400 replies to this topic

[Myrddin]

Since the other thread has been closed down, let's start a new one.

Because, you know, I've been spending more time lately reading this thread than actually writing/revising/editing my own manuscript.

Carry on, Oh Wayward Writers!
There'll be piz(za) when you are done.
Lay your coffee mug to rest.
Why don't you try once more.

Edited by Myrddin, 11 May 2012 - 01:41 PM.

[SamanthaofTarth]

But I don't like pizza! lol.

Seriously though..........I need to get writing. I'm on total procrastination stations at the moment. I need to find that thing called self-discipline and get this re-write finished. Gah!

[Derfel Cadarn]

I've been off work for a week and hoped to get my first draft finished.  Unfortunately it never quite happened.  

I ended up writing chapter 26, then re-writing it from another POV.  Chapter 27 is almost finished but has proven to be a pain in the arse.  I've got just over 63k words done, and m re-working the last 8 chapters, condenscing two of the plot arcs to make it tighter.  It does mean my main POV is largely out of action for a lot of the last quarter, though.

[Datepalm]

my total rewrite of everything is going pretty well, more or less, I've managed to write a steady 500 words a day most days for the past two weeks or so, which an amazing streak of prolific consistency for me. I got two chapters down and am about half way done with a third, and I know how they fit together even, with like themes and exposition and stuff!

I find that doing crits helps me think about writing, and writing makes me think about writing-as-craft, which makes me think about crits. So if anyone wants feedback on anything atm, hit me up - maybe i'll manage to manipulate myself into some sort of useful positive feedback loop.

[Roose Bolton's Pet Leech]

I hit 70k on my second draft (a rewrite: the first draft at this point in the story is little more than an outline), but have managed to get bogged down in procrastination. As I'm a better editor than I am a writer, I keep worrying that my plotting isn't good enough, that the dialogue is crap, etc. The annoying thing is that I'm only about 20-30k from the end.

[Datepalm]

Yay, another chapter down and about 13k words over the past few weeks in all, getting close to catching up to where I was before I went back and rewrote all the early stuff. (with quite a bit just cut out completely and things shuffled about a lot.) One chapter is absolutely terrible and theres other bits that are little more than perfunctory outlining, but it feels really good to plunge on and just get to things already that have been sitting around in my head for years.

[Kaldaur]

I'd love to check out what you're all writing. I sent my manuscript out to beta readers, so I'm just twiddling my thumbs waiting for them to get back to me (I told them to take a month or so). If anyone has some work they want viewed with a new pair of eyes, feel free to drop me a PM.

[Datepalm]

come to the writers board, i'm posting stuff there and so are a few others:
http://www.perendina...-writers-board/

[Ebenstone]

Kaldaur, on 14 May 2012 - 03:07 AM, said:

I'd love to check out what you're all writing. I sent my manuscript out to beta readers, so I'm just twiddling my thumbs waiting for them to get back to me (I told them to take a month or so). If anyone has some work they want viewed with a new pair of eyes, feel free to drop me a PM.

Get thee to a new project....there's no twiddling thumbs in writing. It gets in the way!!!

[Starkess]

I just finished up the second rewrite of my most promising WIP. I think it's okay, but it's not great, and I'm feeling really frustrated. There was like a 5 minute elation of "Yesssss! Finished!" and then it was all "But so much crap to fix..."

Anyway, that's writing, eh?

Going to take a breather for the rest of the night and tomorrow will probably try to tackle the first third again. It's really the weakest part and I want to bring it up to the strength of the rest of it before I start shopping it.

Random note: Draft 2 was 72.6k words, draft 3 is 75.6k words. I don't mean to write such short novels! Gr. Anyway, aside from a few cursewords, this works perfectly well as a YA novel so even though that wasn't my original intention, it might end up as such.

[Derfel Cadarn]

Chapter 28 still kicking my arse.  I'ts pretty much stereotypical horror- bunch of people end up in a house and start disappearing.  I really need to plan this chapter out in detail rather than the usual rough idea of what's meant to happen and then wing it.

[Simon Steele]

My friend has nearly completed her cover art for my novel, and this summer I am happy to say I will debut my first novel on the Kindle!

I am really excited to bypass all the publisher house stuff as the relatively minor few attempts at querying I made just annoyed me.

So this summer, if you're looking for zombies, modern day warriors, and a vendetta against organized religion then maybe pick up Archetype.

It is totally bad ass.

[Datepalm]

I have to share - I finished writing something! First time ever! No, I haven't done anything with it and no one has read it and it's not even been polished or revised, but it's OVER. It's got a beginning and a middle and an END. Well, sort of, because it's 950 word flash fiction and it only took me two days of being home sick and doing nothing else, but its still the first time i've gotten to the end of something and i'm inordinately pleased. I'll finish that (first draft of a) 4-5000 word short story i've been working on for six months any...month now.

[Sci-2]

Got a comic script published in Dark Horse's Once Upon A Time Machine anthology.

[Datepalm]

sciborg2, on 22 May 2012 - 12:21 PM, said:

Got a comic script published in Dark Horse's Once Upon A Time Machine anthology.

Google being my friend: What story did you do?

[Sci-2]

Retelling of Shepherd and the Weaver Girl.

Jim Giar, the artist, really deserves the credit for bringing the script to life.

It was an interesting project, with the artist and editor deserve a lot of credit. Made me interested in attempting to publish a short story or two someday,  good way to get the feet wet. :-)

[Starkess]

Taking Back DanzigPalm, on 22 May 2012 - 12:19 PM, said:

I have to share - I finished writing something! First time ever! No, I haven't done anything with it and no one has read it and it's not even been polished or revised, but it's OVER. It's got a beginning and a middle and an END. Well, sort of, because it's 950 word flash fiction and it only took me two days of being home sick and doing nothing else, but its still the first time i've gotten to the end of something and i'm inordinately pleased. I'll finish that (first draft of a) 4-5000 word short story i've been working on for six months any...month now.

Awesome! That's a pretty important first step. Now keep it up! Good luck with the story.

[awesome possum]

It's not a novel, but I did some tinkering last night to a short story I wrote last year.  The original version was a basic think, maybe 1600 words about a woman who very much appears to be a typical crazy homeless woman you might see on the street of any city.  Except this woman fights monsters, or maybe she only thinks she fights monsters because she's crazy, I leave it up to the reader to decide.

Anyway, I was reading through it and doing a small edit before tossing it in my anthology when inspiration struck.  I ended up writing about 1500 words of backstory and another 500 words of main story and the result is much stronger.  Now I'm stuck between trying to decide whether to continue on with the story - as the back story I wrote opened the story up for so much more - or leaving it as is at about 3000 words.

Anyone ever have this problem?  How did you decide?  I'm thinking about just sitting down and if I write more, I write more, but I don't want to force myself back into the world and potentially ruin or at least dampen the story.

[Newsun]

Does anyone know a good critique forum for short stories? Ive just recently sat down to write my first ever non school related fiction, and wanted some people's opinions on my most likely terrible writing.

[Sci-2]

Newsun - feel free to email me at sciborg2(at)gmail.com. I'm not a professional [editor or] anything, but if I get it tonight I promise to read it and send some criticism.

Edited by sciborg2, 22 May 2012 - 05:04 PM.