Pros Big Bang Weekly Check In

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone and welcome to the weekly check in post. Just a few links for you this week, hopefully you’ll find them distracting interesting. So to start with a couple of pages with quotes about writing: Quotes about writers and writing and More quotations about writing

My fav of the quotes is: "Every novel should have a beginning, a muddle, and an end." (Peter De Vries).

Next to give us all something to avoid and have a giggle, and maybe an occasional wince, over here are links to some of the winners / contenders for Literary Review’s annual bad sex in fiction awards.

Passages from the 2010 winner, past contenders, a few more, and the 1994 - 2004 winners

And lastly, as I am currently impersonating the chicken in this cartoon:



A couple of links to posts about writer’s block: Hack your way out of writer‘s block and Symptoms and Cures for writers block (for assignments but has some useful tips).

And, as always, please chat about anything you like, ask us questions, and let us know how you are getting on with your planning/writing/curing your amnesia.

Comments

But, but, my persona is always a pirate... *headdesk*

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Apparently all of my pencils are eeeeevil... good to know. *nods* Evil wood... now there's an idea. *whistles*

The question I've been asking myself for the last few days is just how embarrassing would it be to to have to withdraw from the BB when I'm a co-mod? Yes, it's going that well. Ahem...

It's not even that the characters are refusing to do anything (for once) more that they're absolutely determined to do things that are making me wince and not want to write anything more for them. Yes, picture Drayce, pouting like an eight year old while muttering "shan't, you can't make me, nuh huh." Yes, I'm looking at you in particular, Doyle. *glares*

My current strategy is to write other things instead and/or spend my time uploading to AO3. I call this "the Ostrich technique." /ramble.

I'm hoping there will be inspirational tales of derring-do under this post. *settles in to wait*

Re: But, but, my persona is always a pirate... *headdesk*

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Yep all the pencils are evil and I think it might be safe to say the pens are too.

Evil wood... now there's an idea. *whistles*
*splutters* *giggles* I'd read about that.

So we need to find a way to make Doyle what you want him to then........I may have a few ideas.

And the ostrich technique is one I heartily endorse.

Re: But, but, my persona is always a pirate... *headdesk*

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

There's got to be a way of making Doyle behave for you!

Re: But, but, my persona is always a pirate... *headdesk*

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

I should try freezing him out for a few days - say till the weekend or after - and see if he decides to play ball. Muses can be incredibly bossy...

Re: But, but, my persona is always a pirate... *headdesk*

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

I've been using this loading stories *from other fandoms* onto AO3 myself!

Re: But, but, my persona is always a pirate... *headdesk*

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

Doyle is a stroppy, recalcitrant bugger, isn't he? I recommend a bucket of vodka in his orange juice... and it sounds like Bodie could use the same drink. Perhaps they'll be more pliable if they're hung over?

[togsos.livejournal.com]

Writers hurry your arses up i want to start drawing <--- emm yes thats what passes for uplifting encouragement down our way! Seriously i spelt that with pompoms, it wasnt easy!!

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

We're suffering as fast as we can go, Tog. :D

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Spelling that with pom poms is seriously impressive and a skill that could be useful :D.

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

Heh - me too! My GIMP finger is getting twitchy *g*

Ok... am I the first? Bowing out comment - waah!

[greengerbil.livejournal.com]

Sorry chaps and chappesses, but I think I'm going to have to stop dithering and make the break... yup, I'm dropping out now rather than taking it all the way to the wire and then letting you all down. *sigh*

It's not so much a missing muse as sheer bloody knackeredness! (I think. At least, that's what I keep telling myself.) I started back at work a couple of weeks ago, and even though I've adjusted back to the shift working and so on, I am so damn tired when I get home that writing is just... no. It's all I can do to keep up with what's afoot on lj, never mind actually doing summat, you know, creative!

On the good side - I take early retirement at the end of the year (working on the principle of 'jump before you're pushed *g*) so for next year's Big Bang... hey, I should be well up for that!

Especially as I'm determined to keep pecking away at the two stories I've got started in the meantime, so by next year I may even have some idea of where they're going.

I'm so sorry, folks - but what with the thyroid, and a numb mouth from the wisdom tooth paralysing a nerve, and not one but two hospital visits in the offing... I just can't settle to writing anything - not even the lads.

Feel free to burn me in effigy at the next pool party and hopefully I'll be back all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed next year...

*disappears into nest and hides at the back*

Re: Ok... am I the first? Bowing out comment - waah!

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear that you're still having health problems and I can only guess how exhausted you must be right now.

To be clear, you haven't let anyone down. Your health and sanity comes first, natch, and fandom is supposed to be fun, NOT feel like one more thing beating you down.

But, just in case, PLEASE do bear in mind that as you did sign up on time you do have until the rough drafts are due on the 28th of June if you should rally, inspiration suddenly strikes... or something like that. *g* That's ultimately the date at which anyone else would be inconvenienced if you dropped out after it as that's when the artists get to choose their story and start their work.

Again, you haven't inconvenienced anyone and get well soon. ♥

Re: Ok... am I the first? Bowing out comment - waah!

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear you're having health issues, plus knackered from working. No worries. If you want to consider yourself out, that's fine. But as Drayce said, you do have plenty of time if something should strike before the end of June.

I was looking forward to your story but I understand how things go sometimes. Or don't go, as the case may be.

Take Care!

Re: Ok... am I the first? Bowing out comment - waah!

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Hey, just wanted to echo what the other mods have said. Am so sorry to read this but looking after yourself is the most important thing.

Re: Ok... am I the first? Bowing out comment - waah!

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

So sorry to hear of the problems but the early retirement is good news - believe me from one who did it - and you have now made a start for next year so yay!! Much better to opt out now and not add to your stress!

Re: Ok... am I the first? Bowing out comment - waah!

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

Aw - I'm sorry to hear that, but your health must always be your priority - and you've been through the mill lately so I'm not surprised you're completely knackered.

Best wishes for recovery (and I can sympathise with the numb mouth thing after having a wisdom tooth out - it took 3 months for one side of my mouth and jaw to get feeling back - but it does come back) and I'm looking forward to next year already!

Re: Ok... am I the first? Bowing out comment - waah!

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

Awww, sorry to hear that you're having to drop out, but your health is definitely more important. Lots of rest and tea and hopefully you'll be all well and raring to go next year. *hugs*

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I am writing away. I'm actually making good progress. I just don't know if it's interesting enough to post. I might be the second mod to disappear... *bg*

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

It will definitely be interesting enough to post, so no disappearing is allowed, we know where you are to track you down :D.

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Pfffft! Of course it'll be interesting enough to post.

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

The only way you can find out is to post it... Most people seem to think that way about their own work. I think it's called cold feet. We are all eagerly awaiting your story!

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

My pom poms - let me show you them!

I bet it's brill! And it doesn't have to be perfect for the first draft anyway - plenty of time to fine tune after that.

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

Me? I'm still working on Practice Fic, which I had a major epiphany about (about? over? with?) a few days ago. Yay! And today someone read over what I do have - major "taking stock" moment. She's not in the fandom, so it's new to her ("the Cow" made her laugh), but she gave very helpful feedback (I had to explain something, which lit a few lightbulbs).

I also have someone else in the fandom who'll take a look at it as well. But I do need a formal beta, and I haven't gotten a chance to ask for that yet.

So while I'm not yet at the big bang fic itself, there's definitely progress goin' on. :D

Now if I can only get the time to bang the rest of the Easter fic out... :scratches head:

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Cool. Writing is good. Practicing is good too. :)

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

Heh - I love that cartoon! Writer's block is the fault of evil pencils, and obviously artist's block is evil image software. *nods*

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

As soon as I saw the cartoon I knew I had to use it, I always knew it was the pencil's fault *nods back*.

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

And to modernize that cartoon... I'm blaming evil keyboards! I have about 1500 words, of which I think about 1200 is utter rubbish. *sigh* Bodie and Doyle aren't talking to each other, and nor are they talking to me.

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Well I don't believe that your words are rubbish but I am fully on board with the idea that keyboards are evil and Bodie and Doyle are being bloody difficult.