Weekly Check In

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

Hello Big Bangers!

It's that weekly check-in time again, so feel free to step on up and use the comments to tell us how you're doing.   Or, alternatively,  flail/cry/jump-for-joy/pour a large one (delete as applicable).   Got any questions you need answered?  Ask away!   Just want to chat about something that isn't the Pros Big Bang?  Well...we're probably OK with that too ;)

Let us know how things are going and give those cheerleaders a chance to shake their pom poms.  Go on - they really like an audience!

Finally,  here are 10 authors' 10 best tips for writing, as collected by The Guardian.

Happy writing, and happy weekend folks!

Comments

[krisserci5.livejournal.com]

Is wallet or billfold used? I can't tell anymore . . if it sounds wrong, I've asked myself too many times. . lol

Also:

With a block of flats- is there an inside the you can pick up your mail. In the US you get the mail in the lobby from individualized boxes with a key. How do describe that for a flat in Soho?

Thanks for any help.

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

I am struggling a little. I have a plot - a plot I really like. And the story is nearly finished. But it's at 5000 words. *head desk*

So what's a girl to do? Judes tells me to "add sex, fights, car chases and more sex", but somehow it doesn't feel right.

More mulling is needed.

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

Men use wallets, usually with their loose change in their pockets.

Interesting about the block of flats thing. The one's I've been in (and the one I once lived in), post used to get left on the side on a shelf for you to collect. Very open and very trusting. It's probably not like that much now.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

That article was interesting. Everybody has a different idea on things to do but the one thing that seems to be most prevalant is to write no matter what, every day. Thanks!

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Could this story be only 5,000 words long and you're right about it? It might not be the long story but might very well be exactly right at 5,000. I know that's not what you want to hear but it could be true. How about a cold reading by somebody else? See what happens. Good luck!

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

yeah, that has crossed my mind too. I've still got some work to do on it, of course, but I think I've decided not to 'stretch' it. Either it's naturally a BB story or it's not.I can't force it. What was that song? Don't push it, don't force it, let it happen naturally...

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I agree. It either flows to 20,000 or it doesn't. Adding "extras" generally won't work unless you've honestly missed something that you need to add to move the story forward.

[lillianorchid.livejournal.com]

Men use wallets here. :)

In flats these days, the post either gets delivered through your individual door or dropped off in a pigeon hole/box thingy on the ground floor for you to pick it up when you can. Only recently did they start putting locks on them though, as you can't really trust anybody these days. I hope this helps. :)

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

This isn't going to be much help but I think it might depend on the age of the flat as well.

I live in an old tenement building (19th century) in Scotland and we have just have one post box. It gets picked up by whoever sees it and they leave it at the bottom of the stairs for people to go through and collect.

Whereas a friend who lives in a much more modern flat (about 20 years old), the postman can get in past the first door and there are individual mail boxes for everyone.

[murphybabe]

I am gleeful. I gloat. I squeee. I pour myself a large one - and any of you who would like to join in. Gin 'n tonic, anyone? Large red wine? Single malt? Don't mind if I do.

I got my story back from my dead hard drive. (Well, obviously I didn't, but the nice man from the repair shop did.)

All I need to do now is a) write more words b) find a beta c) write more words d)join up the gaps.

Cheers!

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

FINALLY getting somewhere - the secret seems to be writing it longhand first in an actual notebook (I've never done this before) so there is no internet to distract me, and then typing it up. Getting this one out is quite hard - I've bitten off a lot with the plot, I think, but I'm chewing away.

Also, I officially have an inspiration song for this year (last year it was Madonna, of all things) and now it's... Nicki Minaj. I swear this makes sense to my muse...

QUESTION: What would someone not very well off use to listen to music in about 1983? Vinyl? Those big spools of tape or were there cassettes? We're talking, as I say, someone who wouldn't have cutting edge necessarily.

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

HOORAY! I'm so glad to hear it, that must be such a relief *g*

I'll take a gin, if I say so myself *g*

[krisserci5.livejournal.com]

add sex,fights, car chases

yes.. . . . all good. you will do good, you just like the pressure of a deadline. . . .

[krisserci5.livejournal.com]

I always do a longhand version first and then do my edits on the computer. I can't type as fast as I write and sometimes if I don't get it down as I think it, it's lost forever.

[krisserci5.livejournal.com]

thank you both, this helps a lot!!!!!

[hutchynstarsk.livejournal.com]

I made the decision to change my AU to original fiction. I felt like it was close to original. It's going well and now I have a different Pros AU idea that I wrote a few thousand words on. If it doesn't work ot, I hope I'll think of something that does.

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

Yay for the nice man at the repair shot! Hee!

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

Transistor or car radio? I had a cassette player in my car at the time, as well.

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

LOL! Yeah, that could be it!

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thank Crunchie for that!

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

I used to record the top 20 off the radio onto a little cassette recorder.

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

Ooh that's an interesting change!

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

YAYS! That's really good news :)

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Pour the drinks!

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Wow, I'm impressed by anybody who writes out a story.