I need your help / opinion...please

[Garrett Duke]

Well I have been writing one form of fan fic or another for several years now. Started out with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to C.H.i.P.s and then onto the Dukes of Hazzard. Been stuck in Hazzard county well over ten years now...perhaps fifteen? I can't remember, but I can't imagine writing about anything else.

Anyway, I have my DOH fanfic series plus a few other stories and the such on Mary Anne's DOH fanfic site (Thanks Mary Anne ). I am on my third story of my series of which my personally created characters Kristy and Garrett Duke are in...and stuck on chapter five since like February. I can't even remember the last time I was motivated to write it not alone know where to take it.

Which isn't anything new...writer's block seems to love my stories that and the lack of time. But the past couple of months have been wondering if it is time to hang up the whole idea of writing due to time and other things I have thought of wrong of my own writing...and the many things I would love to change. But I really don't want to quit writing...to quit writing would be to give up on Hazzard it seems. But my series has hit a thick wall with no way of breaking through it seems as I see the same theme etched in each of my stories...just with a different twist.

Was thinking about it the other night and what I should do and did come up with an idea, but since my series is on the web, don't know if I should even think of the idea. If it was on my computer, I would do it with little thought and feel good about it...

Of starting over. Reintroducing the characters and correcting several mistakes that I have noticed during this fic I started and has been bugging me. Different story ideas. Everything. Of working on erasing that same nagging twist in my stories and perhaps bettering my writing as a whole. I have even been thinking of how it would start...

But then again, I had started it over a few years ago as well. And was doing better until I saw a lot of areas of my time line and characters, and so forth that has been nagging at me the past month or so. Don't want to disuade readers, if I have any, away from my stories with all this. But at the same time, I am not going anywhere the way I am going either.

Which only leads back to that question, is it time to call it quits?

I am sorry for all of my rambling and hope I am making at least a little sense here. I don't know where to go from here or what would be the best idea, so I thought I would throw all this out and see if anyone has any ideas of what I can do with this mess I have created for my writing. Any help would be greatly appreciated at this time. Thanks in advance.

[JadedPhoenixBurning]

I think that the more experienced we become at writing the more of our previous mistakes we will catch. This is one reason why I am reluctant to post on a site that I can't edit and post on my own without bugging anyone else. When I have writer's block and can't write then I resort to finding an older story and editing it. I get a thrill when I can't find anything to change but I know I'm human and will find something at least once in every three chapters.

By re-editing I am able to refresh my memory on the story-line (most of my stories are part of a series) and can help me find any plot-holes that have yet to be filled. If you find that you have less and less time to write then you could consider taking a hiatus. Sometimes we all need a break. As for all of the stories being on the web, I am a firm believer that all writers should have a copy of their own stories kept SOMEWHERE of their own in addition to what ever archive they choose to use. After all, you never know when there could be an issue with the site and as you have found it makes for editing difficult when you do not have a copy when you are not on-line.

Personally, I have my stories stored (in addition to on my account on FF.net and my own page under my pen name) in my word program as well as on Skydrive. Something that has come in handy more than once since I once replaced the wrong chapter when fixing some errors that I'd found during one of my editing crazes. Though any archive where you don't have access to loading your own edits could be problamatic. Perhaps keep a file of your stories and send in the story with it's corrections all at one time?

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks for the quick response Jaded Phoenix. I have most of my stories on a program on my computer. My older ones I wrote on my other computer and can't open them on this one. But my newer ones I do have on a word processor.

My problem is with changing my series too many times plus don't know how I can fix it all by just re editing my work. Perhaps it's not impossible...

Thanks again.

[JadedPhoenixBurning]

Thanks for the quick response Jaded Phoenix. I have most of my stories on a program on my computer. My older ones I wrote on my other computer and can't open them on this one. But my newer ones I do have on a word processor.

My problem is with changing my series too many times plus don't know how I can fix it all by just re editing my work. Perhaps it's not impossible...

Thanks again.

Well, each rewrite could possibly end up as a completely different story. It happens. I'd just pick it up where I felt the change is needed and start writing. Though if you are worried about the readers getting confused the maybe only post once you are finished with it. Then you won't have to worry about the update schedule and you can let it sit for a while after you edit to re-edit it once more.

[Garrett Duke]

Well, each rewrite could possibly end up as a completely different story. It happens. I'd just pick it up where I felt the change is needed and start writing. Though if you are worried about the readers getting confused the maybe only post once you are finished with it. Then you won't have to worry about the update schedule and you can let it sit for a while after you edit to re-edit it once more.

Thanks Jaded Phoenix for your helpful advice.

[JadedPhoenixBurning]

No problem. Never give up on a story idea. I have one that has been in the works for 13 years! It is a story that I nearly got published way back when I was 17; I send samples of it to a publisher and I was told that it showed promise and that they wanted to talk to me when it was completed. Long story short, my mother (Who is bi-polar) destroyed it and I gave up writing completely until a year and a half ago. I'm going back to that original story now and will devote all of my time once my current Dukes is completed. The prologue is on fictionpress if you want to read it. It is all that is left of the original story and only because I emailed it to a friend to let her read it. But still, never give up on an idea. Some just may take longer to get on paper but they are still worth tell.

[Garrett Duke]

Wow Jaded Phoenix...that has got to be frustrating and upsetting to go through all that work and to have people in the writing industry interested in it only for it to be destroyed. Glad you still had the intro that should at least jog your memory, but still, be very frustrating. Glad to hear you are going back to it and t hat you haven't given up on it. I wish you the best of luck with your writing. I use to want to be a writer and still would love to do it, but I haven't gotten very far with any other story outside of any fanfic. Guess I can't get past the part of info I read about write about something you know...well I don't know very much about anything that anyone would be interested in reading about. LOL. I wish you the best of luck.

I appreciate your help and will keep it in mind. Am trying to figure it all out and if it is worth it. The idea that keeps popping into my mind is of starting over and having Luke return home where as in my series now, he was already home when I started writing it. Write of them working on The General. Where as in my story the General was already built. Have one story with just the original characters before introducing my own personal characters just to have the time line and all that in order. Where as in my series I start the series with my characters coming to Hazzard. Would still like to use the prologue I used for my first story though of how and why they came to Hazzard. I even have an idea that would go with the first story...

But feel if I do that would have to start the series over again. Which I wouldn't mind doing, but don't know if I could since my series is on a submitted fanfic site and I had started it over once before.

I appreciate your help Jaded Phoenix and for listening.

[JadedPhoenixBurning]

NP, Garret! I just read over my past posts and I'm like, "DANG! I shouldn't have rushed out a reply without editing." LOL!! Excuse all the typos. Anyway, if the story will turn out so different then leave the old one up and if it is incomplete just put an AN at the end saying that you plan to do a complete rewrite. That way folks that are enjoying it now can read what is already up and they'll know to look for the next story once you are ready to post. IF I decided to take the first one down I'd wait till I could replace it. (Shrug) But others might do it differently.

As far as write what you know...UH... Not always. Otherwise we'd never have Sci-Fi or other works of fantasy. My own story will be a Sci-fi story yet I've never gone to another planet (Despite the fact that some may think I act like I'm not from this world at times ). And I didn't know that it was the story that I would write until I started writing. Sometimes writing is planned out like someone using a map to take a trip. Other times its like just choosing a little dirt road and finding where it goes because you have nothing better to do. Both can be fun. Just have fun and worry about the rest later.

[Garrett Duke]

I like your comparison of writing and the roads. Very true. Didn't think of sci-fi. Guess you wouldn't exactly know. But have a good imagination.

Thanks for the great advice about my story. I think I will take it. Might as well as start a new on my computer and see where it takes me. Obviously my other story is not going to go anywhere in the mean time.

No worries about the typos...I probably have a few myself.

[MaryAnne]

Wanted to chime in on this Garrett as I've known you for many years now.

First and foremost, deep down in your heart, I'm sure you don't want to give up writing totally -frustrating as things can be with it sometimes. I know, been there myself.

So with that in mind, my first piece of advice is simple: Don't quit.

I know the frustration of writer's block ("Hooper 3" anybody?) and the time constraints. If you're blocked on a story, just let it be. Shift to something else, if something else comes to mind. Goof around with your characters. Do some free writing, put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and just write something. Ramble! Rant! "If Garrett Duke wasn't such a sonofagun, I'd slap 'em.... " or whatever. LOL.

If you're rethinking a storyline, there's nothing wrong with that. Go with it, give it a try. Listen to the muses, as I like to call it. They're trying to tell you something.

As for your story being on a submitted site (and I'm assuming what site you're referring to... LOL)... I would have no problem if you decide to redo/replace stories or whatever on DOHFF. You page there is YOURS to display what stories you want. (Those who are keeping track tho' - yes I do have a rule regarding submitting multiple versions. This is more to do with editing/typo stuff to discourage folks from saying "oops, I found a typo, please post this version!" "Ooops, made another minor edit, please post this version!" "Sorry, found another typo! Please post this version!" See? LOL)

So, if you're thinking to start over or whatever and want to remove a story and post something new/different that's fine I have no problem with that.

And JadedPhoenix is right on that "write what you know" thing. If I wrote what I knew, I wouldn't write anything because I know nothing.

[Garrett Duke]

Thank you Mary Anne and Jaded Phoenix for all of your output and advice. It has helped a lot.

Mary Anne, you are right. I don't want to quit. I would be lost without having a story to think through to plot through and try to write. I never fully grasped that concept, but have thought of it from time to time in frustration.

And a writing exercise on slapping Garrett...he may deserve that and may feel good. Until he slaps me back. HA HA. That is a good idea though. Have tried doing something like that for my writing, but that has been forever. Thanks for the reminder.

As for the rewrite...you are exactly right in thinking of what submitted fanfic site it is on and thanks for all your hard work and support. Without you my story would be stuck forever on my computer. Well it is anyway, but at least people have the option to look at it right now.

As for the rewite, MA, thanks for addressing that and for opening that option up for me. There is a lot of things in my writing in my series that has been bugging me and I would love to start a new if you don't mind. The past couple weeks or so has had me seeing all the things I would like to redo, things I don't like, and things I feel need to be changes or done differently. And since I tend to be a perfectionist sometimes, they have been bugging me...and ever since the idea of starting the series over again, have been thinking alot of ideas, plots, characters and so forth. But knew of the rule of not rewriting again that you mentioned and felt like I already broke that rule last time I restarted my series, felt like restarting the whole thing wasn't an option.

So if you don't mind and if it is OK, I think I will restart my whole series over again with the ideas that I have. Unless that is a problem, and I would understand. Really feel bad for having you do all your work only to redo and undo it all like that and would understand if you don't want to do that.

If it is OK, I don't know yet what to do with the other stories in the series, because I do want to use at least the prologue in the first series for an idea of a future story. But if it is all OK with you, will email you when I know what to do or when I have something else to submit.

Thanks again Jaded Phoenix and MaryAnne for all your help, support, and advice. It all means a lot to me. Thanks Mary Anne for all you have done to help my writing in the past and for posting my writing on your submitted fanfic site.

[i1976]

I agree with MaryAnne. If you had decided to quit simply 'cause you were no more interested in fanfic (and Dukes... what a shame, LOL), you'd simply have quitted without any regret. When you quit 'cause you don't like something anymore, simply you stop to do it, naturally, without even talking 'bout that: the passion is gone, stop, go with another passion.

But it's not your case, obviously. I know, like every writer out there, how depressing is when your story seems go nowhere, or when your muse seems gone. Somehow, writing is a sort of... physical need: you feel you HAVE to write, no matter what. And sometimes, your muse help you when you try a new path, a new idea, something never explored (it's a way to "refresh" your mind); you write for yourself: if you like your writing and your characters, people will like it.

[Garrett Duke]

I agree with MaryAnne. If you had decided to quit simply 'cause you were no more interested in fanfic (and Dukes... what a shame, LOL), you'd simply have quitted without any regret. When you quit 'cause you don't like something anymore, simply you stop to do it, naturally, without even talking 'bout that: the passion is gone, stop, go with another passion.

But it's not your case, obviously. I know, like every writer out there, how depressing is when your story seems go nowhere, or when your muse seems gone. Somehow, writing is a sort of... physical need: you feel you HAVE to write, no matter what. And sometimes, your muse help you when you try a new path, a new idea, something never explored (it's a way to "refresh" your mind); you write for yourself: if you like your writing and your characters, people will like it.

Thank you i1976 for your helpful advice. I love writing and love the Dukes. That would be a shame not to like them no more.

It is depressing or frustrating when muses don't cooperate...a new reproach may help. Hopefully.

Thank you.

[Brian Coltrane]

Can't resist butting in on this one.

If you truly love writing, which I know ya do - just quitting isn't realistic. You can try to quit, but I'm willing to bet your characters, muses, what have ya would never leave you alone.

And you never know where your writing will take you. I've said it before but for those who don't know, one of our fanfic writers from years ago went on to get short stories published by a magazine. She changed the names in the story, changed the name of the town, but it was basically a girl-meets-Duke romance series. If not for her family obligations, she would have went pro and had novels published, I've no doubt. I believe she could have went pro regardless - had she just believed in herself a little more.

In the last couple years, I've started to draw regular income from writing. I write business articles, professional blogs, ect. I'm a ghost writer so I don't get the public credit, but I do get paid like clockwork. In the future I hope to see income from some original fiction. Meanwhile I appreciate every penny I earn since I'm doing something I enjoy.

Even if I'd never made a dime, I'd never regret the time I've spent writing fanfic or hanging out on AIM or the Forums. You can't put a price on friendships. Nor can you place a dollar value on the creative process and the sharpening of your reasoning skills.

If writing is simply an escape for you, it's still priceless. If you enjoy writing, that's reason enough to continue.

[i1976]

Brian is right.

I think writing is a sort of NEED. I NEED to write, 'cause it's an "healty safety valve" to my fantasy (besides drawings, editing pictures and making videos, LOL); moreover, writing and publishing what you write is a great way to share with people like you your passions and feelings (writing and reading are no very common passions out there, and sometimes I feel like I'm "something else" in the world). Anyway, this NEED could be very "scaring" in its strength: it scares me how much deeply you can be driven into a story (a story YOU are writing, or you are reading too), enjoying and suffering with the characters. Scaring but.... FANTASTIC. Don't you think?

[MaryAnne]

Brian is right.

I think writing is a sort of NEED. I NEED to write, 'cause it's an "healty safety valve" to my fantasy (besides drawings, editing pictures and making videos, LOL); moreover, writing and publishing what you write is a great way to share with people like you your passions and feelings (writing and reading are no very common passions out there, and sometimes I feel like I'm "something else" in the world). Anyway, this NEED could be very "scaring" in its strength: it scares me how much deeply you can be driven into a story (a story YOU are writing, or you are reading too), enjoying and suffering with the characters. Scaring but.... FANTASTIC. Don't you think?

Couldn't have put it better. It's a NEED. I can identify with that!

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks Brian and i1975 for your imput on my writing. Don't think quitting was a real option for me other than that I didn't know where to go in my writing and saw now where else to go but to quit. And I still don't know what to do with the series or my story unless I start it all over and then I can see several ways I can better the series and hopefully the characters.

That is great that someone was able get a story published in a megazine. Never knew that. Too bad life seemed to get in the way of going all the way, but all the same it is great to see talent get recognized like that.

Glad you are able to what you love to do Brian and get paid for it. Hoping the best for your career and for your writing career as well.

Thanks everyone for the feedback and encouragement.

[DaneyDuke]

Great advice everyone!

Best wishes on continued writing, whether it is rewriting an old story or something new after an exercise!