(no subject)

[fpb]

I have written out a sketch of the life and times of Ricky Attanasio. The result? I am terrified of the enormous amount of work I have laid out for myself.

(Remember that I am supposed to be a historian as well as to have a job as a translator.)

Someone please encourage me - or tell me that I'm off my chump and should give up.

Comments

[baduin.livejournal.com]

"No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money."

Samuel Johnson
http://www.samueljohnson.com/writing.html

[fpb.livejournal.com]

I love and respect Dr.J., but that makes most of us blockheads.

[inverarity.livejournal.com]

No one else can motivate you to write something that you'll never be paid for.

Certainly there are things I could/should be doing that are more important/financially remunerative than writing fan fiction novels.

If you're in love with Ricky, then tell his story. If you're doing it because you're hoping for accolades or attention, it's probably not worth it.

(As popular as Alexandra Quick may be in my own little niche of HP fandom, I doubt I'd rank in the top 500 most popular/best known HP fanfic authors.)

[fpb.livejournal.com]

It's not just Ricky. His separated parents have both grown into such fascinating characters that I can easily see a Quick-sized novel just to tell their stories, possibly more than one. His one brother and three sisters are clamouring for space. His adventures are longer that HP's or Alexandra's, because by the time he even starts school at eleven (and I think I have come up with an interesting idea for that), he has already been involved in the discovery of a wholly unexpected and dangerous use of magic - time magic - and been at the centre of a nationwide sporting event for wizards. Then his adventures continue after he graduates: as an adult, he will save a hidden city whose discovery was the climax of his schooltime adventures. And there is the background that is only just beginning to fill itself, and that was always my first and foremost reason to start the story - since nobody, but nobody, has ever dealt with that unimaginable thing that is Italy remotely well enough ---

As for your popularity, well, as a really excellent writer, I don't think you should even want to have what Dan Brown or Cassandra Clare have (and you may consider that said with a sneer). But don't underrate yourself. One thing that marks a Quick reader is a pronounced proselytizing tendency; people like SwissMiss or myself will get you new readers if we have the chance.

[mentalguy.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I have to say, this reinforces the opinion I have hinted at earlier: if you intend to seriously pursue the project, I think you are best off unmooring it from the framework of the Potterverse.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

I don't think it would make any difference to the size of the things or to the amount of work that is going to have to go into them. In fact, the Potterverse makes my work slightly easier in that I do not have to think too much about such things as ministries and schools. I am however thinking that one day I might try to publish it by myself, in which case all the Potterverse references must be written out; and because of that I am, one, probably only going to publish it on my LJ, and, two, make sure that the words "all original characters and ideas, including but not limited to Anastasio Attanasio, the Attanasio family, the Necromancer of Florence and so on, are copyright of F.P.Barbieri".

[mentalguy.livejournal.com]

The Potterverse is certainly convenient scaffolding -- I am mainly suggesting kicking it away sooner rather than later.

As far as publishing on LJ, you might also want to develop the habit of using a specific tag for your Attanasio clan posts, so you can find and manage those entries easily later should the need arise. In retrospect, I have had plenty of cause to regret not having distinctly tagged entries related major projects.

The one other thought I have at the moment is not to worry about treating these fics/ficlets as chapters in an epic yet. It's too early in the process for that, and you're still finding your voice for the stories (in some respects I think King of the Cats seems to have worked best in that regard so far). I think maybe you would do better to write small fics at a variety of points in history, from different perspectives, and see what sticks later on.

Also, ultimately, I can't really say whether this is a prudent use of your time, only that it's definitely an idea that has gotten hold of you and which I think you will have some difficulty divesting yourself of if you don't pursue it in some way.

(I have more to say, I think, but that will have to wait for another time as tonight I am overtired and am forming coherent sentences only with considerable effort.)

[stigandnasty919.livejournal.com]

Being off your chump isn't a bad thing. Go for it.

[rfachir.livejournal.com]

Whatever you do with love is worth it. If you love something else more than this story, you're not ready to write it yet. Take your time and enjoy it. Never ever ever give up.