Fic Prompt Advice

[prixmium]

Hey friends-list,

Does anyone have some advice for how to handle a "Time Loop" prompt in a way that won't turn into an absolute monster? I already have trouble with being concise. I think it could be fun, but I am struggling with something that wouldn't try to morph into an epic I don't have the time or patience for right now.

Comments

[mxcatmoon]

Well... if it was me, I guess I'd probably do a Groundhog Day type thing. Pick one short scene and repeat it (only a couple of times, maybe 3 but could allude to their being more) with slightly different outcomes. The final time would have the outcome I wanted. Story would be around 1,000 words. Hope that helps. Good luck!

[prixmium]

Thanks! Argh why am I incapable of being concise? It is fun to write, but it is such a brain sink because I CANNOT do short stuff. But your advice and one other friend's... may... help. I just don't know if I can even make a "scene" less than 1k.

[mxcatmoon]

I'm the opposite, I have trouble writing longer stories.

[prixmium]

I feel like the happy-medium is so hard to reach. I would like to write longer fics in terms of plot and stuff, but my prose style means that I tend to be exhausted by a few scenes in. I feel like if I were able to write shorter individual scenes that I could string together some of my escapist daydreams...

Also cute other-pumpkin-icon! I need more icons.

[mxcatmoon]

I have trouble with actual plot. Especially if it involves... gasp!... action. Something besides introspection. I seem to lose interest in writing those.

Thanks! The star pumpkin was something I carved for Halloween a million years ago. I love icons. I paid for a membership here just so I could have more icons.

[prixmium]

I find that I can write plot... and I can write character stuff... but it is hard to get both to happen at the same time. Which is the point of a plotty fic.

I am going to get a membership when I get home maybe if I keep using dreamwidth. I keep getting gun-shy because I'm afraid it'll go dead again.

[singedsun]

This is where some kind of structure like a 5 times X can really help.

[prixmium]

I've always been interested in that format but have never managed to do it. Do you have any advice on it?

[singedsun]

Specifically for a time loop of some sort, this is a great way to just rewrite the ending of the same scene X number of times. Start with a scene, figure out how each loop differs and just write those bits. Or as close to them as you can stick and still make sense. Build out from the differences to do an introduction (how the scene starts) and a conclusion (if you want) -- usually there's a "and the 1 time" addendum to these to show the one way something did or didn't happen. This could be the "real" ending of your loop, or how they get out of the loop.

If you've ever seen the move, Clue, this is a bit like that. You can take each of the endings and assume that's the real ending, or tack on a "but this is how it really happened" ending.

[prixmium]

I ended up doing a sort of... indirect take on the trope, BUT I really need to watch a movie like the where I could reference the structure.

[singedsun]

Highly recommend Clue for a quality "but what if this?" kind of ending. It's not time-travel, but it's definitely a good way to see how the same story can lead to multiple endings, even if everything else seems to be the same.

[wheatear]

I think you'd have to keep the time loop itself as concise as possible e.g. it only affects one day or one event or a very limited series of events. The fewer loops there are, the less you have to write too. Or maybe there are only 3-5 significant loops that you actually need to write a scene for. All depends on the plot.

[prixmium]

I ended up writing a weird fusion fic that implied the necessity of time loops if one understood what was up. We were allowed to play with the tropes so I chickened out with the amount of time I had. I really need to work on being more concise.