Friday, July 21, 2006

A Ramble from Nikki & Julie

Good Evening and yes, I am once again off the hook! Better yet, a totally fun ramble/chat by two writers. These are the two fun authors behind the curtain of JS Odds and Ends.

The Great Writing Ramble

By Nikki and Julie

Nikki: well, wanna try to get a ramble started and see how it goes?

Julie: sure : )

Nikki: so, I only vaguely remember how I got started with all of this, what about you?

Julie: this being what? Writing, the ramble, um more specifically fanfic, um our specific stories? And how vague is vague :-)

Nikki: lol

Julie: ok first line and you lost me already - I am bad sorry : )

Nikki: no worries

Julie: You have your work cut out for you...

Nikki: let's see, I've always written things

Nikki: and I wrote some fanfic before I knew that it was a thing that people did/read. What I don't really remember is how I started with the roleplaying and the writing with others

Nikki: what about you?

Julie: direction - yay, I can do this - and well writing in general - yeah that I've always done too, I mean I can go to my diaries/journals/etc. and find poetry and short stuff in amongst the preteen/teen drama filling those pages - fanfic, I am the same - I have stuff I wrote based on just about any TV show I would watch - I'd kinda half write though - like a screenplay but not... so there'd be pages of just dialogue and not the description stuff (I assumed anyone reading would know that was Kelly garret that said that - lol) as to roleplaying and writing with others

Julie: that I do know - red moon rising (a Buffy 4th season AU RPG I started three years ago) was my first :-) I really came late to the whole fanfic and RPG - I mean I did dungeons and dragons and stuff but nothing like writing based RPG

Nikki: I was into that rpg only just before you

Julie: I was scared to death to be honest, this was the first time anyone but my sisters had read anything I wrote

Nikki: it took longer for me to figure out how to deal with sharing ideas and avoiding controlling people/writers than to find out how easy it was to slip into the roles

Nikki: I did a lot of acting growing up and everything, and my only regret was that I had no say in what the characters did/said

Julie: yeah I agree

Nikki: rping gave me that option

Nikki: and I shared some of the stuff that I used to do, but not very much of it

Nikki: but the rp is great

Nikki: because you have the option of using existing characters and sharing how you see them and/or bringing in your own characters, but either way you already have a world to pull them into, and that makes it too easy sometimes, so even that much can get played with - like Hell and Earth (a buffy group in an alternate future where demons have significant power in a 3rd-world type of environment)

Julie: Yeah, I was going to say I like RP for a similar reason as well because you do not have to write EVERYTHING (I know that makes me sound lazy) but others are writing as well. It is like writing for a TV series, which I would love to do. Or writing a novel based on a series (another thing I secretly would love to do) - you have rules to follow but some play. Having the canon or rules actually makes the writing harder and thus a little more fun sometimes. It also is a sneaky way to help improve writing because you have to work with certain things and people and thus can't just do anything... not sure that is making sense

Julie: I also like the RPs that are more third person/story oriented as opposed to the more first person (more like a Sims game). That goes back to the fact I like to write as well as act (writing for an RP with other people is often like acting/improv as much as it is writing)

Nikki: and it's a lot of fun, because you have choices, but you still have those guidelines, an outline, and you know you have to follow it, because as a writer, you have some say in that plot

Nikki: as much as you improv, there's even more planning going on behind the scenes. You have to develop stories, and plots, new characters, and bad guys. It's not just playing one person (though I try to cheat on that, sorry julie) it's playing an entire cast. With our little duo approach, it makes it that much easier, and also explains why we have so many one-on-one scenes

Nikki: after that we still tend to stick to even numbers

Julie: (hehe sure now who is being lazy j/k)

Nikki: I prefer the term 'honest' thank you very much

Julie: hehe

Julie: Yes, that is one thing about the RP and writing that I always try to shy away from - that is torturing or really interacting with my own characters in an RP (Sitting there having a full out conversation with myself strikes me as odd sometimes - lol)- which is why working with someone else is something I prefer as well. It provides a better flow for dialogue, for me at least, (and I admit, I am not a strong or rich dialogue writer. That is one area where Nikki really excels and thus really makes the story better because she has strengths in an area I lack - it also means I learn as I write with her because I watch how she builds a scene (response) and also we talk about how the dialogue and writing is going - the behind the scenes stuff she mentioned earlier

Nikki: yeah, while I leave plotting and baddies to you

Nikki: I'm good at the talking

Julie: Hmm that could be interpreted in another way, just teasing - and your character development is phenomenal as well - especially the areas sometimes listed on bios as emotional history, or um characterization - the motivation pieces - why would my character do this? type thing

Nikki: we also have different things in mind when we create/develop new characters, I think that's why we make a good team. We have different strengths and weaknesses, so we can really build off of each other

Nikki: I think the motivation goes back to acting, you have to understand the why, or at least discover a way to justify it

Nikki: otherwise you aren't staying true to your character

Julie: Yup (and I am so being good and not mentioning or trying any type of dom or who wears the pants in the writing relationship jokes in here - aren't you proud :-P

Nikki: so very proud

Julie: :-D - and yeah - a lot of times people get caught up in a scene or neat idea (I am guilty of this big time) and do not stand back to check the ripples - meaning if I do this in an RP/story what will it really mean and how will it look.... a lot of plot holes and weird RP/story stuff and even a break down in RPs and plot happen, I think, because of overlooking that - plus then your character looks well outta character

Nikki: I like to think that I'm good at making you remember the big picture

Nikki: but it also gives you more choices for plot twists

Nikki: screwing up a scene is sometimes good for the plot. Occasionally you have to chuck one, but generally it just makes you more creative in getting back to the plot

Julie: Yeah. Also the neat thing about talking over motivation and plot ideas is as you consider actions/reactions, a lot of scenes/ideas will actually pop out. Plus once you get over the idea, "Okay this is a really bad idea. yes I needed someone to tell me that." Having someone to reorient your thinking helps to keep your writing and characters from getting stuck, in a dead-end or in a place you really find boring or not fun. I think being willing to chuck one is actually an important thing I have learned working with others. I have watched people/stories that don't flow or are willing to plot or are willing to create a plot that is open and it really kinda gets stagnant fast. Working with someone helps keep the story open because you are working to include people in scenes.

Julie: I also like working with Nikki because having played in RPs and writing a number of things now with her, I trust her. I have a lot of ideas and stories that I would never have shared, and actually still won't share or would be hesitant to with others. But I would/do with Nikki because I know I have a place to go and sound things out with her... (sorry about that Nikki, lucky you : ) ) So no matter the idea it is comfortable talking to her about things. Thus some cool ideas end up coming out, things I might not have shared or written otherwise (no, not might, I know I would not have without working with/interacting with her).

Nikki: right

Nikki: I feel that way too

Nikki: b/c you always need a sounding board

Julie: side note - I am glad to hear that because I hoped you knew that and such : )

Nikki: of course

Julie: yeah and not just a sounding board but one that is willing to make honest remarks back, if that makes sense

Nikki: yes

Nikki: and suggestions

Nikki: always good

Julie: It makes it more than just RPing, it starts to take it to the writing/publishing side of things, having that interaction (plotting, talking, critiquing)

Nikki: yeah, which is why we work well together, it's like having an editor who is a writer to, which is really just a good editor

Nikki: ha

Julie: : ) I like that

Julie: Another nice thing is (as evident perhaps by the rambling) my brain multi-tasks (okay no using ADD initials when talking about me - lol) but having various stories running and someone like Nikki willing to jump around is very important to me.

Nikki: someone who's also aware that you have to be in the right mood to work on certain stories/scenes

Julie: Yes, a definite plus of working with others and working with Nikki - having someone who can move to or chat about different characters/stories based on interest, mood, scene ideas that pop up as I drive to work, etc.

Julie: It is also fun sometimes because one story or scene may actually pop out from what we are working on, something that is like "Oh man this would be so awesome if we used this in this story and with these characters" And that spins off into other plots and such and we really bounce off each other well, kinda leaping from topic to topic

Nikki: right

Nikki: so basically, we like working with each other, b/c we think exactly the same and completely differently


Okay, folks, let's all thank the goofballs Julie and Nikki and make sure you take the time to read their words. They have some good ones. Don't forget to let them know what you think.

Now off to your update, enjoy.


Elisa

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