Post-NaNoWriMo Update - March 16, 2017

[amruniel]

Total Words Written: 171.239

Another long day, another time reaching my word-goal, another evening of writing less than I wanted, but more than I expected.
Only difference: today I haven't been waiting for slides to be uploaded while typing ;)

I dimly remember saying that I had left myself writing the "grande finale" of the boys little outdoor encounter for the next day approximately three days ago.
Well - let's just say the little outdoor adventure has taken an interesting turn in the meantime and our hunks are still not done yet *smirks*
But we're getting there... (we'd better be, else I fear for their health... poor Orlando is suffering from a very bad case of blue balls at the moment... and I think he might turn ballistic any moment now if things don't move along ...satisfactory... soon)

Anyway - I just wanted to let you guys know that there's a LOT of sex being written currently.
And we all like that, right? :D

Comments

[silvan-lady.livejournal.com]

Mmm, I have a confession to make. If I'm reading a very good story I have been known to skim over the sex, to get to the plot! *blushes*

Obviously, I won't do that in your story, because I will beta every word! ;-)

[amruniel.livejournal.com]

I have been known to do the same thing, but applying this to my fic would require two things:

- the story actually counting as a good one (doubtful)
and (even more important!)
- there actually being plot you can skip to ;) (so far... questionable ;))

:D
Alternatively you as my beta could just strike out the sex and keep in the good parts ;)

[silvan-lady.livejournal.com]

I can honestly say I don't think I've ever struck out complete sections and I used to beta for a great many people!

I might have suggested alternative approaches on occasion though.

One of the important things to me about being a beta is to never say, "I don't like that" without saying why and making suggestions if necessary, but as a writer I see it differently. I am perfectly happy to be told something doesn't work and why, but I don't want my beta to tell me what to write instead, how contrary is that? It's a fine line I think...

[amruniel.livejournal.com]

I haven't had a really good beta ever, so I only know what I don't like (which essentially boils down to a beta that thinks everything just "lovely" and doesn't criticize even the parts I know are shit).

I think I'd be very much okay even with being told "strike out this and that" if it comes with an explanation why.
Suggestions of how to do something differently are very much appreciated (and most likely needed), and I think I enjoy being told how to do it differently (particularly with this fic, because a) it's the first time writing in nearly a decade for me and I'm decidedly rusty and b) it's not my mother tongue, so I'm sure I write complete bullshit sometimes).

In short - with me you can do everything but being a passive reader who offers no criticism or opinion at all ;)

[silvan-lady.livejournal.com]

Passive? No opinion? Absolutely no chance!

I think that's probably why a few people I beta'd for only ever sent one thing - they obviously wanted the 'it's all lovely' option!

One thing I do remember - I was betaing for a rather well respected writer (since left LJ) and she'd been writing a great and rather hot sex scene - then suddenly stopped to described the bed or something which totally slowed everything down, then she suddenly leapt back into the middle of frantic sex. I had to read it a few times before I figured out what was throwing me off, but when I mentioned it she started off with "Well really!" and then came back and said, "Actually, you're spot on!" Since then I've trusted my instincts.

[amruniel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, sometimes it's the little things that throw the reader off without really realizing *why* things suddenly feel off.

I suspect, I might have just typed a similar "show stopper" as well. But on the other hand I feel I needed to have that brief detour to be able to have the boys finally get their well-deserved release without it being out of the blue.
*shrugs*
I think you'll notice it if it really is a case of "possibly throwing the reader off" and will tell me to change it :)

I think, as an author it oftentimes is hard to judge what works and what doesn't. I -at least- am so very involved with my story, I'm living and breathing that thing, that whatever I write makes sense for me, but that doesn't necessarily translate to another person reading it later on.
Which also explains how that author later came back to tell you you were right after all, no matter what her feeling was telling her in the first place.
For me, having a critical distance to what I write is tough if at all doable.

And that's why I need an involved beta that tells me when I'm going completely over board with something or that I wrote something that didn't help the story at all. ;)