onedeadplotbunny | [Bunny #3] Bunny Management

kalloway posting in

Just a reminder - this is your community, too. Feel free to use it to ask for advice, vent, commiserate, celebrate, etc.

So. We've been here all month. \o/ We have made our shiny lists and looked at our shiny lists and a few of us have possibly even despaired a bit over our shiny lists before remembering they are shiny lists of awesome things we're gonna write/draw/create/etc.

Let's talk about how things end up on those lists this week.

What makes you add a plotbunny/project/idea to your list and keep it there? Do you write mostly for bingos/exchanges/challenges? Do you take requests? What inspires you? Do you maaaaaybe keep a few more ideas than you should or realize they need a little (or a lot) more work to become a proper story?

And since we're at the last post for the month, it's time for list revision. You are free to look over your list and remove anything that you've realized isn't working for you. There is nothing wrong with keeping all your bunnies, of course, but it is also okay to let go.

This is also a weekly check-in! You do not have to check in, of course, but if you would like to comment on the last week, feel free!

If you have a deadline coming up, you can do it! If you need a deadline, feel free to ask!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

kalloway (

as admin)

Important! I am having computer and internet connectivity issues (and have been for the last couple weeks, but everything bombed out entirely this last weekend). I think the internet is fixed, but I'm limited to a very old netbook for the time being.

If you are able, please cheer each other on, etc. I'll be back asap.

If you need a mod, PM any of us--

From:

green

I've done awesomely over the past week. I've averaged over 1k words a day and I finished my outline so I do know exactly where this story is going and how much further it has to get there. \o/

I passed 42k words on the fic today.

From:

sammyphoenix

Whoo! Great job getting so much accomplished this week!

From:

green

Thank youuu! :D

From:

darthneko

wow! Congrats!

From:

green

thank you! :)

From:

kalloway

\o/ That's awesome! Go you!

From:

green

thank you! *hugs*

From:

dialecticdreamer

First, the bunny list spawned a smaller bunny list: that's the densely interconnected short stories I've been working on since mid-January. (That means I've written over 50K JUST for that set!)

Second, the word count for the month is WELL past my goal. As of last night (21 Feb), I've written 49,518 words JUST in the last three weeks!

Third-- the list. That list intimidates me. Scares me. Worries me. It's an enormous stack of 'not done yet' items I have to prioritize and balance the demands of real life with the need to write.

I am feeling very small and mortal now, especially with real life crap and a previous bout with cancer treatment. How do I balance keeping track of the things I want, desperately to create with the very real evidence that, frankly, living to a hundred won't help whittle down that list?

It's not exactly a treadmill: the current micro-list is all stories I think will be entertaining and enjoyable for the reader, adding up to a challenging, interesting collection that has stretched my writing skills in new ways. But... I've had to add six stories to the original planned six, doubling JUST that list. It's the same every time I tackle the major list, too.

At some point, that starts feeling less than fun.

Edited (typo) Date: 2017-02-22 11:12 pm (UTC)

From:

the_rck

I know what you mean about feeling mortal. I've pretty much admitted to myself that I can't possibly write all the things that I want to, so I keep moving things to an 'abandoned' list with the idea that they'll still be there if I suddenly run out of other things to write.

From:

dialecticdreamer

I can't seem to make that leap.

Dunno why... maybe I just think that the longer my 'to do list,' the more time I'll have to get it done? (This is patently untrue, and my brain supplies that information regularly, but it doesn't STICK.)

From:

the_rck

It's kind of depressing to do, but a lot of my bunnies are things I looked at and thought, "Yeah, someone should write that," rather than things I had a definite urge to write. I think that makes putting them aside easier.

I've also started a list of things that I want someone else to write but know with certainty that I could never manage.

From:

samuraiter

The answer to the question depends on the age of the bunny, since I have been doing fanfic since before FFN. ^_^; So I guess it comes down to whether or not the idea sounded fun and / or unique at the time. I cannot bring myself to discard ideas that meet those criteria.

These days, I wrote almost entirely for prompts, kink memes, bingo cards, etc, give or take the occasional exchange, so I guess I do most of my 'fic on request. Risk-taking is not rewarded in this business, especially in small or niche fandoms. ... That is what I tell myself, at least.

Not a whole lot of writing this week, but that might just be because last week was so successful. Then again, I still have a fair amount of week left.

From:

csichick_2

I really need to start the make a list step. I'm still sitting on zero words for the year. *headdesks*

From:

kalloway

You don't have to make a super-organized list or anything, and if you're stuck on where to begin, you could always see about writing a couple of 100 word drabbles. That's where I started my year.

From:

sammyphoenix

I tend to be inspired by the media and fans itself. I enjoy reading what others are writing, and imagining similar ideas. I use to do bingos and prompts, but life got dumb and I fell out of that. Now that I'm back I haven't noticed the groups I used then being very active now. Those that are active, I'm not feeling ready for or inspired by. For my art I do tend to do prompts or RNG for model poses to attempt to pull a character image from it.

I'm find using Trello (mentioned here by another user) very helpful in keeping ideas and ideas organized. I even have a small board of things I've completed. So I can see a list of accomplishments.

I have posted 2 chapters this week. They were suppose to be for the same story, but since they were started 2 years ago my idea for the story has changed. So I posted the 3rd chapter, and started the 4th, for my story trying to progress that. And the other wrapped up I posted as a one shot (and my first go at smut ;p).

From:

craterdweller

You're doing awesome!

There is a great bingo card generator here that lets you enter your own prompts (separated by a comma) or choose from a number of pre-defined lists (some might even be some of your old bingo comms) - if you ever want to make a bingo card but can't find an active comm that inspires you. I love that you can choose the size of the card - so if 5x5 is a little daunting you can create a 2x2 card etc..

Edited Date: 2017-02-23 08:43 am (UTC)

From:

sammyphoenix

Thanks for that generator. It looks awesome for when I need a little inspiration.

From:

the_rck

I do a lot of exchanges or, at least, used to. That seems to be the only way to get myself to write things that actually end. Left on my own, I come up with ideas that will take tens or even hundreds of thousands of words, and I'm not actually capable of staying focused on the same story for that long. I'm capable of writing for a lot of different fandoms, but I won't unless I get a big idea or I have an assignment from an exchange.

Generally speaking, things end up on my plotbunny list if I look at the idea or the prompt and think that I'm looking at something that nobody else is likely to write-- the thing that's kind of at a wingnut angle to general fanon or is in a very small fandom or that goes to dark places that canon implies and then ignores. I want to worry at plotholes until I come up with Watsonian explanations.

Right now, I've got eighteen bunnies on my list. Ten of them are things I've at least started. The others are just kind of vague ideas and are mostly sequels to other things I've written. I'm making steady progress on two of the WIP or was before this week smacked me so hard. I've written more so far this year than I manage most years.

From:

lassarina

Congrats on your progress so far this year! I hope you can keep it up!

From:

lassarina

I write down everything, as soon as it occurs to me, and then when I want something to work on, I scan the list and see what's there.

I find I am often better with deadlines, so I love exchanges and bingos and the like.

I've been abysmal at writing the last few weeks, because too much Life happening, but I'm hoping to buckle down again soon, if this headache ever goes away (weather-driven headaches are THE WORST.)

From:

craterdweller

Oh gosh - I feel your pain with the weather-driven headaches, One of my migraine triggers is when the barometric pressure fluctuates a lot over a short period.

Hope the headache goes away.

You will get back on the writing horse - and you'll have the perfect list of bunnies for when you do!

From:

lassarina

Yeah, here in Chicago we have both temperature and barometric pressure playing chase-me in a sine wave pattern, and ugh. UGH I SAY.

Thank you! :)

From:

craterdweller

Almost all of my "bunnies" are from bingo challenges. Up until now this has worked pretty well as I've only written short-story length fanfiction, but this year I'm looking to add some original novel length work into the mix. I'm *trying* to limit the number of bingos/challenges/exchanges I'm signing up for. (Trying is the key word as I seem to have a problem with saying no to a good bingo or exchange, LOL.)

This month I started reading a book on planning your novel that has workshops/exercises. It's a work in progress but I have 5 vague ideas that I am working on turning into novel bunnies, one of which will hopefully turn into my project for NaNoWriMo this year.

Initially when I made my list, I had included *all* the unfilled prompts on all the bingo cards. In the spirit of revising my list - I reduced the bunnies from old bingo cards - to the minimum needed to complete the card (ie single line bingo). While I love filling all prompts to complete a "blackout bingo" - it was nice to let go on cards that have been lingering for months/years. Plus - now with a plan/list I can finish them and clear my plate :-)

Edited Date: 2017-02-23 08:44 am (UTC)

From:

marginaliana

Ooh, what's the book on planning your novel? Would you recommend it? (Asking because I've been meaning to write mine for, uh, four years now.)

From:

craterdweller

I like the format - as it doesn't try to tell you *do this* but rather here are some styes/processes (pantser, planner, somewhere in between) - and provides questions/exercises for you to discover *your* process.

I have the kindle edition (link to Amazon) - but there's a paperback workbook I think as well.

Here's a link to the author's web site - so you can see if it is something that might work for you.

From:

darthneko

Ooooh, thank you for the links!

From:

lassarina

Blackouts are fun but they can be a huge drag for me. Congrats on paring down the list!

From:

marginaliana

I do a lot of exchanges and challenges, but I also have a lot of random ideas too. Which is currently part of my problem - I'm trying to do a Big Bang but I keep getting distracted by the urge to work on other things (including a new fic that I just started!), so it's hard to maintain discipline.

But I have made solid progress this week - I've edited and added text to a couple of the Big Bang chapters and I've solved a structural problem by shifting something from one scene to another, which is great, because before I was kind of just going, "and this bit is going to be some stuff???" Now I actually have an idea of what stuff to put there!

From:

craterdweller

You can do this!

I've a reverse bang that I haven't started and I've had the art for almost 2 months now, as I've been trying to clear bingo prompts and smaller fics off my plate. Kinda like fitting rocks into a jar sometimes.

From:

lassarina

Yay for solving the problem of "???? PROFIT!!" That's always such a satisfying feeling :)

From:

darthneko

I revised my list, now with shiny color coding to keep myself on track. I've forcibly stopped myself from joining any more bingos or challenges or big bangs because it always ends in tears. I've got original stuff on the list which are to be written for sale, and I use the lure of "and then Amazon and iBooks pays you money" as the bribe to keep going on them, but it's hard. Fanfic is easier by far, and I'm deep in a truckload of headcanon for my fandom right now, so I keep having ideas.

Freshly diagnosed/medicated ADHDer and woooo, it's making a heck of a difference in my ability to both work on things and switch between things without dropping all the balls! I've actually written and/or drawn every day for the last week, not counting the two days I was down with the stomach flu, which is phenomenal and gives me hope of getting the list actually done instead of just despairing over it. I'm averaging between 500-800 words a day.

From:

craterdweller

500 words a day is fantastic- at that pace you'll have close to 200 thousand by the end of the year

You can do it!

From:

darthneko

Wow... I hadn't done the math, and it's amazing how encouraging the lump sum is! Now to just keep going! ^_^

From:

lassarina

That's a great writing pace! And I salute your ability to stop joining challenges, because I have some programming loop that says if challenge then accept. >_>;

From:

milady_dragon

This week it seems like my issue is "Too Many Bunnies". They keep flipping me ideas that I do write down, but then they insist on me working on something even though I might not even have a decent enough plot to use!

This seems to be happening a lot on this universe I've been writing for years. There are currently 66 posted stories in this universe, one finished but currently posting, and five other finished stories waiting in my personal posting "queue". But the bunnies keep insisting I have more stories going in it, and while I adore the notion that my imagination is so fertile I keep coming up with things to write, it's getting a little confusing because I start one thing, and then the bunnies insist I start another one. I have about five unfinished stories in this universe because the BUNNIES WILL NOT LEAVE ME TO FINISH ONE!

I have finally decided to have only one doc open at a time, and knuckle under to finish them all in some semblance of order. The only problem with that is the plot thing: several of them don't have completed plots and are just going to languish if I don't get my brain to settle onto one thing at a time. It's driving me nuts!

I'm not naturally a flighty person, but this is ridiculous!

From:

kalloway

I would suggest seeing if you can literally put the bunnies somewhere else while you work on one particular bunny. Like, write the other ideas on notecards, set them aside, tell them you'll be back for them, and see if that'll get them to behave.

Good luck~

From:

st_aurafina

I opened a file and started a re-read with notes. So, no new words, but at least some progress on the wip.

From:

kalloway

Yay~ And aside from the notes, your subconscious will be working on it too~

From:

liadt

I went and looked at my genprompt bingo and have decided to focus on one line instead of hopping around the prompts until I get a line. I'll feel much better when I've completed at least a line (and I want to request a new card!). I feel much happier for deciding on a line.

Next h/c bingo!