posted
I know this isn't the writing workshop side of the house, but bear with me.
I was thinking, there have to be quite a few of us who are either actively engaged in writing something or toying with the idea and just don't know how to get started. I'm in the last group - I've had so many starts and stops, I am not sure how to proceed with getting any of my many ideas actually on paper.
Playing off the weight loss support thread, I propose a thread where we can do weekly check-ins on word counts and encourage each other.
Not to be confused with a writing group - I'm not suggesting we do critiques or anything, just a place to hold each other somewhat accountable, and a place to come and brag on our small successes like, "I wrote 150 words today."
If I posted a weekly check-in thread, would anybody besides me post in it?
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
I would. I started one a few weeks ago. I have three pages. I had three pages a few weeks ago too.
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posted
I would. I'm working on my second novel. I'd like to start sending it to agents this summer but haven't been able to get past chapter 11 or so. This would probably be very helpful. Good idea.
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posted
K. Are Wednesdays all right? Or is another day better? Maybe Monday, to start off the week?
Any ideas on structure?
Way I see it - everyone sets their own goals. Each week, tell us what your goal for last week was, whether or not you made it, and what your plan and goal for this week is.
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posted
Good idea. I wrote a really short "clip" called "The Mirror" posted a couple of days ago and only had two "lookers".
Maybe you should get people to post stories which would encourage them to write them and then perhaps they could publish a collection of their short stories or use them as a basis for a novel.
Posts: 65 | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
I think Mondays are good days for checking in. Of course, that's because I would do most of my writing on the weekend. People with different work schedules would probably disagree.
Personal Goal - about five pages a week
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posted
I think the 13-line rule like over on the writer's side should apply here, too. After all, it's only for our protection. If we wanted to, it'd be cool to email each other for critiques, though.
posted
I really don't think we should get involved in posting stories for critique - for one thing it can interfere with 1st pub. rights. For another, that's what writing workshops are for.
However, I don't think it would be a problem if people asked for anyone willing to do a critique, and then emailed the information.
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posted
Monday it is. And this is not a Belle thing - I mean, I just am throwing out the idea, so if it's Monday and somebody wants to post the weekly thread and I haven't yet, do so.
I'm going to take Cor's lead and go ahead and tell you what my goal is for the week - I am following the Snowflake method, and I've completed step 1 and 2, so my goal is to finish with step 3 and 4 by Monday.
I like the Snowflake method because it involves putting in a lot of effort in getting the overall structure of the story in place before beginning the first draft, and I need that help, being a un-organized person normally. My previous tries at writing a longer work always failed because there was no good underlying structure, and this process helps address my weaknesses.
If you don't know what it is, here's a link.Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
I should be writing some fiction about now. I told myself I'd enter the Misfits writing contest this year, and it's due May 14th. However, I don't know if I should start something new or finish something old, and I don't feel inspired... :/
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I'm currently working on a novelish thing with no motivation. I find my best writing came out of the last 48 hours of NaNoWriMo, so if anyone can offer encouragement of that magnitude, it would be great. Posts: 285 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I have a short story due on Tuesday in my Creative Writing class. I can't think of anything to write about except my Novel idea. So, I think I've decided to write the preface to that novel. It's standalone enough.
Now I just gotta figure out what happens during it.
I like the snowflake method. Thanks for sharing it!!
posted
Belle, your timing is impeccable. I was just thinking that if I don't immediately get a job after graduation, I would dedicate more time to writing. This will be very helpful.
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posted
My timing is heavily influenced by my school schedule. I've finished all my major projects for my current classes, I have an A in each of them, and only one big test left and it doesn't worry me at all. So, I'm now looking forward to the summer, where I'll be taking only a few classes, and without the level of commitment that I have during the year to my kids school and other activities, I wanted to have another project to motivate me along as well. No vacation this year, because of financial concerns, so I think now is a as good a time as any to finally finish something of length.
In the fall, I will be going to school full time, and I'll also be taking much higher level classes than the freshman-level core courses I'm finishing up now. I would love to finish my first draft before I start the fall class schedule.
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posted
Help me I have been haunted by the same story since 1999. It is now time for me to finish it. I have about 55 pages of gold and fertilizer (the organic kind.) I can't tell the difference between gold and fertilizer. I love the characters, but aspects of the plot might be lacking. Any help, even just a kick in the butt would help, such as asking me why the hell I keep watching stupid television shows like Dharma and Greg instead of working on it.
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Syn, have you got some one to read it through. They might be able to help you do the sifting...
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There's a group that does week-long monthly writing challenges, much on a similar vein to what you're proposing. The idea is to just turn off the internal censor and get writing. People set their own goals, but they also have a friendly competition to see who can write the most in a week. The first time I tried it, I ended up writing about 68 pages.
I'm doing a fair amount of writing now, but it's just snippets of stuff here and there. There's some essays I've been meaning to write that I really want to finish, and then I want to really focus on fiction. So whenever we start, my first goal is to finish two essays in a week.
Posts: 1805 | Registered: Jun 1999
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posted
I totally need that. Someone who doesn't know me very well because I am not sure if it's good even though some SAY it's good.
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posted
Syn, if you want send it to the e-mail address in my profile I can read it and be objectively critical ( ) probably by Tuesday. I don't have any editing credentials but I do it a lot and I love to do it.
posted
My goal is to start some character skecthes. Say, have one done by next week. I'm still doing soem background reading, so I can't start writing yet, and there's a couple points I need to straighten out first. But getting ANYTHING down on paper would be a victory. So, goal: one character sketch.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
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posted
Count me in. I want to get my first draft of Chapter 4 done by Monday. After that my schedule gets seriously hectic, so I'll need some encouragement to stay on track if I want to get the whole first draft done by November. Every year I try to do Nanowrimo and get about 10,000 words done, so I’m trying to give myself a reasonable target this time.
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posted
I am with you. I love writing and i have an idea, that i work and re-work and again and again. The first time i bigan it is when i was 16. I am 25 now. I stopped it many time for long period. But i understand to be fluider i must work my poetry. I have just around 25. But since the bad end of my love story (you must know what i say : i wrote it here), i have just written four poems. I gave you one. And since that, nothing. I have idea, but no word. And i lost my pretty reader-girl.
So my aim is to write another for Monday. I hope manage it.
posted
I'm working on a novel, and like others, I need structure. I have a terrible memory and have a difficult time holding things like time lines in my head, so plot outlines for me are a must. Like others here, I go with the snowflake method, which I highly recommend for anyone who's blocked, not sure what to do next, or needs help with outlining. I've modified it to suit my own purposes, of course, but I do that with everything, so why would this be the exception?
My goal is to have the first draft of this novel done this month. I have about 2000 words of about 100,000 already done, but I'll probably junk what I've got - it's pre-snowflake, and no longer really fits in with the outline I've got working now.
I also belong to two other writing groups. One is a Book In a Week Challenge, where, during the first full week of the month, you set goals to the list and write write write! The second is an offshoot of teh first, MAD Challenge, where we have goals and challenges ever week, every month.
I also have a goal of six more finished first drafts this year - there are a lot of stories in my head, all arguing to come out - so I need serious commitment!
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
I'm not working on a novel, but I should be!
My writing collapsed in a heap after some personal problems a few years ago. Right now I'm trying to get started writing something--anything--and have currently managed to start a blog (see profile).
Prod me periodically and help me get started, please.
Posts: 1114 | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
I'm attempting to write a novel. I had 5,000 words, but it was crap so I deleted all of it and am starting over at zero.
I did succed in writing a short story. I wrote 2,200 words in a half hour and then stopped because I had accomplished all I wanted from the story. I'm thinking about sending it in to a contest, but I haven't heard any news about a short story contest that can be about anything and has no word limit recently. I think its really good. My Comm. Arts and Advanced Reading teacher said it was wonderful, suspenseful, and had a suprising ending. They both loved it and that it was really good.
I'd be happy to part of a writing encouragement group though I doubt I'll accomplish my goal much. Maybe some Hatracker encouragement could get me going. Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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posted
I'm in. I'm writing a book for kidlets. Probably aimed at age 8 - 12, and adventure-quest thingy. With a strong female protaganist.
I have an exam Tuesday, so my goal for this week is to simply write something. Even if it's only a sentance. Bigger goal next week.
***
Belle - I read the Snowflake website. I was intrigued by this:
quote:When you have finished this process, (and it may take a full month of solid effort to get here), you are ready to write a proposal and sell this novel. Do so.
Is this standard practice in America? That is, selling your novel before you have actually finished it?
Over here, that *never* happens for first time writers, and very rarely with second or third-timers also. Tony has been given an advance on a trilogy of which he has written the first book but that's only after having 5 other books published with the same publisher and winning a few prizes.
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Boon
unregistered
posted
I'm writing a textbook. Does that count?
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Hmmmm, I need to get back into writing. I have about two paragraphs of writing on my computer, thanks to a computer erasure a year ago. I used to have hundred and hundreds of pages of novels, short stories, and poems. Anyway, I sure need to get motivated again.
Posts: 3636 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
Imogen - my understanding of the publishing industry is that no, in fact, it doesn't work that way with new authors. The way it worked with Tony is pretty much how I've heard it working for everyone else.
MyrrdinFyre - no backups? That's gotta hurt! I'm so sorry for your loss.
EVERYONE - BACK UP YOUR DATA REGULARLY!!!!!
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
I'd be very interested in getting involved in this -- in fact, I followed your link, Belle, and I am very excited to try out the snowflake method.
Except that I'm already stuck on Step 1. My plot seems too complicated to condense to under 15 words...would anyone be willing to let me email them the synopsis and my current tries for a one-sentence summary, and help me think this one through?
posted
About method, just a sentense for writing :
"Words call words." So start to write. Anything, but start. And words'll begin to go on the white sheat of paper. Thus the page doesn't stay white... Posts: 1189 | Registered: Dec 2004
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posted
And if nothing else, start working on your entries for the Bulwer-Lytton contest. See just how bad you can write. And try to make it even worse. Write as badly as you possibly can.
There's something to be said for freeing up the creative self by creating horrible stuff. It may sound strange, but why not give it a try? After all, writing is supposed to be fun. . .
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
I generally think in scenes and conversations. I'm not nearly as good at connecting the pieces, making it flow. So I'm giving the snowflake method a try.
Step 1: A cop must track her twin brother through alternate realities.
Step 2 only makes sense to me because I know what's going on. I'm going to revise it after I finish step 3.
My goal is to finish one character synopsis by this time next week.
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but I do that with everything, so why would this be the exception?
