I’ve got two long-term projects I’m working on currently. One is a queer post-cyberpunk roadtrip across a post-US North America. It’s on what feels like the thousandth iteration, but I’ve got the plot outline complete and am about a third of the way through a first draft. It’s been in kind of a holding pattern for a while though because I discovered a critical plot hole that will require a full rewrite of what’s already been written and I’m not in love with the very flat style it’s developed along the way.

The other project is more nebulous. It’s sort of a philosophy-informed examination of Utopia, humanity’s innate violent nature, and the destabilizing forcing driving the split-reality-misinformation apocalypse. It will ultimately be a series of related essays on aspects of the topic, written as a web-zine survival guide.

As far as style goes, I’ve been writing long enough that I’ve developed my own style and voice. I have my own idiosyncrasies such as using hyphens to make german-style compound words and using my own lexicon for flavor, but also specificity. I never really wanted to copy anyone else’s style. I’m not super well read either, which gets in the way of my roadtrip novel quite often. I have trouble switching between narration and action or dialog so elegant, flowing prose is not something I’m great at.

For vocabulary I have a good memory for words so I generally have a smattering of compelling words waiting in the wings, but there is no shame in using a thesaurus. I’ve also asked Claude and ChatGPT for help with words as well, especially when there is a word that I know exists but can’t remember it.

I’m writing an urban fantasy series. Writing means piecing together whatever I’ve already gotten for the plot, though the current book is kicking my ass. It might also mean re-editing a completed novel.

Generally, I get an idea for a story, and if it’s actually possible to expound on enough for a novel, I keep thinking about it. I develop the overall plot and usually write both story notes and snippets on my phone. When I finish one book, I start writing the next in the queue, and by that time I should have an idea of the plot, especially start and finish, the story I want to tell, the major characters, and probably have 20+ pages of snippets.

Writing those snippets is kind of odd, because not every one gets used. I’ve found that even if you know your plot, if you don’t know the story, snippets are going to be lacking in the appropriate tone, or might just be spectacle with no substance that can be attached. Once you know the story though, it’s a lot easier to slip into the characters’ heads.

For research, you’re going to maybe have one major topic or background you need to know of, but you’ll find yourself doing a lot of inane research for little topics. You can find a lot of trivia from trying to get details correct.

As for vocabulary, it mostly matters if you expect it to be professionally published. You can use limited vocabulary, and while it might sound a bit repetitive in places, it’s still going to be able to tell a story.

Regarding length, you don’t have to write pages and pages if something smaller will suffice, especially for things like documentation. If you’re wanting to write more about a specific thing but can’t, think of other approaches to the topic. Maybe the tech can be used in a different fashion?

But most of all, the first things you write aren’t going to be that good. They may even be downright terrible. You have to practice, and even then you’re going to find issues with your work after you think it’s ready for others. It’s going to be frustrating, but it’s absolutely worth the stress.

Free writing is a helpful exercise.

https://writingprocess.mit.edu/process/step-1-generate-ideas/instructions/freewriting/

Most people don´t have the patience for large vocabulary. If you want to write pretentious award-bait literature, there’s different things to chase after. But most people don´t care about vocabulary or even competent prose, they just want a good story and relatable characters.

I was working on a story about a war and resistance and planning and um…

Checks folder

“Last modified 2023”

But anyways I just write poetry recently, the most recent one was… oh… months ago 👀

But honestly I’m probably gonna work on a memoir next do its just… remembering.

I really want to eventually write a story that has those anime style flashbacks that are emotional af.

I like the themes of war (in fiction at least), passage of time, nostalgia. I mean Frieren style flashbacks, that type of frequency that is used. I like the contrast thing, between eras and also between countries. Like I wanna write one country about its war, and another thats insulated from whats happening, like multiple PoVs like in a ASOIAF type thing (but more ameteur cuz my garbage will never become that popular lmfao)

But poetry is when i want a short simple and emotional art, its my way of “painting” but with words.

Im probably not gonna do long stories any time soon, shorter stories, in an “anthology” format is probably more satisfying.

I have been blogging on and off since I was a teenager. These days I keep an occasional log of my media consumption and write short commentary about each. Shameless plug: https://buttondown.com/readme.txt/archive/we-are-so-back-bestie/

Essays mostly, though nothing has been published. I continued after grad school, but without a deadline or specific project, most never get past the 1st or 2nd draft.

oh yeah, and letters. I love writing letters and putting them in the post. most of my friends will call instead of writing back, but that’s ok.

I write essays about common stuff and poetry when prose doesn’t fit. It isn’t meant to be published but I do like finding new ways of saying things which writing helps me discover.