![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Rambles of Bookacies and writer's blocks and stuff
So, still here, as you can see. Haven't been posting lately, as there hasn't really been anything to post. I've still been quietly playing the Terranos and enjoying just playing, without any picture, plot or other pressures. It's been really nice.
Now that LJ seems to work again at least for the moment, I thought I'd babble on a little.
I've had my desperate moments. During this time, when writing hasn't been flowing at all, I've seriously been wondering whether I've bitten a piece too big with the Bookacies. I mean, it's an Alphabet legacy to start with. Those are humongously long in themselves. As if that wasn't crazy enough, I took up to playing the whole hood. I don't really regret that, I love all my simmies and it wouldn't be the same without them all, but... It's admittedly crazy. It's crazy enough (the admirable type of crazy) in regular legacies, but in an alphabet one? Come on, Katri, way to shoot yourself in the foot. And on top of that, of course I had to have plot.
As I said to Lea one of these days, as much as I love Sal and all of his descendants, sometimes I wish that I hadn't created him in the first place. I mean, he's the one who keeps dragging the story into plottiness. I love having a plot and that's generally something to keep me interested, but with the other two forms of craziness, it sometimes feels like a lot. I have a plan that would pretty neatly enable me to downplay the plot with Sal for maybe a generation or two, and I think I would like to go through with that. Although, to get there, I need to do rather big plotty things first. *sigh* Don't get me wrong, I'd love to do those things, but somehow... So much work.
So all in all, if I want to keep going with the Bookacies, I might want to consider doing some changes. I'm not willing to give up the alphabet aspect, as this is something I haven't done before. But downplaying plot at least temporalily sounds like something I will definitely consider. Also, as much as the thought hurts, it may be that I have to consider not playing the extended family as much as I have. I love playing them and I love having lots of babies and seeing them all grow and all that. It's just that... With a plotty alphabet legacy, playing the whole hood might well be the thing that'll make me never finish. And even though finishing isn't something I can really plan on at the moment anyway, and I love the sort of eternity project vibe of it, still the thought of never being able to reach the finish line makes me sad. This is something I need to think about.
All this being said, this post wasn't supposed to be all depressed. Because, I haven't been feeling like that. I've been enjoying my game without pressure and loving it. And in fact, yesterday I suddenly felt productive of sorts. So I did something I've been meaning to do for a while: installed TS2 (plus expansions, plus the couple of stuff packs I have) on my laptop. As funny as it is, my laptop is actually the more poweful of my two machines, since it's newer. I meant to install my sims on it in the first place, but after doing the re-install dance on my desktop, I didn't really feel like it.
So yesterday, I sat down and did the installation dance, and after that, started downloading stuff. After getting all kinds of hacks (I think I might have to get some of those for the desktop too), I started a download spree by rampaging in simagroop's hair uploads. I'm planning to go more strictly maxis match on that computer, because I like maxis match, and I like that my downloaded stuff sort of matches with itself. I've no idea yet on what kind of families or so I might make on that machine, but for now just preparing my downloads folder has been fun. I have odd pleasures sometimes. I might consider moving the Bookacies and the Terranos on that machine eventually, or maybe not. At least I think I'd need to cull some cc still (and I'd want to go more maxis match while I'm at it), but currently the Bookacies are pretty dependent on All About Style stuff and so.
I've saved the best for last. So, when evening started coming, and I was getting maybe a little bit tired of "oh, what does that shiny hack do?" and "that hair is so pretty, did I download it already?" I suddenly felt crazy and brave. So crazy and brave that I opened up my Bookacy stuff folder, and the OO Impress file for chapter 33. I read it through to see where I was, then clicked the cursor at the end, and... tried writing. And I could get words out. It didn't feel bad. It was so late that I couldn't get much written then, but this morning, I re-opened it and tried again. And still, the words were coming. They were still coming!
I still don't dare to believe that my writer's block might be gone, but this is certainly making me hopeful. I now remember the plot I was so excited about, and while I recognize that it has its weaknesses, it doesn't feel like a hopelessly bad idea anymore. I feel like I actually want to get to it, and beyond. I miss my Bookacies, and I want to get back to them. And at worst, I was thinking I might not feel like that anymore. I confess that even discontinuing had crossed my mind, even though that thought caused an immediate "no!" coounter reaction.
I don't know where this thing is going yet, but I have to say that it does feel good to be more inspired again.
Now that LJ seems to work again at least for the moment, I thought I'd babble on a little.
I've had my desperate moments. During this time, when writing hasn't been flowing at all, I've seriously been wondering whether I've bitten a piece too big with the Bookacies. I mean, it's an Alphabet legacy to start with. Those are humongously long in themselves. As if that wasn't crazy enough, I took up to playing the whole hood. I don't really regret that, I love all my simmies and it wouldn't be the same without them all, but... It's admittedly crazy. It's crazy enough (the admirable type of crazy) in regular legacies, but in an alphabet one? Come on, Katri, way to shoot yourself in the foot. And on top of that, of course I had to have plot.
As I said to Lea one of these days, as much as I love Sal and all of his descendants, sometimes I wish that I hadn't created him in the first place. I mean, he's the one who keeps dragging the story into plottiness. I love having a plot and that's generally something to keep me interested, but with the other two forms of craziness, it sometimes feels like a lot. I have a plan that would pretty neatly enable me to downplay the plot with Sal for maybe a generation or two, and I think I would like to go through with that. Although, to get there, I need to do rather big plotty things first. *sigh* Don't get me wrong, I'd love to do those things, but somehow... So much work.
So all in all, if I want to keep going with the Bookacies, I might want to consider doing some changes. I'm not willing to give up the alphabet aspect, as this is something I haven't done before. But downplaying plot at least temporalily sounds like something I will definitely consider. Also, as much as the thought hurts, it may be that I have to consider not playing the extended family as much as I have. I love playing them and I love having lots of babies and seeing them all grow and all that. It's just that... With a plotty alphabet legacy, playing the whole hood might well be the thing that'll make me never finish. And even though finishing isn't something I can really plan on at the moment anyway, and I love the sort of eternity project vibe of it, still the thought of never being able to reach the finish line makes me sad. This is something I need to think about.
All this being said, this post wasn't supposed to be all depressed. Because, I haven't been feeling like that. I've been enjoying my game without pressure and loving it. And in fact, yesterday I suddenly felt productive of sorts. So I did something I've been meaning to do for a while: installed TS2 (plus expansions, plus the couple of stuff packs I have) on my laptop. As funny as it is, my laptop is actually the more poweful of my two machines, since it's newer. I meant to install my sims on it in the first place, but after doing the re-install dance on my desktop, I didn't really feel like it.
So yesterday, I sat down and did the installation dance, and after that, started downloading stuff. After getting all kinds of hacks (I think I might have to get some of those for the desktop too), I started a download spree by rampaging in simagroop's hair uploads. I'm planning to go more strictly maxis match on that computer, because I like maxis match, and I like that my downloaded stuff sort of matches with itself. I've no idea yet on what kind of families or so I might make on that machine, but for now just preparing my downloads folder has been fun. I have odd pleasures sometimes. I might consider moving the Bookacies and the Terranos on that machine eventually, or maybe not. At least I think I'd need to cull some cc still (and I'd want to go more maxis match while I'm at it), but currently the Bookacies are pretty dependent on All About Style stuff and so.
I've saved the best for last. So, when evening started coming, and I was getting maybe a little bit tired of "oh, what does that shiny hack do?" and "that hair is so pretty, did I download it already?" I suddenly felt crazy and brave. So crazy and brave that I opened up my Bookacy stuff folder, and the OO Impress file for chapter 33. I read it through to see where I was, then clicked the cursor at the end, and... tried writing. And I could get words out. It didn't feel bad. It was so late that I couldn't get much written then, but this morning, I re-opened it and tried again. And still, the words were coming. They were still coming!
I still don't dare to believe that my writer's block might be gone, but this is certainly making me hopeful. I now remember the plot I was so excited about, and while I recognize that it has its weaknesses, it doesn't feel like a hopelessly bad idea anymore. I feel like I actually want to get to it, and beyond. I miss my Bookacies, and I want to get back to them. And at worst, I was thinking I might not feel like that anymore. I confess that even discontinuing had crossed my mind, even though that thought caused an immediate "no!" coounter reaction.
I don't know where this thing is going yet, but I have to say that it does feel good to be more inspired again.
no subject
I hope you get everything worked out. I know that I'd hate to see the Bookacies disappear. But just take your time and don't push and have fun with the game a bit. I know that's what I've been doing lately. And it really does help.
no subject
Thanks, I hope so too. I'd really not want to give up on the Bookacies. I might have to consider some options to scale down a bit, so I don't get too overwhelmed and burned out. Just playing for the fun definitely helps. :)
no subject
Scaling back is also fine, you do have a lot of things that you are trying to work in with the Bookacies.
I'm very happy to hear that you did get past at least some of the writer's block. That's always the best thing to hear.
no subject
Yeah, I have a lot of things that I try to work in, and lately I've been thinking maybe I have too much. This part deserves some thought, since as much as I love playing everyone and having a plot, I don't want to render my challenge impossible.
Thanks. Being able to write again feels really good. :)