I go at the top of your LJ post.

[candyland]

I don't know where kaitodoushi found this icon, but I will forever make adoring eyes at her for it ♥♥♥ The G-Men are the most awesome bit-part characters ever, and the sole reason that the Milkman Conspiracy is my favorite Psychonauts level, with lines like, "Look at that woman's breasts. They are large" and "Sometimes I require prescription medications to make it through the day." TOTAL. FRAKKING. WIN.

Nyquil is my savior, it seems. Stupid cold has been keeping me awake for a couple of nights, so yesterday I downed a dose of the good stuff, and I slept like the dead for the next ten hours. And then Dayquil got me through my workday in one piece, hooray!

Work sucked XD Both He-Cook and I seemed to be under the weather, so there were literally three lines of conversation between us in the five hours I was there. And there was a lot to do in Italian, and Chinese was steady, but I got all my stuff done before I got to go home. YAY!

I have the day off tomorrow, so I'm making myself a short to-do list. Most of it is fairly frivolous, as my days off tend to be: fix LJ tags (been meaning to do this for AGES), finish organizing some stuff on my IJ (my procrastinating, let me show you it), work out, write, watch Ghost Hunters (no wisecracks plz), clean room, read, game, catch up on manga...

I'm sure I could theoretically get most of this done in one day. It's just that I'm lazy :D


And now, time for a Random Question directed at the writers on my f-list, of which there are quite a few. Do you ever go back and read your own stories? Your older stuff, I mean?

I did today. Was randomly skimming back through my 100fandomhell stories on a whim. And at the risk of sounding like I'm playing my own trumpet here (toot toot!), a couple of them made me go, "Wow...I don't think I could improve this at all." This thought actually really hit me with my Danny Phantom story, "After Life."

Does anyone else do that, belatedly realizing just how proud you really are of a story or an idea?

Comments

[hakaisha.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Self Replacement...I still get reviews on that one occassionally on ff.net, and it's easily the most favourite-d and has the most hits of anything I've ever written, too. I've thought of writing a sequel, more to it, something...but when I go back and read it I just go, "There's really nothing I can add to this. Nothing at all."

So yeah. It happens. It's amazing when it does. =D

[candy--chan.livejournal.com]

I know! Especially on some of the really old stuff--I know my writing has developed and changed as I've practiced and moved around fandoms. It's such a great feeling to look at an old story and think, "Wow. This is some of my best."

I just kind of wanted to know if I'm the only one who does that ^^;;

[pleonasm]

Oh, I love to read my old fic. /only slightly embarrassed/ Yeah, some of it could use revision or whatever, but most of it really makes me happy, especially if I've forgotten a good ending or something. XD

[ehrenyu.livejournal.com]

Actually I go back and read my stuff frequently, especially when I have a block or I'm feeling like I'm a terrible writer. I have trouble reading my really old stuff though. The grammar... owww..

[candy--chan.livejournal.com]

Th-there are a few of my old ones that make me go "Oh [INSERT DEITY OF YOUR CHOICE HERE] I was such a fanbrat." And then I'm ashamed. But now and then I'll read one and be like, "That was an awesome line!"

It makes me feel better to know that I'm not the only one who does this *laugh*

[candy--chan.livejournal.com]

Aww... *patpat* It's happymaking to know that other people do the same thing I do! \o/

[girlquinn.livejournal.com]

I read over my old stuff every now and then. Some I'm too embarrassed to look at, and other times, I tell myself "Oh, I should have done this instead!" But there are a few pieces that make me say "Damn, I'm good." Like that badfic challenge from manycases1truth that everyone did. Okay, just kidding, not really.

BTW, your "sin spear" choice will plague me for the rest of my life.

[candy--chan.livejournal.com]

That badfic challenge was EPIC XDD I can read the entries other people wrote for that, but I sure as hell can't read mine. It took me two hours to write those three hundred-ish words XDDD

Sounds like your thoughts on it are the same as mine. Some are like "YAY!" and others are like "OMG NOES!"

Moo ha ha >D

[laytonmeme.livejournal.com]

I read a lot of my old fic, including stuff I never really posted anywhere, and while I do get pleasure out of it...I don't think I've ever genuinely been proud of anything I've written. Isolated lines, maybe. Never a whole piece.

I have belatedly been proud of an old idea though. So much so that I might rewrite it.
/WRITER EMPATHY

[pleonasm]

Yeah, my oldest stuff, I can't stand reading anymore. My grasp of canon was poor at best.

I know some people who say they can't read their own stuff, but I've always been able to... I think because I write a lot of gen based in humor and a lot of rarepairs. That's harder to find out in the world so to speak.

[alena_s_anigor.livejournal.com]

*feeds you some chicken soup* Hope you feel better soon! ♥

Haha, sometimes I go over my old stories, yes...Then I find myself cringing and wincing at the amount of typos and grammar mistakes I used to make...Ah, but it's even more fun to go through your old reviews. XD

[annitha84.livejournal.com]

I do go back and read some of my fics every now and then..
Mostly because I've forgotten a detail of the story that suddenly becomes fundamental in the chapter I'm currently writing... ^_^;

Anyway...

I usually notice the mistakes (typos, grammar). Always. And I keep thinking that I need a Beta because I'm not good at correcting myself..
But then I come to those parts that happen to be written well and that I really, really like..
When I lack inspiration, I go off to read those parts: to remind me that I can write something good.
And the reviews. I always re-read the reviews.
It's the best self-confidence booster. ^_^

By the way, hope you're doing better now..

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

And now I can sound really narcissistic when I say I love to re-read my fics. XD; I write them largely for myself, because I like to explore little aspects that most people don't. I even print out lots of them. (Of course, that's also so my mom can read them....)

I definitely do know that enthralling feeling of writing something that I don't think can be improved on. Though it's rare; usually, even with the fics I love, I'm moaning about something I should have done different!

However, as for my *really* old fics, say, nine-ten years ago, I rarely touch them with a ten-foot-pole, unless I want to torture myself.

[syv-on-air.livejournal.com]

I do that. It's funny. I read this book, and it mentioned how the best way to edit your own work is to not look at it for a long time then read it again. It helps you to notice errors you may have made before in the hype of the typing.

The funny thing is, when I tried it with one of my stories, I was like... wow. It felt like I was reading someone else's fic, and it was really nice. I made myself giddy with my own story. XP So now, when I've got nothing else to read, I read my own stories. It's not so much trying to be arrogant. I mean, I don't read them just to feel good about myself. So there.

Haha, besides, your fics really are good. Of course, no one's perfect, so there may still be stuff that can be improved, but hey, if it's good, it's good. :)

Much love! <3
Syv

[candy--chan.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, SAME. I can't believe I ever thought some of that stuff was good characterization. Granted, I also used to write almost exclusively angst, which has to be handled carefully or else it tends to veer towards OOC territory. Now I'm more fluff, gen, etc.

...I've had people tell me that I have a way with words, or that they like the way I phrase or describe things. Sometimes when I go back and read, I'll find a line here and there and find a line I don't remember writing, but is good enough that I actually feel like someone else wrote it, if that makes sense ^^;;

[candy--chan.livejournal.com]

0.0 Why not? You've written some really good stuff!

What's the old idea? *tugtugcurious*

ILU, BB ♥

[candy--chan.livejournal.com]

*om nom nom* Thank you, love!

Yeah, I've found some weird typos XD And oh lord, reviews are fun to read over much after the fact!

[candy--chan.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, I do that...far more than I should ^^;; I keep forgetting things. And I've found tons of typos and weird mistakes and stuff. I'm getting the feeling that what I do is not at all odd, and that makes me feel better :3

Thank you! I do feel better!

[candy--chan.livejournal.com]

*laugh* Not narcissistic at all! And I agree--it's such an awesome feeling to find something that you can say that about, that it's at the top of your game :D

And...yeah, when I was setting up candyfics, I found myself rereading some of my really old stories. It hurt. Badly ;o;

[candy--chan.livejournal.com]

I've heard that advice before, and I say that it's totally true. That's also why betas are so awesome, although I...err...don't usually use one ^^;;

Aww, thank you very much! ♥ And no, mine aren't perfect by any means. Trust me XDD

[asai-arcion.livejournal.com]

I love to read my old writings. If I find I can't put fingers to keys in a writing, meaningful manner, I go back through my old stories and it seems to help.

I agree with the doing something else, and then coming back to the story to see about editing it.. Only, my oldest story I have saved.. I know there's a lot I could write better now, but I'm almost afraid to touch it and change it, and it wasn't even that good in the first place.

I'll send some extra constitution over to help fight off the cold.