Reviewer: brandyandMJ Signed
Date: Feb 15, 2015 Title: Chapter 5: Going back to Square 1

I don't know what category my outlining style would be in.

Here's an example of mine:

Chapter 1: Brown Eyes
- Group of kids (enter names here) are at Michael's Place w/o his permission
- Semaj is hanging out with Kearston <---- (her cousin)
 - Semaj goes to bathroom, Michael shows up and kicks everyone out
- Semaj notices everyone gone, Michael holds her at gunpoint in headlock
- Drives her home (enter reasons why she can't find other transportation)
- Leaves her jacket in his car, he brings it to her school the next morning

Month: December
 Day (of the week): I failed to write it, lmaoooo

And in some cases when there's a particular line I want Michael (or any other character) to say I'll write it down and in corporate it into its rightful spot. I also try to right the events I want to happen in chronological order but usually the dialogue between the characters comes naturally from the top of my mind. I don't know if that's bad or good, LOL. It just works for me and so far I've written 45 chapter outlines for Gangsta Lovin' as you can see I need to right more because I'm creeping up on chapter 37 right now and before I know it I'll be at 45.

Now when you said "outline your main characters" now I don't do that for the chapters... but I should probably start. It seems to make things a little smoother when the drama is around, buuuuutttt.... I usually will outline my characters in how their personalities/maturities are from beginning to end of the story.For example in Gangsta Lovin' under my summary that I wrote in my notebook I have Michael's name, a physical description, and then his personality description and then I write goals for him. By this chapter his personality should be this, by this chapter he needs to be showing this, by this chapter he needs to act like this, ect. I only do it for my main TWO characters; Michael and my OG.

If my goal doesn't meet that said chapters then I just push it with the next goal... and I make SURE that he has it then. I just don't want it to be like chapter 1 Michael doesn't want to be in love, he doesn't want love at all, and then by chapter 7 I'm writing how in love he is and this and that... that is NOT what I want. I want it to be gradual and not just coming out of the blue.

This was great advice though, now on to the next advice chapter!

Oh and I find it sort of funny because like the example of a chapter outline for me above, I can have 6 points (just like what I showed) and have a good 3,000-5,000 word chapter. I find that sort of cool. But yeah! Moving on! 

Author's Response:

For chapter one, I'd consider that overplotting unless you are going directly into writing it. If that's written a week in advance, I'd consider it overplotting. I think dialogue is best when it flows...as it often does when written in the moment. I think your character outlines sound fairly on point. I'd only do that for the main characters, as well. Though, when doing the story w/chapter outlines, I'd probably include the characters that will be in each chapter. That way, you can spot if there are too many supporting characters. Remember, too many pics/names to remember mean that the reader is more likely to get confused.

I like your point about having so many words for six points. I think that is key - not seeing this points as simply check marks to speed through. They are to be expanded upon and integrated into a larger narrative.

Reviewer: brandyandMJ Signed
Date: Apr 25, 2017 Title: Chapter 1: The Basics

"Honestly at the rate I'm going Mars Vs. Venus, Sweet Lady, I Want You, and Gangsta Lovin will all be done by May or June because I write some HUGE chapters for those stories and I have a plan.  I NEED to stick to the plan and not steer off,  that's how i jump all over the place." - Brandy (Feb. 23, 2015)

Lies, I told. I love going back and reading these chapters/the reviews that people left, but damnit I was talking a lot of stuff two years ago. Sweet Lady is still up and running, I Want You is gone, Gansta Lovin' is done (at least I stuck to that one), and Mars Vs. Venus is under major construction. 

But anyway consistency in both updating and writing is very important. I would never abandon my story the way some people have. I've seen stories made in 2011 and they're updating them this year and it only has a good 8 chapters. - Brandy (Feb. 23, 2015)

Then she turned right around and did what she said she wouldn't do, lol. This is like the pot calling the kettle black... I had no room to talk. Granted at this moment I probably wasn't doing it, but then I did and to multiple stories. I guess that's why my grandmother always told me never to say I won't ever do something because you never know. 

I guess the only logical explanation I can give is that at times I rush into stories without properly thinking them through? If I can be honest I love writting, but I tend to put more on my plate than I can handle, and that's when life gets in the way (school, work, etc). Although I've tried to make up for my inconsistency's the best way I can over these last couple of weeks. 

Anywho, do you think you'll ever come back to this? 

Author's Response:

You mean to tell me: having started 38743837 stories in close proximity to one another, you have a problem with having too many ideas and making too long of a to-do list of obligations?! shocker :P

I feel like most of the missteps I see fall under the topics already covered.......I've been super busy the last year and sadly, have the time to maybe have the mental energy to read a couple chapters every couple months. My spare interwebz time is usually spent opening accounts/exchanging emails with members. What would you have me write on?

Reviewer: brandyandMJ Signed
Date: Mar 26, 2015 Title: Chapter 29: The Dog Bit. The Bee Stung. P3

1. One-dimensional Villain: here is my downfall in writing fanfiction. Its obvious that my favorite to pick on is Jermaine & Diana, LOL, sorry. I have nothing against him or her though. Its funny because in my second story on this site Jermaine was the gay good guy and Michael was the asshole. But I'm going to take your advice and flesh out the character!

2. Damsel in Distress: uh, I've never really done this. Stacey in Mars vs. Venus isn't really a D.I.D although Michael has helped and Semaj really wasn't either and you know Aaliyah definitely wasn't.

3. Blatant foreshadowing: I've done this once or twice but it worked out nicely. I think I did it in GL.

4. Meet, Sex, Marriage: #DIES. I have not sone this and in now way have I found it as okay. My characters have never tols each other i love you under fifteen chapters in except Michael to Aaliyah but they had already known each other. Also I think Semaj and Michael had a good amount of chapters before getting together(19) and before saying they loved each other(29).  It was really supposed to be chapter 35 or 36 but I changed it.

5. Conflict: I usually have no problem with this. I always have conflict.

6. Too Many: PERFECT example - WYWTOM. Too many characters, POVs and Plots.... waaaay too many plots.

7. Sex scene: LOL. "oh gaaaaaaaawd yeeeess Michaaaael! Right theeeeeeeeeeeeerrreeee!" Smh.

8. Run in: I did this in WYWTOM. Big mistake.

Excuse the mispellings and punctuation I'm on my phone, hahha.

Good stuff!

Author's Response:

1. I'll be writing about supporting characters next, so hopefully that will help.

3. Yep, I remember it in GL lol Not sure about your others.

4. I love that you can say that :)

Thanks :) And I'll ignore errors apart from the misspelling of "haha" lol.

Reviewer: brandyandMJ Signed
Date: Mar 23, 2015 Title: Chapter 28: When the Dog Bites. When the Bee Stings PT2 (Updated)

Well when I think of love triangles i think of the OG and Michael torn between two people that they cant choose. I dont think of bringing in an unwanted ex as a love triangle. But now if it is then totally disregard #1 because I do like them and use them. I just don't like Michael being in love with two girls at once and having to choose because nine times out of ten I like them both soooo.... it ends up being a heartbreak for m so I just steer away from them (love triangles) completely. 

About the OOC: Ohhhh. That was a really slow moment but now I understand how you meant it. Well then I believe I've made Michael OOC in my stories without building it up first (big mistake). Majority of my OG's maintain their character except Semaj. Since I made her personality soft spoken and shy then I've made her OOC a few times.

And thank you! But I'm mad I didn't save the first two stories I started here before I deleted them. I wish I hadn't because it would be nice to go back to but I started saving my stories now.

Author's Response:

Ah - thanks for clarifying :)

I think we all go a little OOC sometimes, depending on stress levels, etc. As long as you can make a case for it, it's all good.

Which stories were those?

Reviewer: brandyandMJ Signed
Date: Feb 26, 2015 Title: Chapter 21: Writer's Block - Defeating it, once and for all

Yes, agreed a week full of filler chapters would be too much. My maximum is 3 fillers (spaced over a good two or three weeks of each filler) and if anything hasn't sparked by then then I definitely would have to reread or watch interviews.... something.

-- And yes, I know who did it. I never confronted her about it, though. I started to reply to it and review but then her story continued to get more familiar each chapter. At first I was ignoring it until it went too far. So I stopped reading and she stopped writing it.

Author's Response:

She stopped writing it? I vaguely recall seeing something that caused my eyebrow to raise. Then again, my eyebrow tends to rise quite frequently. I need to watch that or else I'm going to get wrinkles.

Reviewer: brandyandMJ Signed
Date: Feb 22, 2015 Title: Chapter 20: UPDATED: The Keyword that All Authors Need to Remember, Consistency

Yes, yes did laugh. Research is key for me now and that's since I met you. And omg HoneyToTheBee yessss. There were many instances where I was reading a story and the girl started off shy and quiet and then became an obnoxious loudmouth within two or three chapters. I can't remember what story that was but lord it was a HUGE jump and it was gradual either. Its ok for characters to develope and change but make things lead up to that, don't just automatically switch it. But aanyway consistency in both updating and writing is very important. I would never abandon my story the way some people have. I've seen stories made in 2011 and they're updating them this year and it only has a good 8 chapters. I know that can be disappointing to loyal readers and reviewers. Another is the consistency between your character and their features. If your OG starts off with hazel eyes don't change it to Dark Brown or a Tiffany blue in the middle of the story. Or one minute their brown skin and next they're pale, yes I've seen that happen before BIG mistake and so noticeable. Its good to jot down your characters appearance in the notes on your phone or in a notebook itself but the features NEED to stay consistency and not change unless the character cuts/dyes their hair or its a medical problem... other than that it should stay ome thing.

 

And about the random characters popping up I've seen that done before. I can't really remember if I did that, I'm not sure. Its possible though, but anyway like you said its a no-no. I don't know if you do this or have ever done this but I pay attention to minor details in some stories, like if the character is holding something and then they magically begin to do something that requires two hands... i be like what happened to what they was holding? Its really confusing when i pay attention to minor stuff but thats just me!

About the very first thing you touched on. Some authors (I think) get mixed on what they think Michael would've done in a particular situation verses what THEY would actually do. They often write the way the would go about verses how they think Michael would and thats what can complicate the OOC moments.

I know we touched on reviewers but one thing I forgot to say and this isn't to any of my reviewers in my stories but to some reviewers in other peoples stories BE EFFIN GRATEFUL. I hate when a reviewer will constantly beg for something particular to happen in the story and then when its done they aren't satisfied, thats irritating on more levels than one. IDK why but it just is.

And another thing this is about sex there are times when i read Michael taking an OGs virginity and while the sex scene is going on its like she wasnt a virgin to begin with, like she was experienced and knew exactly what to do. Not even a mere explanation as to if it hurt even a little bit or if it was uncomfortable. Its just oop he slips it in and it automatically feels like the best thing ever. Im inexperienced but damn it i know sex can't be that good at the first shot!

LOL, again another great chapter for advice.

Author's Response:

I swear, I just write the chapters for your guys' comments. They make me crack up, nod my head, and fist pump the air.

TBH when I saw you start writing (and several stories at once, nonetheless), my thought was that you'd stop or drop one completely. Your ability to balance so many stories without disappearing a la AtMJsHouse is impressive.

In which story did you see the character's features?

Re: random characters. My rule is that if the author needs to outline each person's role/how they know the leads, then the author needs to reflect on if there are too many. At a certain point, it starts to look like a family tree in the first pages of an Anne Rice novel. I feel ya on their actions. If someone is using the bathroom, have them wash their hands. If someone is frying eggs, have them turn off the stove when they are done.....and don't forget that they are eggs, not pancakes.

I agree about authors confusing their reactions with Michael's. It also shows that the author hasn't developed a thorough sense of Michael's character.

re: gratitude. I definitely see your point. I'd like to think that readers at least show gratitude through giving stars. I don't always explicitly write "thank you", but I do purposefully star updates in order to convey that on some level.

LOL. Adding that to this segment....

It looks like popular demand has won out. I'll probably update the chapter and bump it to let everyone know.

Reviewer: brandyandMJ Signed
Date: Feb 28, 2015 Title: Chapter 7: Knowing Your POV: Who's on First?

Can I be honest? And this might make my school district sound really shitty... but.. they never really thoroughly went into it. They told us each category of POV (1st, 2nd, 3rd- Limited & Omniscient), and they explain that 1st person is "I","We", and 2nd person was (blah blah blah) and then the same with third but that's where they stopped. They didn't explain it thoroughly or even taught us how to properly use it. So basically I learned from reading stories and doing my online (here it comes) research. Lol, but yeah. 

I really don't know which one is my preference. I like them all, but I write more in first person and I guess third person limited rotating in my stories? In Gangsta Lovin' and Mars Vs. Venus I tend to switch a lot between first person for the perspectives of Michael and Stacey/Semaj. At times I'll use third person limited when it's a lot going in that chapter and I don't want to keep having to write who's POV it is. 

I regret not using third person limited rotating on my last update for Gangsta Lovin' I didn't realize how many times I was switching POV's and I didn't realize it until AFTER the update was written and proofread & it finally set in my mind that I should've just did it so I can switch perspectives without putting *Michael's POV* or *Semaj's POV*

I hope I got that right. 

That's actually truly embarassing that I really don't know what it is. But I'm telling you when I say they didn't teach us that stuff, that didn't. They talked about it in third grade ONCE and then in fifth grade ONCE and I haven't heard it since then. Not even since I've entered high school. 

Author's Response:

I don't think they taught me in this kind of detail during HS. Perhaps in college? Either way, prior to each update. LOL. Well, that and being a lifelong reader. You use more of 3rd person limited rotating in GL, from my recollection. Occassionally you throw in some 3rd person omniscient elements (e.g. the twinkle in her dad's eye when he was agreeing to rehire Michael). I think all of them are manageable (separately) if the writing skill is on par. Yours is very strong...particularly for your age and level of schooling.

I think that you are doing exactly what you ideally could be doing as a writer. You are learning how to become an even better writer. Don't be hard on yourself.