas which will, I hope, fix the problems. I am most likely looking at a rewrite of the first few chapters, and possible tweakings of references throughout the rest of the story. SO editing will probably take a bit longer than I originally anticipated.

Meanwhile, the character arc for the second story is in place and outlined (haven't paired it with the 3-act structure yet)....

TGRF's Fan Fiction Chronicles - Entry #44

*TGRF enters with maniacal laughter*

I HAVE THE POWER!!!

...

In my last FFC, I mentioned how everything was seeming to come together for me, and my study of the 3-act structure had started to solve a lot of problems I had been plagued with for years. I was sure it was just a temporary thing, and I would start having problems again soon.

Usually I'll outline a fan fiction easily, but once I get down to the details of how exactly things unfold, and how characters reach the decisions they do, things tend to fall apart, and I can spend weeks at a time stuck, unable to get characters to make the decisions they must. I was sure that would happen with the Prequels.

But it didn't. The 3-act structure has prevailed. I can't believe I haven't used this thing until now.

Point is, I have just today finished writing the first of the three Prequels...

TGRF's Fan Fiction Chronicles - Entry #43

The weird thing about the three-act structure is that once you understand it - really understand it and know how it works - you start to see it everywhere. I'm starting to see it in places which aren't even stories. Point in case. My writing endeavors are currently in the last half of their second act.

In the middle of act II there's a midpoint, where everything becomes clear and the main character makes a resolution to charge forward. This midpoint is followed by a series of victories, where everything goes right for the main character. I feel like I'm starting on those victories. I'm a little worried, because the 3-act structure says that following those victories will be the deepest and darkest failure yet, but... we'll consider that later.

Point is, things are on fire with my writing. I've mentioned it before, but I've always been frustrated when I would look at something simple, like a short movie...