Weekly Check In

[przed.livejournal.com]

We're getting close to the deadline for the final story drafts, and I'm sure all of you, writers and artists, are at different stages. Some of you are done, some are doing that final bit of tweaking, and some, like your humble mod, are on that death march to finishing that final scene or that illustration or that vid.

For those of us still working, I thought I'd share one of my favourite bits of inspiration: The Little But Really Useful Guide to Creativity

So, how is everyone doing out there? Share your successes and your challenges!

Comments

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

Ice cream? ;-) You know, it's easy to add in words if you get really specific with type, flavour and yumminess.

Bodie licked the chocolate swirl with nuts sprinkled on top, savouring the sweet, rich goodness on his tongue. (see, 16 right there!)

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Wicked Doyle icon would be most awesome *g*

It's weird, sometimes you seem to write all day and the word count actually decreases and sometimes you look up after half an hour and whoah, one thousand more!

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, that's rather a nice little fic right there! *g*

FTR, Ray has bought a strawberry ice-cream and now has a red tongue *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Hoorah for being over the minimum! And good luck with those last 5,000 words. I'm sure they'll work out brilliantly. (I know where you're coming from on this one. I just broke 32,000 words, but I think I'm going to need a further 3,000 to 5,000 to get to the end. At least I'm at the fun angsty part of the writing. 'Cause, ya know, I think angst is fun. At least when I'm inflicting it on my characters. *g*)

Hope Bodie and Doyle find both ice cream and love.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Sometimes the words do seem to come more easily than other times. I love those easy times. :)

My Wicked was inspired by the stage play about the Witch fromt he Wizard of Oz. Hence, green Doyle! (sad, kat, sad...)

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Thank you *g* At this stage all encouragement is life-giving!

It's that 'having written' feeling that keeps me hooked. Just can't wait for it now! *g*

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

*in awe of 32,000 words*

Thanks for the encouragement, it does help *g* And angst is SO FUN although actually what is driving me here (and this is how I KNOW I'm too into this story) is my guilt at leaving Bodie is his current angst-ridden state rather than finishing the damn resolution for him.

They have successfully found ice-cream, love may be a few more thousand words yet... *g*

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

So here's a silly question - how do you know when you're REALLY done? I thought I was... (No major changes - don't panic 'bodiecuddle!)But every time I read through I find something else that needs a tweak, or a fix... how do I stop myself!! *g*

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

There comes a time when you just have to tell yourself it's done and post it. There's no magic to it. You gotta do it, is all. And stop tweaking! Once I consider a story finished, I try not to read it until AFTER I post it. I tend to read my fic after I post to get a feel for how it looks on that particular archive. Then if I see a typo, I'll fix it. I don't edit that story ever again. I move on. If you constantly go back to a posted fic, I think you get stuck. But that's just me. :)

You'll be fine!

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

I made a new icon for the Big Bang. :D :points:

Things are going pretty well. I split the story into thirds (for posting, although I may not need to do that) and have gotten the first two thirds back in more-or-less final form from the betae. I just have to finish the third third to match some changes in part #2 (slated for next weekend), send that off for one last beta, then send the whole thing off to Non-Canon Reader #2 - AND THEN WE ARE DONE. (Which is good, 'cause I got RL friends showing up the weekend before.)

Came close to making myself sick - even left work early yesterday - but am a little better now and can see the glimmer of the finish line in the distance. WOOT! \o/

I can't say I love love the story - I'm too much of a perfectionist, and I wanted another full rewrite or two - but I've had a blast with the research. And now I'm looking into visiting my setting on vacation. :D

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Cute icon.

Cool that you're on your way to finished! That's great news.

[krisserci5.livejournal.com]

I had a horrid image of Cowley in a cheer-leading skirt and shaking his pompoms at the lads. . .

[przed.livejournal.com]

I thought it was bad last year when I came in just shy of 30,000 words. ::shakes fist at muse for inspiring long, looong stories::

Of course you must save Bodie from his angst-ridden state! Get on that, would you woman. (This is completely hypocritical, since I currently have left Bodie in a thoroughly messed up condition myself. Must push on and have Doyle save him pronto.)

Well, if they haven't found love yet, at least they have ice cream. *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Like Kat says, at some point you just have to trust that you've done the best you can. Do as many edits as you feel comfortable with, but if you really come down to picking very small nits, it's time to let the story go out into the wild on its own.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Having fun with research is always a good thing, and it's fab that you can see the finish line. But no making yourself sick over your story. ::shakes fingers firmly:: We want you healthy and whole and ready to enjoy the whole Big Bang season.

Love the icon. That's exactly how I'm feeling at the moment. :-/

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

Good to know! heehee

[bodiecuddle.livejournal.com]

Good to know thanks !!

[bodiecuddle.livejournal.com]

ohh it`s long finished LOL...!!!

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

I seem to be constitutionally incapable of finishing anything ever before a deadline... *shakes head*

Which may be why we might be a writer/artist match made in Heaven! *headdesk*

♥

[przed.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, are we going to have to pull out the pointy sticks for both of you?!

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

Never fear. Procrastination is my motivation. Or...something else that makes a bit more sense. *g*

Although the pointy stick sounds like fun too. Can we try that anyway?

[przed.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty much the same. I seem to do my best work when I've got the gun barrel of a deadline pointed against my head with the hammer pulled back. It's wonderfully focussing. ;-)

I don't know, you sound a bit too eager to try the pointy stick. *g*

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

I knew I had a problem when I wrote my 15,000 degree dissertation in the week and a half before the deadline. Strangely it never seems to get any better though!

I was given to understand that there was no such thing as 'too eager' when it came to pointy sticks. *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Wow, you do like to live dangerously, don't you? I got slightly better for grad school, but seem to have slipped back to old habits when it comes to fanfic deadlines.

As for the pointy stick, we shall see if you...deserve it. *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

BTW, I'm going to see you the details of what we're expecting by email.