Have been talking with Maineac about the possibility of an archive for abandoned WIPs where they can be put up for adoption by the writers, There's a multifandom LJ community for that, where you post your WIP and whoever wants to picks it up to finish - okay, just checked, and there were actually more than one, but they haven't been updated in a while. In any case, link here, if you want to see how they made it work. (My impression is that it's a cool idea in theory, but in practice not many people actually take it up. People want to see WIPs finished, more than actually try and finish them themselves.)

You know what I'm genuinely curious about? How many of us are serious writers outside of fanfiction? How many of us write totally original work in our non-internet lives? How many of the older people here were English or Creative Writing majors in college? How many people wish they were? How many people are professional writers now (in any capacity)? I write fanfic mainly to fill in the cracks of the show, but also to work on my writing skills, since I don't generally write adult fiction. In terms of my career, I am almost exactly in Corgigirl's same shoes: English major (journalism minor) 25 years ago. Gave up magazine/newspaper freelancing when I published my first piece of fiction. Have now published a dozen or so children's books. But I am still in awe of some of the fiction writers in the House community who are MUCH BETTER fiction writers than I am. (I'm looking at YOU, Corgigirl, to name but one.) And while I'd miss their Housefic, I wish those guys would spend some time taking their original fic seriously. ETA: PS> Roga, thanks for the link. Yeah, it doesn't look like it panned out very well.

In RL, I've been a member of a critique-based writing group for speculative fiction for eight years. The group works together to bring in published authors and professional editors to run workshops with members' stories. We also plan trips to conventions in order to meet publishers, pitch to editors, and learn the business side of writing. I've started my personal collection of rejection letters, and I've had two short stories published in anthologies. Currently I'm in a creative writing class and I'll probably get my English BA with a concentration in creative writing.

So, I have a question for experienced writers and readers. I'm writing my first ever fanfic (that sounds like some kind of toy for little girls). Okay, technically, it's my second ever fanfic. Things are going well so far (even though I am apparently the world's slowest writer), but I keep changing my mind about the tense. I'd originally started it in past tense, but then decided to go with present tense because it seemed more exciting. However, now I'm thinking that present tense used for a longer story - and this one will be long, since it's being written for zulu's accursed House Big Bang Challenge - could get super annoying. Especially if the story covers a number of months. Any thoughts, opinions? Also, as a related thing: I've noticed my writing doesn't seem very exciting or immediate. That's probably from years of writing boring scientific articles. Is there any way to boost the interest when using the past tense? Part of the problem could be that, so far at least, there's no dialogue because it's just one character tooling around. But how do you add interest to these sorts of passages? P.S. - Why the F does Firefox not recognize the word 'dialogue'? Am I spelling it wrong? The only alternative it offers is 'dialog' and that can't possibly be right can it?

Blue, I always found that using active verbs is an effective way to boost writing. I've always been told that scientific writing uses a lot of passive verbs and, sometimes, in my opinion, they can drag the writing down. Also, constructing compelling images and metaphors can also help. It's tough to write 20,000 words without any dialogue, at least that's what I find. Good luck with the Big Bang. (I'm so excited for March to come around!)

Also, as a related thing: I've noticed my writing doesn't seem very exciting or immediate. That's probably from years of writing boring scientific articles. I have the exact same problem. I've spent the past *counts* 15 years writing scientific papers and that shows. And I HATE using active voice - no, *WE* didn't leave the sample to incubate for 24 hours at room temperature. *The sample* was left to incubate. I'm just old and cranky and set in my ways.

Blue, are you working with someone who can read along the way and give you suggestions? Sometimes as a writer, you've gone over a passage so many times in your mind that it sounds blah when you read it on the screen, but a fresh set of eyes will find it engaging and interesting. On a recent story, I thought, dang, I've used this specific word a million times and I need to change it up some. But when I looked back the word appeared in the story exactly twice. It was just echoing in my head due to the editing process.

I get pretty resentful when I have to write stuff like "We did this", when what I really want to write is "I did this, and the other 5 or so authors sat on their butts." There might be a tiny little problem for me. It's my group so in most cases I'd have to write 'my minion added 40mM ThioT to the aged sample and I sat on my despotic butt' :wink: Topic? Oh, alright. I actually find the process of plotting a scientific paper to be quite similar to the process of writing fiction (and no, not like that ). Both pose a creative challenge – both boil down to telling an interesting story. Of course I have to focus on fact, but it's also about seducing the reader to, well, keep reading.

You guys are too fast for me :wink: and I'm avoiding writing my story. Can you tell? Anyway, I added a whole bunch of crap to my post above on a completely different topic. deelaundry, I'm not right now. You are probably right. I will eventually have a beta... somehow, but I wanted to wait to find one until I had a good chunk of story done so the poor, unfortunate soul wasn't actually wasting time with something I was just going to change anyway. Silja, I want minions! It's an interesting idea - in science writing you give away the ending first thing and then tell everyone how you got there. Sometimes I enjoy that in my fiction, too.

I sort of fell sideways into writing fiction so I have no idea what I am doing. But I - for some reason - one day - decided to write a House horror story in the present tense. I asked my writey type friend why I had done this, because I hadn't a schmick and she said it made it more intense. But I don't actually agree with this - past. present, that really irritating thing DB Pierre did - it all seems to centre on content. But the big problem I found was that afterwards I couldn't switch tenses and I was stuck in the present one and the editing I had to do drove me mad. It's a different style and feeling - for me a more immediate one - a more intense one, but that same response can be obtained from a well written past tense story as well. I'll use Maineac's (hello M) story as an example. Stuffed if I can remember what the tense is, but I want - really want - to know what is going to happen next. And that is what is making me twitch.

For a while, Blue, I fretted that all my Housefic wanted to be written in present tense. Past tense was my default and the way I'd learned was "right" or at least standard for most storytelling. But now I'm completely comfortable in present tense and I don't think I'd write any Housefic in past tense; it would jar me. The length of your story doesn't matter; I've written everything from drabbles to novellas in both present and (in a different fandom) past tense. It's what you feel comfortable with. Just make sure you have a beta who checks to see that all your tenses agree, and you're good. To punch up a maybe-boring scene, I suggest details. Little characterization bits that wouldn't be there otherwise. We all know the usual cliches: House playing with his cane or a ball; Wilson doing paperwork; the fellows running lab tests. Find a way to make these old details new and exciting, or have the character notice something new. I'm having a hard time explaining what I mean, but really, an original use of details is what hooks me most in a fic.

Thanks! You guys are awesome :D The story seems to want to be in present tense, so I won't worry about the length and just go with it. DIY Sheep: I think it's her insane cliffhangers that are making you crazy :wink: blackmare: Thanks! Yep, it's the internal monologue thing I was having trouble with. I've decided to just leave it for now and come back when I've got more written. Maybe it will feel more interesting then. zulu: This is all your fault! I'm kidding :D I'm actually having fun. I've never really written anything for my own enjoyment before and it's... interesting. Strangely, it's not that different from sitting down and making a piece of art. I always hem and haw during the initial stages before finally settling down and getting to work. Then everything just starts to flow...