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  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    > @SnowBnuuy said:
    > From someone who is really bad at organising thoughts, I say stick with one. IDK how good you are at multitasking (I'm not XD) but it's a lot easier to focus on one story than it is juggling multiple at once. I don't think people would get bored if you just wrote one story. If people like that one story they'll keep coming back for more ~

    Thank you, Snowbnuuy. You're probably right. My concern was mostly that my blog would be so empty and would be for a while since I'm writing a story based on an entire legacy challenge. But maybe that's not such a bad thing.

    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

    aTuIcL0.png
  • SimTresaSimTresa Posts: 3,210 Member
    Another chapter is p for Life is Random: A Random Legacy. In which another potluck hapens and Tomomi shows a sign of jealousy.

    5.35 Potluck Redux
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  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    > @SimTresa said:
    > Only one way to find out. Try it and see if it works for you and your readers. If you're worried you'll get bored just working on one at a time, you should try doing two. Or have one main big story and occasionally do short side sotires or chapters from a secondary character's point of view.
    >
    > I know I confused friendsfan at least once, but that was probably partly on me for forgetting to note which story I was updating.

    I'll do that! Do you write by a set schedule, or do you write and/or post whenever you feel like it?

    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

    aTuIcL0.png
  • SimTresaSimTresa Posts: 3,210 Member
    riverbloe wrote: »
    > @SimTresa said:
    > Only one way to find out. Try it and see if it works for you and your readers. If you're worried you'll get bored just working on one at a time, you should try doing two. Or have one main big story and occasionally do short side sotires or chapters from a secondary character's point of view.
    >
    > I know I confused friendsfan at least once, but that was probably partly on me for forgetting to note which story I was updating.

    I'll do that! Do you write by a set schedule, or do you write and/or post whenever you feel like it?


    When I feel like it and when I have time. Usually how it works out is: Play Monday, write and post Tuesday, Play either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday, depending on how long Tuesday's chapter took. Rinse and repeat.
    image.png
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    riverbloe wrote: »
    Hii. I'm really curious, you who writes SimLit, do you stick to one story at a time or do you have several simlit stories that you juggle at the same time? If so, I'd love to know what your process is routine-wise and such? I'm debating whether I should stick to one, but I also feel like I want/need some diversity. I feel that having a couple of stories going at the same time may aid in not getting bored with them? But I don't want to burn/stress myself out either! Any input would be super appreciated!

    I write just the one story, Sim 66, at the moment and I can't see that situation changing in the near future. I have ideas for two other settings for stories but I don't have the time to develop them further and in both cases I would have to work out some ideas I have for them and I just don't have the time.

    The story of Sim 66 centres around the game play. I have to modify the standard Sims 4 setting to be period appropriate, create new lots and then each and every character, including un-played NPC's has to have the correct look. That's time consuming as it is. I play the game and look for story ideas and then write it all up making sure I link it to what's gone on before. I didn't make Sim 66 about just one character; it's more like a soap opera with multiple protagonists who criss-cross over each other's lives and that's a positive: I don't get bored with any of the central characters and I like developing a distinct personality, turns of phrases and distinctiveness for all of them...including the supporting roles. As I don't get bored writing it, I find I don't want to stop writing Sim 66 to pursue my other ideas. I have 2 other saved games for Sims 4: A conventional legacy and a world where I play the scenarios and challenges but I don't have time for those either.

    The diversity of storytelling has ended up with not writing multiple stories centring around one protagonist for each. The diversity has become writing about multiple characters within one setting. Maybe try writing one story centring around a main character, then switching a few chapters in to writing it from the antagonist's or supporting character's point of view?

  • hellohannah2hellohannah2 Posts: 839 Member
    riverbloe wrote: »
    Hii. I'm really curious, you who writes SimLit, do you stick to one story at a time or do you have several simlit stories that you juggle at the same time? If so, I'd love to know what your process is routine-wise and such? I'm debating whether I should stick to one, but I also feel like I want/need some diversity. I feel that having a couple of stories going at the same time may aid in not getting bored with them? But I don't want to burn/stress myself out either! Any input would be super appreciated!

    Hello!

    For me I always stick with one - I get really fixated on what I'm doing, so I'd find it impossible to deviate from it and start focusing on something else. If you can manage more than one at a time, which many people can, definitely go for it. If you have two or even three ideas that you're itching to get out, then don't wait! just write. I'm a big fan of just using all your story ideas now instead of waiting for a better time to tell them. There'll always be new ideas & new things to write, so just seize the inspiration. If you get bored then so be it - it should be about the journey anyway, not the destination
    s54gWQ5.png
  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    > @SimTresa said:
    > When I feel like it and when I have time. Usually how it works out is: Play Monday, write and post Tuesday, Play either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday, depending on how long Tuesday's chapter took. Rinse and repeat.

    Thank you for sharing!

    > @Kellogg_J_Kellogg said:
    > I write just the one story, Sim 66, at the moment and I can't see that situation changing in the near future. I have ideas for two other settings for stories but I don't have the time to develop them further and in both cases I would have to work out some ideas I have for them and I just don't have the time.
    >
    > The story of Sim 66 centres around the game play. I have to modify the standard Sims 4 setting to be period appropriate, create new lots and then each and every character, including un-played NPC's has to have the correct look. That's time consuming as it is. I play the game and look for story ideas and then write it all up making sure I link it to what's gone on before. I didn't make Sim 66 about just one character; it's more like a soap opera with multiple protagonists who criss-cross over each other's lives and that's a positive: I don't get bored with any of the central characters and I like developing a distinct personality, turns of phrases and distinctiveness for all of them...including the supporting roles. As I don't get bored writing it, I find I don't want to stop writing Sim 66 to pursue my other ideas. I have 2 other saved games for Sims 4: A conventional legacy and a world where I play the scenarios and challenges but I don't have time for those either.
    >
    > The diversity of storytelling has ended up with not writing multiple stories centring around one protagonist for each. The diversity has become writing about multiple characters within one setting. Maybe try writing one story centring around a main character, then switching a few chapters in to writing it from the antagonist's or supporting character's point of view?

    Wow, that sounds really involved, haha. Maybe I'll just see if I get bored with it or not then. Do you play rotationally, then, since you write about multiple characters? Or do you use The Sims more as a setting rather than actual gameplay? I'll definitely try some different play styles and see what sticks, thank you for the idea.

    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

    aTuIcL0.png
  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    > @hellohannah2 said:
    > Hello!
    >
    > For me I always stick with one - I get really fixated on what I'm doing, so I'd find it impossible to deviate from it and start focusing on something else. If you can manage more than one at a time, which many people can, definitely go for it. If you have two or even three ideas that you're itching to get out, then don't wait! just write. I'm a big fan of just using all your story ideas now instead of waiting for a better time to tell them. There'll always be new ideas & new things to write, so just seize the inspiration. If you get bored then so be it - it should be about the journey anyway, not the destination

    Thank you so much for the encouragement, I'm totally just gonna roll with whatever comes to mind and see where it takes me. I think I'm thinking too much. I really want it to be a good experience for me, but for the reader as well! But in the end, they're my stories to tell. Besides, I don't want my overthinking to stunt my creative process, so I'll try to worry less and create more. x)

    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

    aTuIcL0.png
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    riverbloe wrote: »

    Wow, that sounds really involved, haha. Maybe I'll just see if I get bored with it or not then. Do you play rotationally, then, since you write about multiple characters? Or do you use The Sims more as a setting rather than actual gameplay? I'll definitely try some different play styles and see what sticks, thank you for the idea.

    It is involved! More than I thought when I set out to write it. It's kind of rotational: What happens is that I go with the momentum of a plot strand so one character is involved with that and then the next chapter will be about someone who is also involved in that plot strand. Then I might go back and cover a character I skipped over and their own plot strand and so on. Like I said, the characters criss-cross so they're always cropping up in each other's stories.

  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    > @Kellogg_J_Kellogg said:
    > It is involved! More than I thought when I set out to write it. It's kind of rotational: What happens is that I go with the momentum of a plot strand so one character is involved with that and then the next chapter will be about someone who is also involved in that plot strand. Then I might go back and cover a character I skipped over and their own plot strand and so on. Like I said, the characters criss-cross so they're always cropping up in each other's stories.

    Haha, sounds like fun though, and you and the readers get more involved in all the characters and get to know them better compared to just mostly following one character the whole time.

    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

    aTuIcL0.png
  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    What are your guys' usual word count per chapter? I'm curious. Right now my posts are pretty short, but I think once I get into it, they'll become a little longer.

    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

    aTuIcL0.png
  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    Oh> @riverbloe said:
    > What are your guys' usual word count per chapter? I'm curious. Right now my posts are pretty short, but I think once I get into it, they'll become a little longer.

    Oh, and what lengths do you prefer to read? What you prefer to read vs. what you prefer to write isn't necessarily the same. x)

    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

    aTuIcL0.png
  • hellohannah2hellohannah2 Posts: 839 Member
    edited November 2022
    riverbloe wrote: »
    What are your guys' usual word count per chapter? I'm curious. Right now my posts are pretty short, but I think once I get into it, they'll become a little longer.

    Loving these questions! I'm also very interested in whatever other people think.

    I think for most people a comfortable reading length is between 2000 and 5000 words per chapter, but that's definitely a very loose guide. Your chapters should be as long as they need to be. I think mine average around 4000 words, because that's how long it usually takes me to say what i want to say :smiley: but I've written some that are around 1000 and am currently writing one that will end up being much longer. As long as something has happened to advance the plot or we see a change in a character, your chapter is finished. You can feel it, I think.

    How about everyone else? Do you try to restrict yourselves to a certain word count or do you go with the flow? :wink:
    s54gWQ5.png
  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    > @hellohannah2 said:
    > Loving these questions! I'm also very interested in whatever other people think.
    >
    > I think for most people a comfortable reading length is between 2000 and 5000 words per chapter, but that's definitely a very loose guide. Your chapters should be as long as they need to be. I think mine average around 4000 words, because that's how long it usually takes me to say what i want to say :smiley: but I've written some that are around 1000 and am currently writing one that will end up being much longer. As long as something has happened to advance the plot or we see a change in a character, your chapter is finished. You can feel it, I think.
    >
    > How about everyone else? Do you try to restrict yourselves to a certain word count or do you go with the flow? :wink:

    I'm glad! It's fun to know everyone's routines and how they go about things. I'm so upset, though, because in wordpress.com, my pages and posts aren't showing the little 'circle with an exclamation mark' thing where you can see your word count. So I have to use an external webpage and check, so annoying! And I don't know how to get it back!

    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

    aTuIcL0.png
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    I think for most people a comfortable reading length is between 2000 and 5000 words per chapter, but that's definitely a very loose guide. Your chapters should be as long as they need to be. I think mine average around 4000 words, because that's how long it usually takes me to say what i want to say :smiley: but I've written some that are around 1000 and am currently writing one that will end up being much longer. As long as something has happened to advance the plot or we see a change in a character, your chapter is finished. You can feel it, I think.

    How about everyone else? Do you try to restrict yourselves to a certain word count or do you go with the flow? :wink:

    I'm like you; the chapter is as long as it needs to be. So much of what I do is trial and error: Earlier chapters of Sim 66 were short: It took you less than 5 minutes to read but that's mainly due to establishing the setting and the characters: They hadn't developed plot strands at that point. Sim 66 chapters are much longer now because there's more interactions, plot threads and main characters but it still takes around 5-10 minutes to read a chapter (I use Blogger and it doesn't have a word count function so I judge length not by word count but by approximate read time).

  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    Another question! Do you have save files that are just for game play, or do you exclusively play to write?

    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

    aTuIcL0.png
  • UmbralFlowerUmbralFlower Posts: 4,494 Member
    riverbloe wrote: »
    Another question! Do you have save files that are just for game play, or do you exclusively play to write?

    I have save files for just gameplay, but I get the most enjoyment out of my saves that I intend to write for. So I guess technically...I play to write.
    ~*-*-*~ My SimLit: The Echoed Fragments || A Tale of Love and Fame ~*-*-*~
  • UmbralFlowerUmbralFlower Posts: 4,494 Member
    Happy timezones! I finally posted the first two chapters to my new simlit. The Echoed Fragments. I also have a thread on the forums for it too <3
    ~*-*-*~ My SimLit: The Echoed Fragments || A Tale of Love and Fame ~*-*-*~
  • Kellogg_J_KelloggKellogg_J_Kellogg Posts: 1,548 Member
    I have a legacy game file and one where I attempt to complete all the scenarios and challenges. I rarely play them as I love my Sixties game file.
  • rednenemonrednenemon Posts: 3,206 Member
    riverbloe wrote: »
    Another question! Do you have save files that are just for game play, or do you exclusively play to write?

    The second part of Chronicles, I had multiple save files in case I needed to use a different location with other characters.

    The first part, that mostly didn't apply, since it was text-only (barring a few special posts that did have screenshots)
    AO3: Silver_Shortage_in_Markarth <(Where I'm usually at nowadays)
    MQ2gUyY.jpg
    Part One(Complete 9/24/16) /Part Two(on hold)/Short Stories(on hold)/Twinbrook 1996(on hold)/Ten Crystal Hearts (on hold)
    I own the TS3 Store as of 12/11/16 (sort of. It's complicated)
  • friendsfan367friendsfan367 Posts: 29,362 Member
    i use too but i couldn't convince ayden my generation 2 heir it was just for testing purposes . sohebroke the story save fie
  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    rednenemon wrote: »
    riverbloe wrote: »
    Another question! Do you have save files that are just for game play, or do you exclusively play to write?

    The second part of Chronicles, I had multiple save files in case I needed to use a different location with other characters.

    The first part, that mostly didn't apply, since it was text-only (barring a few special posts that did have screenshots)

    Oh wow, I was thinking about writing SimLit without screenshots, but I didn’t know if it could be counted as SimLit then. Did you share this story somewhere like on a blog?

    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

    aTuIcL0.png
  • SnowBnuuySnowBnuuy Posts: 1,767 Member
    edited November 2022
    riverbloe wrote: »
    Oh> @riverbloe said:
    > What are your guys' usual word count per chapter? I'm curious. Right now my posts are pretty short, but I think once I get into it, they'll become a little longer.

    Oh, and what lengths do you prefer to read? What you prefer to read vs. what you prefer to write isn't necessarily the same. x)

    I will be really honest and say the best way to start with your SimLit is to just go with the flow and see what's right for you ^u^ I will even say, don't even think at all about word count, what folks might want to read, etc. Think about how long you yourself want chapters to be, what you yourself like to read and write and go from there. Otherwise you run the risk of writing for others more than yourself and my advice is to not do that, otherwise it will kill your creative spirit super fast. :'( I think a lot of writing advice blogs (especially on Tumblr) I think have honestly just...made people really self-conscious to even start writing because they are constantly trying to dictate the 'right' way to write (no such thing) , so I say screw the rules and go for it, and then see what works for you!

    If you have any more questions though, try asking in the Art of Sims Storytelling thread! You'll get some detailed feedback from other writers there as well!


    I will say that word count IMO does not matter at all for a chapter. Some chapters will be longer, some shorter depending on the picture / text ratio and how much you want to share per chapter.
    they/them or she/her
  • plumsiebobplumsiebob Posts: 37 Member
    SnowBnuuy wrote: »
    riverbloe wrote: »
    Oh> @riverbloe said:
    > What are your guys' usual word count per chapter? I'm curious. Right now my posts are pretty short, but I think once I get into it, they'll become a little longer.

    Oh, and what lengths do you prefer to read? What you prefer to read vs. what you prefer to write isn't necessarily the same. x)

    I will be really honest and say the best way to start with your SimLit is to just go with the flow and see what's right for you ^u^ I will even say, don't even think at all about word count, what folks might want to read, etc. Think about how long you yourself want chapters to be, what you yourself like to read and write and go from there. Otherwise you run the risk of writing for others more than yourself and my advice is to not do that, otherwise it will kill your creative spirit super fast. :'( I think a lot of writing advice blogs (especially on Tumblr) I think have honestly just...made people really self-conscious to even start writing because they are constantly trying to dictate the 'right' way to write (no such thing) , so I say screw the rules and go for it, and then see what works for you!

    If you have any more questions though, try asking in the Art of Sims Storytelling thread! You'll get some detailed feedback from other writers there as well!


    I will say that word count IMO does not matter at all for a chapter. Some chapters will be longer, some shorter depending on the picture / text ratio and how much you want to share per chapter.

    - Thank you so much for this! It’s true that when reading SimLit advice online in places like Tumblr, it seems like there’s so much you need to do in order to get it right. It can be detrimental, especially to people like me who have a tendency to think too much xD

    I’m definitely going to just go for it, play it by ear, and see where it takes me and how it all develops, ‘cause the last thing I want is to kill that creativity!

    River. Any pronouns are fine, but I mainly go by they/them. Neurodivergent, cat parent, tea addict. Occult and berry sim SimLit.

    aTuIcL0.png
  • SnowBnuuySnowBnuuy Posts: 1,767 Member
    @riverbloe Definitely do! And feel free to ask any questions on the thread I linked as well since a few of us are active over there to share ideas, advice and such as well as here! I will be really honest my writing only got better once I stopped reading the advice blogs and such. Now the only thing I treat with importance really is researching important or sensitive topics. The rest is just a glorious mess : P
    they/them or she/her

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