Yesterday I sat down for a couple hours and did something I never thought I’d do – write an actual outline for the rest of Control. I even went so far as to group the remaining plot points into chapters, and while I won’t risk spoiling anything by disclosing how many of those chaptes are left, let’s just say it came out to be a nice round number 🙂
Just to be clear, by “chapters” I’m referring to titled chapters – as in the types of chapters I’m posting to the fanfic sites like Dokizzle and Ao3. I guess I shouldn’t have said “like” just now, since those are the only 2 other sites I’m posting this story to. But whatever. You get the idea.
(I did, early on, briefly consider uploading Control to FF.net. But as with Stasis, I ultimately opted not to. I learned from Transgressions that I don’t really have it in me to censor my own fics. It’s more like I’m fundamentally opposed to the idea. Transgressions crosses the line, but Stasis and Control say, “Line? – what line?” Lol.
Anyway, fuck M-rated censorship, and fuck FF.net.)
All that digression aside, I gotta say I’m glad I took some time to hammer out a roadmap for the rest of Control. Plot-wise, this is probably the most complex story I’ve written to date, so I think there was a substantial risk of me writing myself into a corner, with just a vague sequence of events floating around in my brain.
(Another stupid side note: I never outlined Transgressions on paper. Instead, I went the Stasis route and spent years cementing a very detailed mental outline of it in my head until I had it good and memorized. Well, that worked I guess, but I’m determined to get Control done much faster – and better 🙂 )
Apart from resulting in what I believe will be a much more neatly finished story, this outlining REALLY got me amped up to complete Control! Something about seeing it all laid out before me was like stepping stones in my mind. I think I’ve had problems in the past with all my major stories in getting “stalled-out” because I was struggling to envision what should happen next – and Control was no exception. But now I see the path to the end, and I’m terribly excited to share it with you all!!
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Just talked to a group of friends about the necessity of chapter outlines/guidelines. How apropro that you’ve created one as well. This doesn’t convince me to make one for myself, but it’s a nice idea. 🤣🤣 *Laughs in lazy as fuck*
Super excited for that round number bit and that the story will remain complex post climax. Not that any of your fics have, but too many great stories fizzle out and rush towards an ending.
Writer’s block is the worst, but without it, we wouldn’t have the other nuggets of stories you’ve created, so I can’t be too mad at it.
Also: Yes. 🔥 Down with censorship!
“Writer’s block is the worst, but without it, we wouldn’t have the other nuggets of stories you’ve created, so I can’t be too mad at it.” – yayyy! I could cry with happiness for this because sometimes I feel so bad killing the flow on a story to go write one-shots or 3 chapters of another, so this is very reassuring!! 😀
<3 <3
Oh, you shouldn’t feel bad for going off on tangents. Some of our best work and best ideas come from taking breaks from our main pieces. ♥️
Agreed. The one shots or switching stories is necessary to jolt the ideas loose and free up the tension of the block. I think that’s true of most creative endeavors and a change in scenery, no matter the medium, is essential to new ideas. Also, when I get a notification that you have a new post up, there’s always a bit of excitement as to which story it will be for, or will it be something new altogether? 😀
Yay, that’s so wonderful to hear!! <3 <3
What in the actual hell? I was JUST talking about doing this for my college work last night to avoid being scatterbrained LOL. Great minds!
haha! that’s so funny!! <3 Yeah, I wish I'd outlined stuff in college...probably would have made my life a hell of a lot easier XD
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Sounds good. I should be more inclined to try things differently as well. Still a creature of habit. But hey, as long as you’re well, inspired, motivated and i can still read it here or Dokuga….*takes a seat in blog* totally on board.
woohoo! thanks, Pebbs!! 🙂
yeahh habits are so hard to break. D: but if this experiment goes well, i’ll be excited to apply this outlining strategy to my other fics! i’d love to be the kind of writer who can just sit down and get to work instead of sitting there spinning my wheels for a while trying to pin down my thoughts XD
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I am so happy to hear this! Im always afraid my favorite stories will get abandoned, never to be finished. “Beside You in Time” f’ing ruined me! So I’m super happy to know you’ve got a plan laid out and that you’re super excited to write it because this fic is SO amazing and I’m dying to see where it goes! This one and Stasis are literally my favorite fics ood ALL TIME. Can’t wait to read it!
I know the feeling D: There’s nothing worse than an abandoned fic…
I feel good having a plan laid out on paper now, too 🙂 Will definitely help keep me focused, although you know from all the side-stories and even side-fics like the ‘The Cave’ that I tend to go off on tangents! One thing I can promise though, is that as long as I’m alive and breathing I promise I’ll finish all my fics someday <3 It just may be slow going lol.
Thanks for hanging in there with me! And so glad that you enjoyed Stasis as well!! Really appreciate all the support <3 <3 <3