Grr.

[elisi]

You know when you're writing a fic, and your characters need to have a conversation that has to go somewhere specific because you need to put across a particular bit of information/get someone to say more than they should/make a point/similar? And then they keep derailing and talking about other things?

That's been my current fic for the past few weeks. And I want to pick up all my characters and yell at them to just get to the bloody point already, because I've re-written the scene so many times that I'm beginning to hate it and just cut it out altogether, which would be stupid since I've very carefully built up to it. *bangs head on desk*

Comments

[spikewriter]

Can I suggest that you look at what the characters are saying in the scene and ask if there's something they're avoiding saying? There may be a reason they can't get to the point.

[elisi]

I finally managed to get over the hurdle - the main problem being that they wouldn't get from one thing to another... some of them had a lovely row in the previous chapter, so they were not really avoid-y, just verbose. But thank you. :)

[candleanfeather.livejournal.com]

"*bangs head on desk*" Swiftly pushes a cushion on the desk.

I understand what you feel. I'm wrangling with a rebellious scene and dialogue myself. Sheesh! We should create a club: the scorned writers by their stupid characters.

[elisi]

Swiftly pushes a cushion on the desk.
Aw, thank you. :)

We should create a club: the scorned writers by their stupid characters.
We totally should! And my characters are all OCs, so I can't even blame someone else for making them awkward... (I've just about got them to behave now. *crosses fingers*)

[me-llamo-nic.livejournal.com]

If only characters listened to writers. I assume that that's why Joss kills so many: they refuse to obey him.

Personally, my issue is that I'll begin a fic over a specific climactic scene that hops into my head, but then by the time I get to that part, I've undermined the original scene and have to rework the entire thing.

[elisi]

If only characters listened to writers. I assume that that's why Joss kills so many: they refuse to obey him.
LOL! And now I'm wondering what on earth Tara could have done...

Personally, my issue is that I'll begin a fic over a specific climactic scene that hops into my head, but then by the time I get to that part, I've undermined the original scene and have to rework the entire thing.
This! So much. Well not always, but this particular scene started out very differently, and a lot of rework was in order. Thankfully I've got it sorted now (more or less)!

[me-llamo-nic.livejournal.com]

JOSS: Gah! I'm trying to get Willow and Tara to be productive. They need to help Buffy find Warren, but they just keep having sex! Well, that's it; someone's gotta die! But which one? Where did I put my Dungeon Master's dice...?

[elisi]

That sounds scarily plausible...

[hello-spikey.livejournal.com]

Just remember you have the power to edit the conversation after writing it. Go ahead and cut out all the stuff they say other than what you want them to say.

Sometimes I write Horrid Stand-In Dialog, like a mini outline. REALLY HORRID. Like...

Spike said, "I have a secret I'm keeping from you all, and I'll confess it if you just make me mad enough."

Buffy said, "Something to make Spike mad."

Spike said, "I'm sleeping with Angel."


...And sometimes these lines end up staying in.

[elisi]

Your example is totally made of win!!!

And I've got it sorted now - it was a bit more tricky, because I knew what I needed them to say, it just took them forever to get there. So it went a little like this (to borrow your example):

Spike said, "I have a secret I'm keeping from you all, and I'll confess it if you just make me mad enough."

Buffy said, "Why should I make you mad? I'm not sure I want to know your stupid secret."

Spike said, "But that's the point! You ought to be curious!"

Buffy said, "I dislike your assumptiveness."

Spike said, "Now you're just being difficult!"

Buffy said, "Of course I'm difficult, have you not paid attention for throughout the show?"

Spike said, "You impossible woman!"

Buffy said, "I'm impossible? [Something to make Spike mad.]"

Spike said, "I'm sleeping with Angel."

...See?

[hello-spikey.livejournal.com]

*giggle* That dialog is pure win.
"Have you not paid attention?"
:D

[elisi]

Actually looking at that sentence again, clearly *I* wasn't paying attention to what I was writing. ::facepalm:: Anyway, glad to have amused you. My characters always love to talk...

[adoxerella.livejournal.com]

Now would probably be a bad idea to tell you that a conversation between two characters has had a story of mine messed up for years would it.

I have faith that you shall deal with it much more expeditiously.

[elisi]

Now would probably be a bad idea to tell you that a conversation between two characters has had a story of mine messed up for years would it.
Oh dear. I offer my deepest sympathies. And indeed I managed to plow through in the end, although I did cut lots of lovely, lovely lines. Ah well.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

And then they keep derailing and talking about other things?
They do, don't they? I once read a piece written by someone as if the characters had moved in with her and were arguing with her about their story lines and scenes and I recognised the feeling!

Mind you, in it she had one character point out that as she was writing an even numbered chapter he was due a sex scene, as he had them in alternate chapters; now I hadn't noticed that until then, and from then onwards I looked at her stories differently, working out which set pattern she used for which characters and what - which distracted me from the story!

[elisi]

They do, don't they? I once read a piece written by someone as if the characters had moved in with her and were arguing with her about their story lines and scenes and I recognised the feeling!
Sounds fascinating. Although from the example you give, I can see how knowing/analysing too much you could get distracted...