Weekly check in *waves at everyone*

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone and welcome to this week’s check in post.

And as the deadline for the writers sign up looms ever closer, just over a week now, I wanted to start by sharing the links to all the sign up posts and by doing some encouraging pom pom waving *g*:

Writers sign up post

Artists and vidders sign up post

Beta sign up post

Cheerleader sign up post

And I have a few other things to share as well.

First for everyone who likes to keep track here are some links to various word count meters like this one:



Writertopia: writing meters

Progress Bar

NaNoWriMo Word

Second here is a link to a post about Kurt Vonnegut’s tips for writing short stories. I admit I rather like this one:

Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them-in order that the reader may see what they are made of.

But then I am evil like that *g*.

And lastly a link to lots of other links, well that made sense to me anyway. This post has gathered together tips for fiction writers from lots and lots of blogs and put them all together for you to take a look at. This is a link to part 1, parts 2-4 are linked at the bottom of the post.

101 of the best fiction writing tips part 1

And lastly, as always, please chat about anything you like, ask us questions, and let us know how we can talk you into signing up.

Comments

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

Weeeeell, a couple things this week...

First, woot!



Though it will stay there for a bit.

I described what would generally happen in the story to someone (outside the fandom) I'd discussed this idea with waaaay long ago. I was able to describe more than I thought I would. Guess that counts as progress. :D

I also reached out to someone, and then I realized - it is *really* hard for me to ask for help. Admittedly, it's still pretty early and I'm nowhere near having anything to beta; but I'd like to discuss the story with someone as I work out the outline, and I'm not sure how to do that (if that makes sense). This happened last year, as well. :(
<\introspective moment>

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Now that word count is a definite woot!

And I reckon that the rest of it deserves a big yay as using someone as sounding board is a really good way of working out ideas and figuring out where to go next.

[hutchynstarsk.livejournal.com]

It can be hard to find someone to discuss it with without losing any of the story's.... I'm thinking vital force, but that's probably the wrong term! ^^;

I want to talk about my story, but I know that could kill it at this point. For me, I have to discuss only at the beginning/planning stages... or if I'm REALLY stuck.

Well I hope you can find what works for you!! I'd be glad to listen, btw, if you think it would help. :D

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

Yay, you're on your way!

[hutchynstarsk.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the writing links. :) Will have to check them out.

I keep thinking I will set my story aside to percolate a bit, getting frustrated with it... and then rusing back and writing more. However else it turns out, it will certainly be l o n g!

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

My pleasure, I figured there were so many that there would be something of interest to everyone!

However else it turns out, it will certainly be l o n g!
Now that sounds great!

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

L O N G...

: rubs her hands in anticipation, Bodie-style :

[hambelandjemima.livejournal.com]

I was writing and writing the other night, and I thought I must have written a couple of thousand words or so.

No.




WHERE DID MY STORY GO???

I suspect I may have spent rather more time surfing the net than actually writing :-P And now of course, I have all these links to check out...

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

So there is the mystery of the disappearing words to be solved :D

However I say 3% already, that is bloody brilliant.

And now of course, I have all these links to check out...
Well I do like to be distracting helpful

[hutchynstarsk.livejournal.com]

Where did you get that adorable icon? :D

Is there a larger version? :D

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

Isn't that the way? It's in your head, all glorious, and won't come out. At least you have started. yay.

[marjorammax.livejournal.com]

All these really useful and helpful links are going to be my downfall. I find it far too easy to be side-tracked when I should be writing (or at least researching).

What’s my current word count?
http://picometer.writertopia.com/words=0&target=15000

That’s right! A bit fat zero!

I shouldn’t be too despondent though - my plot is coming along nicely with a very definite beginning and end, and the middle is shaping up as well (which for me is a miracle in itself). I’m going to start writing on 1 March (which gives me 122 days ‘til 1 July) and aim for at least 125 words per day – sounds easy, doesn’t it?


As an aside, how do I get the meter to show correctly?

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Oooppppsss sorry about that, but hopefully they won't be too distracting :D.

Absolutely no despondency allowed, we are still right at the very start and have lots and lots of time left plus it sounds like you have done tons of prep already!

To get the word count meter to show use this bit of code:

<img src="************" />

And essentially put your web address where all the ********** are in between the speech marks. It'll then look like this when you post:



It should work perfectly in comments but if you put them in a post you will need to use the html posting window........hope that makes sense.

[murphybabe]

Oh noes - everybody has started.

The links were very interesting. I read a lot of them. Then I started research - on the 'last' episode, on early 80s headlines, top 10s, you name it, I probably researched it.

Damn, I'm good at procrastinating!

[hambelandjemima.livejournal.com]

Oh noes - everybody has started.
Pfftttt. Testing the water, that's all. I still don't have a decent plot for mine.

Damn, I'm good at procrastinating!
This is why we need regular check-ins. To remind us of our duties :D

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

PLeased you liked the links, there were so many there that I hoped everyone would find something they liked.

Me too, I am a world class procrastinator.

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

You mean we're supposed to start writing already? ;P

I actually have almost 3,000 words written way back when the story idea first occurred to me, but otherwise haven't even thought about it yet. March 1, that's my start date. (hopefully I'll have this other story for a different fandom done then - can't work on two long stories at the same time)

I'll be checking out all those links when I get home from work tonight, so thanks for those (one more way to procrastinate - yay! Procrastinators of the world unite! Tomorrow)

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

*g*

That sounds like a really good start to your story, and should be a good place to get going from.

Yep I think procrastination is my favourite thing in the world.

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

Well, that's how mine got started. Old plot bunnies FTW!

[potztausend.livejournal.com]

I don't write a big bang story because my stories never get longer than 2.500 words, but I wanted to leave a "Thank you" for the Best Fiction Writing Tips. I started to read them and some of them were great!

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

My pleasure, I really enjoyed them when I found them and wanted to share, so I am really pleased you liked them.

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

You know, seeing as I haven't a single inkling of what to write I'm rather glad I didn't sign up!

Oh, wait....

[hambelandjemima.livejournal.com]

Mwahahahahaha!

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Well, I did start it. About a year ago. And must have binned it because I have looked everywhere... But it's all there in my head, sort of swirling around like a film. And most of the research is either there or I know where to look it up again. I keep telling myself I am too busy and must not start actually writing till April because once I start I won't stop and I haven't time. I think I ought to filter out these check-in posts for a few weeks...

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Sounds to me like you are already well on the way as you have the idea well sorted and the research figured out as well. I know when you get chance to write it'll go brilliantly.

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm excited! I wrote the end of my BB story today
(now if I can just come up with the 14,500 words that come before it...)

[hutchynstarsk.livejournal.com]

Whee~!