As a writer I always wanted to rush to get to the parts where I'd want. Kinda like watching a series and just skipping to a good episode, how do you stay so structured? So like, on point? Have you ever wanted to just rush or go off base? Is there ever to much angst for you? Sorry for so many questions! Can't wait to see where it goes haha. 💜
Ohh, all the time. I’m not the most patient person, and having to sit on scenes for a year or two is terrible lol. But I’m also very stubborn and can’t skip any episodes in a series– I’d rather stop watching the show than skip around for the good parts usually.
I combat this by letting myself skip to the good parts. I have an idea in the shower for the last chapter of the fanfic? I go and write that then and there (or, well, when I’m out of the shower... you get it lol). I’ll get back to it eventually and probably rewrite it, but until then I get it out of my system a little bit. I don’t actually write perfectly chronologically!
I also have three structured outlines: a general / overall one for the fic, one for each chapter within the latest arc, and then a vague one in my head as I add details and start the actual chapters. It helps me see pacing to do it like that.
And, you know, when I get really impatient, I have my beta readers. I’ll go drop some spoilers in each of their DMs, different for everyone, so no one knows EXACTLY what’s coming but I still get the enjoyment of sharing a future bit I’m excited about with someone.
Another aspect of that last paragraph is a game I call “flash spoilers” where I drop a line I just worked on, wherever that is, in my discord server. And then I delete it a few seconds later, with only people that had seen it allowed to know what it said. The chaos is hilarious. Everyone has different pieces of the puzzle so they still have fun reading the story. >:)c
But at the end of the day I have one shot to tell the story I want to here. And I’d rather tell it the right way and have the satisfaction of that all when I get to the places I’m excited about than rush it for a mediocre landing. The angst kind of comes with that– I commit to my punches once pulled, so that rather than think “oh gosh this is a lot of angst” it’s more of “welp. this IS the logical direction and emotions the characters would have” for me. That’s what makes it hurt, and that’s what will make a happy ending all the more satisfactory.