Is there a limit as to how long a response to a Bradbury's Jar Prompt can be? I wanted to flesh out the little story that began with Prompt # 95 (Stripped). I looked through the older prompts and definitely found some inspiration which have sparked some ideas. My problem is now I've a nice bit of writing done...but I'm not sure if my responses are too long for Bradbury's Jar. I will say that I'm finding that a lot of my prompt responses will wind up tying into each other (sort of like a long story arc, I guess). I think what I'm trying to get at is this: should I abandon the Prompt format and try to make this into a fic of some sort? I'm not sure if the flow is exactly right for a fic though, and that it might come across as fragmented. Any ideas? Direction? Advice? Anything is appreciated.....!

Nobody's officially put a limit on the prompt responses -- it's really up to you to decide how long it should be. If you don't feel comfortable putting it in the usual response thread, start another one and say it's you response to a particular prompt. (That's what I did for a piece I did that responded to both Week 62 & 63.) And don't worry about whether or not it seems fragmented right now -- you can go back and polish it. We aren't looking for utter perfection in a Bradbury's Jar response.

Further to that, when you've completed the prompt pieces, and you feel they would make one full length fic, why not add them to gatchfanfic? A few of us have already done so, and it'll give you a wider audience too.

All of the above are great answers. Starting your own thread is a great way to keep your story continuous, even as you respond to future prompts. Place links in the Jar thread as appropriate.

Thanks for the responses! You've all definitely given me something to think about. KT: not sure I would ever put my stuff on Gatchafanfic. I am registered on the site, and holy crap, I've seen some seriously fantastic work there from so many people. I don't think I have the cojones to post my writing though!

Originally posted by Redbird KT: not sure I would ever put my stuff on Gatchafanfic. I am registered on the site, and holy crap, I've seen some seriously fantastic work there from so many people. I don't think I have the cojones to post my writing though!

RB, would it help if I said we all probably felt the same before we published? I know I did! And then the first reviews come in, and soon you can't wait to post your next work! Just try it, and I'm sure it will be the same for you!

Redbird, so far what I've seen of your writing is quite good. Post on Gatchfanfic!!! It's mostly a nice central place where it's easier to find people's work as time goes on. It's trickier to search through the forums here to find just the fics buried in with everything else. Everyone's approach to the weekly prompts is different. Some people always do a little standalone bit. Others like to do something serial, where each prompt builds on an existing story. Some people keep up with the prompts pretty well and others fall behind or skip big sections of weeks. I've got a serial that I was doing before I fell off the radar for a while. When(?) I pick it back up I'll probably back up to the prompt where I left off and try to catch up with the prompts I missed, unless that feels like so much of a burden that it locks me up. To me, the prompts are kind of a "shitty first draft" ... if I think a piece is worth it, I'll clean it up and post it on Gatchfanfic after edits to make it easier to find. The other serial I'm doing definitely needs cleaning up, it's a mess. Quite a number of people have ended up posting longer versions of their prompt pieces over on Gatchfanfic. The prompts are a great muse.

Originally posted by Daniella TRB, would it help if I said we all probably felt the same before we published? I know I did! And then the first reviews come in, and soon you can't wait to post your next work! Just try it, and I'm sure it will be the same for you!

LOL. I'm not convinced just yet, DT. But I kind of figured someone was going to say that!

Originally posted by ChrisW Redbird, so far what I've seen of your writing is quite good

Thanks, CW. I will say though that I'm the kind of person who is never satisfied by what they write. You know, as in things could always be better somehow.

Originally posted by ChrisW It's trickier to search through the forums here to find just the fics buried in with everything else.

True, you do have a point! There have been many serial prompts that people have done/are doing that I really liked reading, and it's hard to find them all in the right sequence.

Originally posted by ChrisW Everyone's approach to the weekly prompts is different. Some people always do a little standalone bit. Others like to do something serial, where each prompt builds on an existing story. Some people keep up with the prompts pretty well and others fall behind or skip big sections of weeks.

Now this I've noticed and find interesting. I can't write everything consecutively (meaning in the order that the prompts are given)-which is why I "bounce around" choosing prompts from all different dates. If a prompt doesn't strike me, I just can't write for it. Not to mention that my stories tend to write themselves, and never quite turn out how I planned or expected them to. I'll want a character to do one thing, and they tell me they want to do something totally opposite--and I have to listen to them. LOL.

Originally posted by ChrisW I've got a serial that I was doing before I fell off the radar for a while. When(?) I pick it back up I'll probably back up to the prompt where I left off and try to catch up with the prompts I missed, unless that feels like so much of a burden that it locks me up.

Is this the "Club Aphrodite" series you're talking about? I started reading it awhile back, and was enjoying it. I hope you do pick it up again at some point.

Originally posted by ChrisW To me, the prompts are kind of a "shitty first draft" ... if I think a piece is worth it, I'll clean it up and post it on Gatchfanfic after edits to make it easier to find. The other serial I'm doing definitely needs cleaning up, it's a mess.

Yeah I can understand that, and it makes sense to start off that way. (Is your other serial a Gatch fic? Or something else? *wonders*)

Originally posted by ChrisW The prompts are a great muse.

That's what I love about them. I always use them to try and shake myself out of a rut or a tight spot when I'm not sure what's supposed to come next. Edited: formatting errors--sheesh!

Redbird: Keep in mind that most of the stuff - especially the good stuff - you see on Gatchfanfic started out as a rough idea in someone's mind, which then got drafted and re-drafted, written and edited, and then beta-read by one or more people before it ever made its way online. No one is happy with a first draft. You are a good writer and you are in good company. Most of us who post over here post over there anyway, so you've got nothing to lose!

I find that a lot of creatives are never quite happy with what they're working on, or at least the ones who are fussy enough to take their work seriously. At some point we have to learn to recognize the law of diminishing returns ... that any continual fussing is only going go improve things smaller and smaller amounts to the point that we're just running in circles. Deadlines can help with that too, though. When something's due, it's due! If I'm doing a serial and a prompt just doesn't work for where I am in the story right then, I'll do a standalone or something instead. I'm one of those writers who really needs to write it in the story's chronological order and I'm too much of an anal organization freak to jump around in the prompts instead. *grin* But it makes sense to do it when there's so many prompts just sitting there waiting to be used. Yeah, the serial I'm talking about is Club Aphrodite, it's the only serial I've done in the prompts here outside of the new one. There's things I like about it, but it's a bit of a disjointed mess (as expected when writing by prompts on the fly) so it won't get onto Gatchfanfic until I've reworked it. I'm not sure if I'll finish it in the prompts or just finish it when I edit it. We'll see how it goes. I was nervous, too, before my first posting on Gatchfanfic. It gets easier.

Originally posted by Redbird

Originally posted by Daniella TRB, would it help if I said we all probably felt the same before we published? I know I did! And then the first reviews come in, and soon you can't wait to post your next work! Just try it, and I'm sure it will be the same for you!

LOL. I'm not convinced just yet, DT. But I kind of figured someone was going to say that!

It took a lot of poking and prodding to get me to do my first post over at Gatchafanfic. I completely understand your feelings Redbird. And even now I am still not comfortable posting anything I have written for others to read. I don't mind talking about my AU but posting something from it is a very different matter. Probably because I feel like it exposes me more and opens me to criticism which I don't think I can face, after what I went through in High School. I know criticism is meant to help us as writers but .....

Originally posted by RedbirdNow this I've noticed and find interesting. I can't write everything consecutively (meaning in the order that the prompts are given)-which is why I "bounce around" choosing prompts from all different dates. If a prompt doesn't strike me, I just can't write for it. Not to mention that my stories tend to write themselves, and never quite turn out how I planned or expected them to. I'll want a character to do one thing, and they tell me they want to do something totally opposite--and I have to listen to them. LOL.

I find my writing style is similar. Although I will not jump around in a story but I will jump around in my AU history. First writing from the beginning, from when the team first meet and begin training, to the "end" and then into the middle - looking at some of the TV episodes and "reworking" them and looking at scenes that were not shown in the series (if that makes sense.)

Redbird, I can only repeat what others have said (they have all the right responses already!) but I want to say that I've enjoyed reading the bits you have posted here, and I think your work would fit in just fine at Gatchfanfic. As for writing, we all do it in a different way. I hate jumping around, and it drives me bonkers if I don't go start to finish. Other people have to jump around and can't 'get through it' if they get stuck on a part and have to write consecutively. There is no one 'right way', only the way that works for you. And that might even change as you write more. Just do what you enjoy and it will come. And don't be afraid to post. We all support you.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun As for writing, we all do it in a different way. I hate jumping around, and it drives me bonkers if I don't go start to finish. Other people have to jump around and can't 'get through it' if they get stuck on a part and have to write consecutively. There is no one 'right way', only the way that works for you. And that might even change as you write more. Just do what you enjoy and it will come. And don't be afraid to post. We all support you.

The good thing about posting your work is that you really do get more used to it over time. This community is pretty supportive, too, which helps. I just remembered one of my writing quirks that's been driving me a little crazy (speaking of order). I have this tendency with long story ideas to start with what turns out to be the middle story. I'd gotten 3 drafts into an original novel before realizing it was book 2 and not book 1, and that I needed to write book 1 before I could proceed with finishing book 2. *sob* I get the heebbie jeebies whenever someone starts going on about the "one true way" to write (or do other creative things). The rule is "whatever works for you." Heck, the first long piece I ever wrote (at 1 I outlined quite a bit. Now if I outline fiction, I never end up writing it, because I did all my discovery during the outline. These days I've realized I write to find out what happens. And cloud, it can be helpful to just say up front "I'm not used to critique so please be gentle." The important thing to remember is that it's all about constructive criticism (since I don't know a lot of the people on gatchfanfic I often try to avoid critique all together, anyway, unless the author asks for it or something just really nags at me). I've read what you've posted of your AU on gatchfanfic and enjoyed it. Would love to see more.

Originally posted by ChrisW And cloud, it can be helpful to just say up front "I'm not used to critique so please be gentle." The important thing to remember is that it's all about constructive criticism

I think that holds true even for those of use who are used to critique. When I send a story off to be beta'd, I expect a lot of markings, but I also expect specific markings. I'm almost always upfront with my betas about what I see are my strengths and weaknesses as a writer and what I expect them to look for. What I don't want from my betas is a complete rewrite of my story because they don't like my style; that too me is the beta saying they can write the story better than I could. This is fanfic, it is supposed to be fun, we write for ourselves, but we also write to share it with others. It is not professional writing. I've seen many fanfics that are as good or better than professional writing, I've seen many that were a good fun read, but I'd never pay for them (I've read professional writing that I've wondered why people would pay for it). We all need to remember that this is fun. The nice thing about this fandom and most of us are all adults, most in our 30's, 40's and 50's (a few older, a few younger), we get very few trolls and flames, and people who don't like stories usually just hit the back button and move on to something else.

Wow, I didn't really except so many responses! I've started writing a lengthy response, but I have got to get my butt in gear and get to work soon (believe me I'd much rather hang out here though!). I'll be back later on once I get home, to post it. CW: I just realized the other serial you were referring to was the new one you started writing involving Adam and the sudden appearance of Ken! Sorry about that, it just went right over my head. *facepalm*

Hehe, no prob. If I had a title for it, it'd be easier to keep things straight, but no title so far.

Originally posted by jublke Redbird: Keep in mind that most of the stuff - especially the good stuff - you see on Gatchfanfic started out as a rough idea in someone's mind, which then got drafted and re-drafted, written and edited, and then beta-read by one or more people before it ever made its way online. No one is happy with a first draft. You are a good writer and you are in good company. Most of us who post over here post over there anyway, so you've got nothing to lose!

Thank you for the compliment, Jublke. I'm just never happy with what I write period. LOL. It can be a first draft, or a finished piece. I feel there's always room for improvement. I am in awe of the writing I found over on GFF! There are so many quality fics, so many wonderful worlds created. *Just FYI: I love your "The Heart Has it's Reasons" series. I liked how you commented that you initially wanted write about Mark and Princess but it didn't work. Funny how that happens, no? I hope you're continuing with it because I want to read more ! And how can I forget "Rise and Fall Of the Condor--you really dug deep to create a believable world--but poor Jason! *pets him* )

Originally posted by ChrisW I find that a lot of creatives are never quite happy with what they're working on, or at least the ones who are fussy enough to take their work seriously. At some point we have to learn to recognize the law of diminishing returns ... that any continual fussing is only going go improve things smaller and smaller amounts to the point that we're just running in circles.

That's a really good insight, CW. I do find that "fussiness" carries over into other hobbies as well. And I like how you put the phrase "law of diminishing returns". I never really thought about it in that way, and I think you're right. I'll remember that next time I can't stop "picking" at something!

Originally posted by clouddancer It took a lot of poking and prodding to get me to do my first post over at Gatchafanfic. I completely understand your feelings Redbird. And even now I am still not comfortable posting anything I have written for others to read.

Thanks CD! I hope at some point you feel you can start doing so again, if that's your goal. If not, that's ok too.

Originally posted by clouddancer I don't mind talking about my AU but posting something from it is a very different matter. Probably because I feel like it exposes me more and opens me to criticism which I don't think I can face, after what I went through in High School.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience CD. High school can be rough, and kids (I'm assuming it was kids and not teachers giving you trouble) can be such jerks.

Originally posted by clouddancer I find my writing style is similar. Although I will not jump around in a story but I will jump around in my AU history. First writing from the beginning, from when the team first meet and begin training, to the "end" and then into the middle - looking at some of the TV episodes and "reworking" them and looking at scenes that were not shown in the series (if that makes sense.)

I'm glad to see I'm not alone when it comes to writing style! And I liked that you mentioned the part about watching some of the TV episodes. I'm sure we're not the only ones who do that. Like you I think it's also important to notice what wasn't shown on TV--there's a lot of room for speculation there.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun Redbird, I can only repeat what others have said (they have all the right responses already!) but I want to say that I've enjoyed reading the bits you have posted here, and I think your work would fit in just fine at Gatchfanfic. As for writing, we all do it in a different way. I hate jumping around, and it drives me bonkers if I don't go start to finish. Other people have to jump around and can't 'get through it' if they get stuck on a part and have to write consecutively. There is no one 'right way', only the way that works for you. And that might even change as you write more. Just do what you enjoy and it will come. And don't be afraid to post. We all support you.

Thanks for the encouraging words TJ. If I'm writing a full blown fic (or trying to at least) I'll have a general idea of how I want a story to develop (at times I'll even make an outline, etc). But many times I'll have to skip over something and go back later to fill in the missing part.

Originally posted by ChrisW I just remembered one of my writing quirks that's been driving me a little crazy (speaking of order). I have this tendency with long story ideas to start with what turns out to be the middle story. I'd gotten 3 drafts into an original novel before realizing it was book 2 and not book 1, and that I needed to write book 1 before I could proceed with finishing book 2. *sob*

Oh, I can totally understand how that might be frustrating! For me, beginnings are the toughest. I usually can't figure out how to get things off the ground, but will have the rest up and running already. I feel I'm much better at endings.

Originally posted by ChrisW And cloud, it can be helpful to just say up front "I'm not used to critique so please be gentle." The important thing to remember is that it's all about constructive criticism (since I don't know a lot of the people on gatchfanfic I often try to avoid critique all together, anyway, unless the author asks for it or something just really nags at me). I've read what you've posted of your AU on gatchfanfic and enjoyed it. Would love to see more.

I agree constructive criticism is the key part. I definitely don't mind comments, or suggestions to make things better. But people being mean, or overly harsh for the sake of it? I've never encountered that, but in the end if people don't like what I write, they don't need to read it. Anyway, it can be easy to get locked into looking at something in a particular way, and having someone make suggestions--to look at something from another perspective can be a big help.

Originally posted by amethyst I think that holds true even for those of use who are used to critique. When I send a story off to be beta'd, I expect a lot of markings, but I also expect specific markings. I'm almost always upfront with my betas about what I see are my strengths and weaknesses as a writer and what I expect them to look for. What I don't want from my betas is a complete rewrite of my story because they don't like my style; that too me is the beta saying they can write the story better than I could. This is fanfic, it is supposed to be fun, we write for ourselves, but we also write to share it with others. It is not professional writing. I've seen many fanfics that are as good or better than professional writing, I've seen many that were a good fun read, but I'd never pay for them (I've read professional writing that I've wondered why people would pay for it).

This was very well said Amethyst. When I've beta'd for people in the past, unless they tell me differently, I've basically focused on the usual things: spelling, punctuation, etc. I'll tell someone if a passage doesn't "flow" smoothly to me, suggest to change a word to make sound a bit better or if they should shorten/break up paragraph. I couldn't imagine trying to "rewrite" someone's fic! (Did that really happen to you?) Ultimately, I leave it up to the author to make any changes to their work, my ideas are just that--ideas/suggestions. They're the ones that need to be happy with the end result. Whew! Now I've really written a book! I think I need a drink... Edited to add response to jublke.

Taking that first step to post in Gatchfanfic is nerve racking, Redbird, but its quite a thrill to see your work online for others to read. My review philosophy is post nothing critical or anything that could be misinterpreted. You know you have out support. Go for it!

I totally agree with all of the others' spot on recommendations, and am also sorry for my late response, Redbird, but, right now, I'm so you to collect all the courage you have to start posting without being afraid or doubting yourself! From the first time I've read something you've written I literally fell in love with your style and am so sure that you have all the potential needed to move forward! Polishing comes with practice and more practice, and you really don't have a long way to go! Gosh ... I really know what it means to be someone who is never satisfied with his/her own work ... that's what a perfectionist is, and I'm that kind of person, too! But, even if sometimes this facet of one's character backfires, it's also something which should push you to do more to be better, hence sharing one's work with others even if it could seem the most horrifying thing to do! LOL ... if I ... yes, I , with all my language barriers and poor self-esteem, have had the face to post at Gatchfanfic (after a lot of encouragement from true friends found around here!), then why can't you, from all people?! You're so very talented ... don't underestimate yourself and please don't deprive others from savoring your lovely work! After overcoming the first hurdle, that of posting for the first time, you'll see how satisfactory it would be for yourself, too!

Redbird, if you choose to listen to only one person here, you can't go wrong with Marie....except for when she has one of her "My English is so terribly bad" spells. When that happens, please feel free to join the rest of us in slapping her upside the head for thinking such nonsense!

EW ... I'll also give you my butt for slapping, when you're done with the upside of my head, as I'll never stop saying that!!

Thank you for the kind words Marie. You're a doll! I haven't decided if I'm going to post my work yet. Maybe at some point I will. Right now I'm having fun with the prompts and trying to make some kind of story from those. And like EW states, your English is just fine, Marie--you have nothing to worry about.

Well, Marie, since I'm not into THAT , I'll pass on the offer and stick to the head-slaps!

Oh gosh, EW! LOL ... I'm surely NOT into THAT thing, either!! I just had to give you somewhere else to smack as, in this rate, my head won't hold for long! Many thanks for your kind words, too, RB! Do know that I really meant mine!