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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shayuri" data-source="post: 2192682" data-attributes="member: 4936">As the writer of a short-lived and seldom-read Story Hour that capsized from the very thing you speak of, I feel some empathy for your plight, Sep. What kept me writing was that it was fun. When it stopped being fun, suddenly I couldn't find time to write anymore. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />I suspect the reasons I lost the fun are different than yours in many ways. For example, I felt discouraged right out of the gate at what I felt was a low response. Of course, that was a long time ago, and I didn't realize how naive I was being. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />  And clearly, not an issue for you.But the backlog thing, I can very MUCH relate to. I think that was the big thing that killed it for me, and here's why. In the GAME, I was having fun doing things right then and there! Then I'd get to the computer and realize I had all this OTHER STUFF to write before I could get to the cool stuff I just finished playing! And even though the other stuff was fun too, back when I played it...NOW it seemed boring and passe'. I think I could have recaptured it, had I done what a couple of other people in this thread suggested. Bundle up all (or as much as you can) of that OTHER STUFF...and narrate it away. Sweep it under the carpet. You might even NOT narrate it, and instead suddenly jump forward in time. Then, as you write about the cool, current stuff, you might find ways to work the backstory in...in the form of flashbacks, memories, dialogue...etc. I suspect that would make it far more interesting and entertaining -for you-, while still fulfilling the reader's need for continuity. And later, once you're back into the groove and the Writer's Turbine is running smoothly, perhaps you can sit down and write out "Of Shadow and Flame: The Battle for Afqithan." Or whatever. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Other tricks that sometimes help me out.Write a "trailer" for the next section. You know, like a movie trailer. Sorta like...(Cue deep rolling timpani with somber voices chanting Latin softly in the background)Deep Voiced Movie Trailer Guy: "In a land steeped in darkness..."(Rolling shot over grinning, horrible demonic faces with glowing eyes and brimstone breath...pan back slowly to show row after row of them, as far as the eye can see, with some bigger, even worse ones lined up farther back, outlined by lightning against a turbulent, thunderstorming sky)...and so on. Don't wanna go into TOO much detail. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Trailers are awesome for zapping fatigue though. Imagine that a story is like a tall, cool glass of presweetened Kool Aid. A trailer for a story is like sucking the Kool Aid crystrals right out of the bag. It's like slamming Pop Rocks and Pepsi. At least, it helped get me going again when I was fading out. Eventually other problems killed my Story Hour, but ultimately that's how it goes sometimes. It was no biggy. But you, sir...your Story Hour touches a lot of people. It'd be a tragedy if it were to disappear.We prescribe a jump cut to more current events, and perhaps a Trailer. Give it a shot and see what happens!Good luck, Sep.</blockquote>

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