Dear Hyperactive Muse.

[auronlu]

Since you have been weirdly active after about a year of near-catatonia, we are going to try an experiment.

I shall not post a chapter until a respectable chunk of note-taking for dissertation has occurred. Say, four books, since right now the books are dense and requiring me to read most of them.

Be honest.
Try.

THAT should be a big-ass carrot, at least until this spurt of inspiration dries up. And it'll help make sure I don't post too fast for my readers.

Because I flippin' have the next chapter FINISHED, at least the raw draft. Admittedly half of it was written for the previous chapter and postponed. (Did I succeed in keeping chapter 20 under 2000 words? Noooo. Phail. But either it's just going to have to be 2200, or else divided into two pieces of around 1000, which would only postpone the problem again.)

What is WRONG with me these days?
 

Comments

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

I don't think 2200 is too long for a chapter at all. In fact, if I were to make any criticism of your last set of chapters, it would be that they would have read more smoothly as one long chapter. Of course, my latest story has a chapter that broke 8,000 words, so I may not be the right person for feedback on this. ;)

Your reward system sounds like a good one, if you can make yourself stick with it....

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

Muggy thought my 2400 word chapter 16 was "loooooooong". Hmmm. Oh well! Good to know.

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

This is one of those cases where you can't please everyone, so you have to settle for pleasing yourself. :) I agree with trekqueen that some chapters plod while others fly by, and length seems to have little to do with it. I believe that a chapter should be a complete thought, and that some stories just demand longer chapters. My AGL chapters average 3000-3500 words; DSHnD chapters are somewhat longer, usually between four and five thousand words, and the shortest chapter in my current story ("Aftermath") is over six thousand. It all depends on the story, I think, although I don't think it's an accident that my chapters get longer over time.

Anyway, more meta than you asked for. :) I don't remember chapter 16 seeming particularly long.

(Also, to butt in on your conversation below ;) I believe there are some nice tea places in the Long Beach area, if that's a good mid-way point for you.)

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

Hee. I don't know enough about anywhere.

And I am very grateful for the meta. I think my natural breakpoint tends to be 2200-2800 words most of the time, so trying to cut these chapters shorter (due to two reader suggestions) has been difficult. I may dispense with the attempt.

[trekqueen.livejournal.com]

*buts in too* :D

Long Beach is good too! ^_^ I've had friends checking out Tea Houses that seem to be gaining in popularity recently. There's this one Vintage Tea Leaf and Elise's Tea Room, which looks to be the oldest in the area. And I found this site that covers a few cities in the vicinity.

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

I like tea, but I was joking-- I just meant I drink tea when others would drink booze or coffee. Starbucks has adequate tea. However, if you're in the mood for a tea house, Elise looks fun!

Or some other lunch place. I'm not the most formal person, so traditional English tea houses intimidate me slightly. Pick someplace! Um... what day is your shoulder thingie? Might we get together before it at, say, 11:30 for a nosh?

I'm afraid I'm going to let this week slip by while buried in shopping, writing, and dissertation.

[trekqueen.livejournal.com]

heh, well if we're doing 11:30 lets do lunch then. lol I was thinking maybe we could hit the beach or somewhere near it like Huntington/Seal Beach which is close for you and not too far for me to get back to my appointment.

[muggy-mountain.livejournal.com]

But then, this comes from someone who's been criticized for having 700~ word chapters. Heh.

BTW, sorry I haven't been keeping up with LHAD. I've been kind of suffering school death over and over, with finals ready to hit.

[lassarina]

I mean, my chapters average 6,000 words apiece. 2k word chapters do not intimidate me. XD (I've just been super slow with reading in general lately! Stupid NaNo.)

I will be intrigued to know if your carrots and sticks function!

[trekqueen.livejournal.com]

it really depends on folks and the chapter too. Sometimes if a chapter is terrible you cannot wait for it to be over (not your case haha) but I've come across absolutely long chapters (like 5000 words) that to me seem to go so quick and I'm itching for more. I go with whatever flows best and is chopped up in an ok fashion. Don't worry, I'm into the Dr Who cliche endings too. ^_^

and I think that is a good compromise with the muses. :D

had to add this on in edit. I was browsing through some old aulu entries looking for something I can't seem to find on my own computer and came across an old entry that made me bust up laughing... so just for you...


THUMP THUMP THUMP!!!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

It burns us, it burns!

There's a terrible Auron/Lulu/Rikku threesome in the M section of FF.net that I hit last week. It's not QUITE as execrable, but I still want to decapitate Lulu for letting the scene happen, and Auron is completely out of character.

Re: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[trekqueen.livejournal.com]

mmmm maybe I'll torture myself one day on my week off that is coming up for me. Speaking of which, let me know if you want to do coffe or something since I'll be FREEEEEEEEEEEEE!

you know I notice that a lot of writers have a hard time with keeping Auron in character or just leave him nearly mute. -_-

Re: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

Coffee (or tea) sounds lovely...hmm.... I don't suppose I could entice you down on the train. I would treat you to a fun restaurant on the water here, with ducks and YUMMY CALIFORNIAN FOOD.

On the other hand train tickets aren't as cheap as they should be.

I wonder what's halfway between us?

Re: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[trekqueen.livejournal.com]

eh the not so great areas of LA are between us LOL! I'm partial to tea myself though I've been known to have 'dessert' parties with friends too. teehehehe

I guess one of the decent areas between us would have to be like somewhere on the south bay, torrance, or santa monica areas. I am going to Santa Monica on Thursday next week for the doc appointment with the UCLA doc for my shoulder (3pm).

I don't mind driving, we have the hybrid too and my honda that get good mileage.

Re: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[muggy-mountain.livejournal.com]

Oh god, does this sound familiar?

“Fill me up with your hot gravy!” Lulu ordered him with enthusiasm.

...

oh god.

Re: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

*whine whine whine*

Okay, yes, it really is as bad as the Auron's Meat fanfic.

I don't mind long chapters...

[vandevere.livejournal.com]

Especially when they're *YOUR* chapters...

Just do whatever fits the story you're writing. I'll be reading it anyway... ;)

Vandevere