Daily since before the birth of my daughter, yes, absolutely. I used to journal back in my teens as well (usually on for several weeks, then off for a few months). Back then it was to work through my emotions. Now it helps me remember key items of the day, and sometimes reflect back on where I was this time last year. For better or worse.
I've tended to use them as a jumping off point for Epsilon serials. There's been misogyny, evil corporations, and in 2020, a dimensional pandemic. I also trend urban fantasy, so issues creep in that way.
That said, I don't have major movements, political rallies, or characters who are overly religious. My goal isn't social commentary, just somewhat realistic stories.
The interactions, honestly. I think that's why I lean towards serial writing, and stories that readers can vote on in particular. Also why I've joined forums, participated in talks, and these hashtags.
I like discussion but not necessarily people, if that makes any sense. So, given the typical absence of reader comments, anyone who's reading this is part of what I enjoy about the writing process.
Books, no. Doing #WebSerials though, I generally try to finish a part at between 2000 & 2500 words. Or at the least have fairly consistent page lengths for each segment.
Thus while the overall could be 13 parts or 18 parts, you know roughly how long each part itself will take to read.
There's the ones I overuse, like "again", "that" and "back", and I've also been told I overuse people's names. But I gather that's not the spirit of "favourite" for the question.
I suppose "time" is the one I often come back to, because it's my favourite genre. In the first 15,000 words or so of "Time Untied", it occurs 120 times.
Also currently re-editing an old #SailorMoon fanfic to post on AO3. Latter parts have dodgy character motivations (I'm fixing that), but otherwise, ignoring usual overuse of crutch words (still guilty today at times), it's pretty good.
Main issue I try to curb these days is head hopping, to keep a more consistent POV. Plots are pretty solid & I will cry reading my own more emotional writing scenes. What?
I keep a log of main characters, so incidentals (siblings off screen, named students in classes) generally gets recorded there. Sometimes I'll forget, but usually I'll at least remember where in the WIP to look up the name, if I realize it's relevant later.
-An hour or more of free time (which is VERY hard being a dad and a teacher).
-The ability to look up a quick synonym or fact, ie- internet (I hate placeholders, they block me).
-Music, not essential but can be a motivator (unlike food/drink, which tend to distract).
-And an ergonomic location would be nice to not screw up my back (not needed for present me but future me prefers it).
Having glanced at some of the other responses...
-Horror. Kinda squeamish, not my Thing.
-Historical. I don't have the patience to get the details right.
-Christian. I'm not terribly religious.
Could MAYBE get away with a short story (and editing), and a lot of that is dependent on characters and topic, but I'd probably still end up using urban fantasy elements too.
It's literally all I have. It was why I joined Twitter back in the day, though that morphed into something else, then back. (And now I'm not there, I'm here.) But given how little return I get even now, seems there's not much point in trying to publicize more.
Absolutely series. Partly the #WebSerial format, lending itself to sequels and spinoffs, but I also like pulling characters I enjoyed back into service. Using a multiverse mechanic. Be it from prior stories, or roleplay sessions, or whatever.
It's even kind of sad to me, in the few short story stand alones that I have done, that some characters have essentially departed for good.
If it's a character I originally used in a roleplay campaign, and repurposed, then yes, there is likely an actor/actress associated with them. But for appearance alone, not personality.
If it's a character I came up with myself (and likely sketched or doodled), then no. I may free associate them later (again, only on the shallow visual scale) but that doesn't happen much.
At first I thought this meant, do I provide them with my name. Which actually is something of an issue of late.
I'll say my name is not uncommon, there are professors and doctors out there who've turned up on a search of it. Not sure about authors, but I went with my middle initial when publishing the short story.
It's not the only reason, but I'd say yes. The point being?
Possibly to keep on going, even in the face of low view counts and overwhelming odds. Or possibly to prove to myself that there is a lesbian somewhere inside of me, I'm not imagining it. Or possibly to show that serials are a valid format.
My lack of focus is probably why I should stick to fiction. Thanks for reading this month!
Her mother vanished in the Bermuda Triangle. Because of actions she would take in the future, owing to time travel, that's awkward. Then she was estranged from her father who kept hoping mother would return, though they've reconciled somewhat of late.
It's rare that something happens idea-wise to get me to rewrite earlier material. But going through an edit pass, I might see a better angle to take that causes me to rewrite a bunch forwards, until such a time as I can re-synch. Overwriting what I had initially, thus a chapter could get lost/changed that way.
Not sure if this is a serial writer thing (in not changing earlier stuff), or totally normal?
I've done sketches for my serials, since it was recommended to have an image for more visibility when social media scrolling. Personified math also needed visuals for some of the jokes. I'm not the best artist though, so publicity stuff usually involves commissioning art though.
I'm also not one for world building, so I haven't done anything that way.
When co-workers find out, it can become a serious issue, depending on what and when you write. So it's not something you can necessarily openly discuss, even with family at times, unless you're one of the lucky ones who doesn't need another (a primary?) source of income.
Basically, the issue of those who fail to separate (or contextualize) the writer and their writing.
Something based around a prompt, naturally. Also generally using a single individual... once my cast grows beyond two people (or the setting moves beyond a single location), it tends to spiral out of control.
As others have said, "copied" throws me off a bit, but one of my serial entries for "Time & Tied" deliberately had tons of shout-outs to both "Back to the Future" and "Quantum Leap". If that's what is meant.
From characters named Peabody and Strickland to the use of "Oh Boy". I'm usually more subtle in my homages.
I usually need the plausible basis before my imagination can activate. That's why my time travel alludes to wormholes and random variance. Even with magic, I'll usually reference limits or unknowns, so that a reader isn't wondering why it can't be a solution to most other world issues.
Let's say 75% plausible? Fridge Logic may occur later.
I absolutely prefer to have a longer, clear period. But given my life, that's next to impossible. (Evenings, sometimes.) As such, I generally draw the line at half an hour, minimum. Any less, and I'm barely back into the right headspace before I'm needing to change gears.
Corollary is I can write or edit for three hours, and yet it feels like it's been less than an hour.
Probably the more religious ones on the sides, Megan and Marguerite. Perhaps Paige too. Because their core beliefs are different.
Of the mains, likely Julie, rich with an unstable household, or Glen, who's mostly out for himself. Or if we expand to all works, Rebekah, who has been around 400 years and has multiple magical forms... could be why that one's been shelved for a while.
There was a time, a decade ago, when I posted to socials, made business cards, joined forums & serial sites, participated in webcomic discussions, did april fools serial swaps and more. This did get my serial website about a dozen readers total.
But I ran out of time, energy, and patience, and now need a locked account so that people don't think that I am someone I am not.
If you've found me, welcome. I write science fantasy yuri.
There is no intelligence there. It's a Large Language Model, which one hopes was trained on data with permission, and without the need of a nuclear power plant to operate, two equally problematic items of late.
No. In terms of serial writing, I often have a sense of how much plot will get me about 2,000 words, to the next decision point/end of entry, but with zero idea of how far the story may or may not extend beyond that.
Probably why the WIP is at 275k words and counting. It'll need edits and a separation marker for sure.
I don't have enough to promote, and doubt I'd go even if I did... I'm pretty bad about talking myself up. There was a time when I handed out business cards with my website on them. Like a lot of things, that basically went nowhere.
Those who enjoy "urban science fiction" (sometimes magic) with a shot of romance. Which is often sapphic/yuri. All presented as a set of serial installments.
I'm not sure who's at this intersection (or who doesn't mind the extra elements), but if you know them, send them my way.
-Roleplay (mostly online). Half the characters in "Epsilon" are from RPGs that otherwise ended, and I hung onto them.
-Drawing. I'm not great, but I did run a 4-panel webcomic for a few years. Even participated in comic discussions. Also illustrate for my serials (attached).
-And of course parenting and the job that is my main source of income require elements of creativity. Extending to photography and making videos in FinalCut Express.
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