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+---- Thread: On the struggles of writing PT Articles (/showthread.php?tid=10346)
On the struggles of writing PT Articles - Haramcha - 2026-08-02
Funnily enough, one of the main draws of SSL to me has been the notion of weekly articles. They serve as a sort of motivation to actually have some sort of output; to pull through and do something that brings forth some sort of semblance of a feeling of having done something productive. This is primarily because I genuinely enjoy writing. I love coming up with ideas and stories, playing with words and language, and combining the two. Additionally, I figured that, having more or less mistakenly made Joe Mormor Thai (the name was also sort of a mistake; I made the character just to check out how the SSL worked, and suddenly found myself in the midst of it all), I might as well make use of this happy little mistake and write about things I see, hear and otherwise experience during my time here in Thailand. Sort of like a fictional diary, or perhaps more like, a fictionalised diary? a diary of fiction? Whatever. Hopefully, this will eventually turn into some sort of collection of memories, although written in a format that both eliminates some of the less entertaining bits, and fictionalises things and people to the extent that it will avoid making anyone (or thing) I actually encounter look bad.
All that is to say that I have a lot of motivation to write Joe’s Journey, even if it’s just for my future self to look back on – the prospect of entertaining any other readers is just a bonus (although in the moment that I write the stories, it’s very much done with potential readers in mind). And yet, I find that, over the past few weeks, it has been increasingly difficult to actually put pen to paper. Or finger to keyboard. Whatever the appropriate wording would be these days. This is largely because I have gotten a lot busier than I have been previously. A part is of course also because this feeling of business has meant that I do not have much time to spend on the Discord, which then results in me residing less in the SSL-sphere, and thereby being more prone to forgetting to hit the weekly deadlines, not to mention getting fewer ideas of how to develop the story. Naturally, fewer thoughts for the SSL also means fewer ideas for the story, with focus instead lying elsewhere for the most part.
Still, I have lots of ideas for stories to tell through Joe Mormor; they just sort of need to have the right timing. And when is that, exactly? There are plenty of stories that I feel would make most sense “when Joe returns to Bangkok” for holidays or whatever, but once he does so, it’ll perhaps be more difficult to tell other stories. For example, the moment he’s a bona fide superstar, it no longer makes sense for his dad to be struggling for finances, and so there is an element of timing and even a bit of pressure in that respect. But what if I feel more like writing about that one expensive hotel Joe goes to have dinner with when he’s back in Bangkok, pocket full of money? For now, I’ve been trying to put off such stories, and to come up with something each week befitting of his current situation, also keeping the matches and such in mind, but when time is short, it can be difficult to do so.
At the end of the day, I’m sort of just rambling here to get something out in time for this week’s deadline, and to perhaps get anyone reading this to consider what keeps them motivated to write (or engage in any other roles in the SSL, whether in the form of a job, making graphics, or whatever it might be), and to hear from anyone who might have their own thoughts on how they maintain a steady output in busy periods.
RE: On the struggles of writing PT Articles - Daleks - 2026-08-02
I'm always a fan of reading your stories. And as someone who has been GMing various TTRPGs for many years, the struggle of putting the pen to paper or just writer's block can be very annoying!
I will always be here to witness Joe's Journey, however long it may take!
RE: On the struggles of writing PT Articles - rrf_1 - 2026-08-03
Joe’s Journey is a great series! I really like that you took a moment here to zoom out from the character and look at the writer’s side of things.