The Semi-Regular Writers Check In Post

[przed.livejournal.com]

Now that all you writers know who you are (and we know how awesome you are) it's time for another check in post.

Writers, how are you coming? Lots written? A little? Not a sausage? And what challenges have you hit? Too much plot? Not enough? Too many sex scenes. (Wait, can you have too many sex scenes?)

Cheerleaders, let's give those writers some encouragement. Or a little friendly mocking. Whatever you think will get those creative juices flowing.

And to provide some educational content to today's post, how about this:

The Ultimate Writing Productivity Resource

Links to more writing resources than you can shake a stick at. Should you want to shake a stick at anything.

Comments

[m31andy.livejournal.com]

Well, you now see a less panicking Andy as I've now got An Idea of what I'm doing. Admittedly I'm going to get lynched for it, but at least there's now a semblence of a cohesive plot. No actual writing done, but I'm getting dialogue in the shower now, so that's good. (That's me in the shower, not the boys, sadly!)

So, yeah. Am actually feeling quietly confident that I might actually get the challenge answered!

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

But Andy it'd be parky without the warmth from the torches, you wouldn't know what to do with yourself. *g*

[sineala.livejournal.com]

Writing, what writing?

*slightly hysterical laughter*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Glad I'm not the only one.

::cowers ever so slightly in the corner::

[hambelandjemima.livejournal.com]

I am approaching this challenge by reading as much fanfic as I can. Not necessarily in this fandom, but all of it slash. Also, I've written another 200 words and am very quite fairly almost certain it will be finished sometime during this decade.

I think another mini-marathon of Pros-watching is due over the Easter hols...

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

There's method in your madness. I will join you in forcing myself to read a lot of slash fiction for... research.

[zana16.livejournal.com]

I ordered a battery for my laptop so I can work on my story on the metro.

So, um, no actual words yet.

[ankaree.livejournal.com]

I've dusted off my partially finished story this week and have been working on it. Still got a ways to go yet, but at least my muse has been sitting on my shoulder, whispering in my ear and helping me along *g*. I'm hoping as long as I treat him right, he'll keep giving me ideas for this story and not disappear *pets muse gently*

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

I hope your muse is in better condition that mine is:

(http://pics.livejournal.com/draycevixen/pic/00046fkt/)

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

I have plot. Too much plot. Conflicting plots... and Bodie's currently hiding in the loo. Yep, he's not happy at all about one of my ideas.

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

and Bodie's currently hiding in the loo. oh bless ...

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

The story that was one page when I started it LAST year is now coming along fairly well--and I wrote a scene last night which turned some things on their sides but helped cement something that will happen in the future, so I'm feeling momentarily confident. As happens with my stuff, it's getting kinkier than I anticipated. hmm...

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Kinky? *faints* *goes back to church bulletin*

[squeeful.livejournal.com]

Coming along. There is plot and subplot and characters and words same as there was before.

However, there is another story niggling my brain. Again. (There is always something(s) else vying for my attention.) But I am determined to write something cheerful. Or at least with a happy ending...eventually.

But it's a very nice Other Story! So it tempts me. Although "nice" isn't quite the word... "Painful" is probably more accurate.

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

I like this idea of reading lots and lots of fan fic as preparation!

I've done about 1500 words this week -- and realized that I lost some edits along the way, which was a drag. It's coming along, though.

However, I'm not in love with it yet, and I think I need to decide if I'm going with it or going to jump ship and try something else while there's still time.

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

haha, as is common with me I have written a middle and have no idea about the beginning or end. One sex scene so far, in flashback. The lads, angsty and fucked-up. Murphy. Cowley. And Betty! Just a bit of Betty. How's that sound? *cringes*

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

Sounds awesome! When do I get to read it? *g*

I so wish I could write out of sequence, it would make it so much easier.

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

Oh god. Nothing, absolutely nothing... well, nothing B/D... really. Did a very short little 'slice of life' thing to try and inspire the muse... think she's curled up in the corner of Cowley's office, drinking his whiskey. *sigh*

I'm still dithering between two, possibly three ideas I had previously. The big problem is that I totally suck at mystery/crime sort of stuff. I love to read it and watch it, but can't write it well at all. :(

I'm sort of leaning towards an AU... maybe... if I can get it happening.

Oh my god, why did I say I'd write 20K? *smacks forehead*

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, I can't turn off my inner librarian sometimes... :)

I don't know if you could find these in a library, but if you want to try your hand at a mystery or crime fic there's a great series of books on the subject--Deadly Doses is a poison reference, Armed and Dangerous is a weaponry guide, Murder One has tips on (writing!) various types of homicide, etc. Amazon also seems to have them relatively cheap from third-party sellers, although shipping could be a hassle.

My mother has the whole set, and she does get some pretty funny looks when people see them on the living room bookshelves... :)

[tears-of-nienna.livejournal.com]

Well...I've written Bodie and Doyle into a Situation and I don't know how to get them out of it. The only solutions I can see are a) bribing the bad guy and then looking over their shoulders for the rest of their lives or b) nuking the bad guy from orbit, which this Bodie probably wouldn't mind but this Doyle would strongly object to. And his documented issues with death can't really be written out, as they are of plotlike significance. *sigh*

The sex scenes happen way too late in the story (stupid plot) and involve a kink that has no real-life equivalent*, so I'm hunting down other fandoms where the idea makes sense and poking around at their fic for tips. And getting distracted by their fic. For hours.

...But I'm already over the word-count, so it's going great. Uh, yeah. :)


*That makes it sound like I'm writing something really off-the-wall. But I swear it makes sense, in the context of the story. I hope.

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

Wow, that sounds very intriguing. Plot is good - I like plot.

Can someone else take out the bad guy so that Doyle's death issues don't come into play? Then they could spend years protesting that they totally had it all under control and they would have dealt with him, if so and so hadn't ducked in in front of them and stolen their opportunity.

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

I have about 5,000 words in a document... but that doesn't mean what you think it means! I have a couple of 'takes' of different scenes, and other sections that need rewrites, but I'm not bothering with that now, I'm just trying to get the basic plot established. Probably about half of it is useable. And I really have to discipline myself to write something every day, otherwise I know I'll drift...

[loyseofverlaine.livejournal.com]

Well, I've got a plot outline. I've got some stuff written. I know where I'm going and why (thank God for that non-linear writing brain of mine - it helps to know the end before you have to wade through all that middle bit *G*) And of course the wretched thing wants to grow to War and Peace proportions already.

Since this is a historical novel, my big issue is going to be authenticity in fact and atmosphere. (Brought home to me yesterday when I came to a sporfling halt in the middle of a story - supposedly set in the 1870s - as one character admonished another not to get uptight.)

[squeeful.livejournal.com]

What's your time period and what do you need help on?

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

Err...what? Am I supposed to be doing something? It's just Feb--

*Focuses on calendar*

Ack! It's March!

Um. Well! I'm going to do something with Bodie and Doyle.

Bodie's the dark one, right?

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Um. Well! I'm going to do something with Bodie and Doyle. *g*

[margaret-r.livejournal.com]

I have a vague plot outline, the first paragraph written - although it may turn into the second or third or even an halfway through the fic paragraph - and so many voices running around in my head I think I’m schizophrenic. Quite a few of the voices are saying "Are you insane?" but I'm ignoring them.

[krisserci5.livejournal.com]

I do well with deadlines. . . . .when's that again?

just joking. . . . really :)

[przed.livejournal.com]

I'm still trying to decide between three possible stories, all of which have exactly one scene done.

Option A: A 28 Days Later crossover, with Doyle as the one who gets knocked into a coma early on and wakes up in a zombie overrun London.

Option B: Bodie and Doyle in Hong Kong, uncovering international corruption, with Macklin taking a strong secondary role.

Option C: Bodie's disappeared, and the agent he was working with turns up dead of an overdose. Bodie hurt and Doyle comfort abounds.

I think the zombie story is in the lead, but the other two are breathing closing in.

[squeeful.livejournal.com]

A! A! A!

ZOMBIES! ZOMBIES! ZOMBIES!

[greengerbil.livejournal.com]

RL is Not Good at the moment. Not since Thursday... I'm currently trying to cope with some emotional fallout - I'm pretty damn miserable, tbh.

So - not posting.
Not commenting (except here, because I signed up for this and I'm bloody well determined to keep up with it).
Certainly not writing - just can't concentrate, too upset. On anything, including my job!

It'll pass, of course - I'll get over it, as witness me commenting here, and I couldn't even manage this yesterday. I only hope that the desire to write returns before too long.

Going now...

*disappears back into Big Black Cave of Misery and rolls the stone back across the entrance*

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Hey - I don't know what's happened, but hugs are free! {{{hug}}}

Hope you feel better soon.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

I have two pages done. That is all. But as pages go I quite like them:-))) Oh, and I have a title.

So I feel started. Just about..

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Two pages AND a title?

I have three plot lines and two sentences. *pouts*

[robeau.livejournal.com]

I have a nice little plot line I've been playing with - happily tinkering around and about for a bit and suddenly Bodie disappears but refuses, despite offers of wild nights of sex with Doyle and/or a lifetime supply of Swiss Rolls, to tell me where he is; who took him or why...He is so NOT playing nicely. And Ray's in his gloomy "world is over" state and is simply no help at all. So I'm thinking of making Stuart the hero of the story because he always does exactly what I tell him to do