Weekly Check-in Post

[przed.livejournal.com]

It's that time of the week again, when we get to find out how everyone is doing.

How are you? Basking in the glow of having nearly finished your story? Breaking out in a cold sweat every time you think of how much more you have left to write? Somewhere in between?

Since I'm tending more to the breaking out in a cold sweat side of things, I thought I'd link to one of my favourite pieces of inspiration: The Little But Really Useful Guide to Creativity.

So, what inspires you? What do you do when you just can't seem to write another word? What keeps you going when things are going really badly? Or really well, for that matter?

And if you have any questions or comments about your BB story, or you just want to have a little whinge, now's the time.

Comments

[hutchynstarsk.livejournal.com]

Well, on my third idea for the BB now! *g *cringes slightly* I hope I can make this one work from what I have written so far. Or, alternately, think of something really wonderful and write it quite quickly!! :D

I'm not sure it's quite...quite. "Is Doyle strong enough? Can I stretch the word count long enough? Is it possible to get any action whatsoever into this?"

That sort of thing.

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure it's quite...quite. "Is Doyle strong enough? Can I stretch the word count long enough? Is it possible to get any action whatsoever into this?"

Last year, for me, it was, "Is Doyle strong enough? Can I stretch the word count long enough? Is it possible to get any real sex scenes into this?" (And I still think Doyle could be tweaked more, there's more I could've written and there's obviously not much sex-wise.)

But it really worked out okay. You just have to keep writing and think about fixing sutff on the second (and third, and fourth) go round. And your betae will help. :D

Of course, this year it's just "arrrggghh! work," so who knows how this will end.

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

Darn that work for interfering with your writing! *g* I hope work will at least start to behave so you can get to the writing.

[hutchynstarsk.livejournal.com]

I hope you can do it!!!!!!! Don't give up!!! :-D

I'm starting to think this idea is really crap and I need to try to make the second one work after all.... :x

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

*nods along* yep, am asking myself the same questions babe!!

[hutchynstarsk.livejournal.com]

(((hugs))) :)

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

THIRD? Oh my. I do hope this new idea behaves for you and answers yes for all your questions.

[hutchynstarsk.livejournal.com]

Hee! Lovely icon. <3

Well the first idea behaved extremely well--but it became an original fiction story. :D

The second... unless I can change it somehow... required an already posted bit in the middle which it turns out isn't allowed for the Big Bang. So... that leaves the third, unless I can... figure something else out. :)

But I've just decided this idea is probably crap so.... :o

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

Thanks! That list as very interesting, in more ways than one. I really agree with

• Just get it out, no matter how crappy that first draft.

It's like a little piece of flotsam to hold onto in the middle of the chaos known as life. :D

As for the BB itself: "Arrrggghh!" :whinge whinge whinge:

You know, I had started meditating last winter, but the place is up a flight of stairs (and the CD isn't quite the same). That will probably help once I can start up again.

Bodie-sattva! :D

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

Have a drink. ;) You just need the creative 'wheels' ticking over. Drink is good for lubrication... just ask Bodie. *g*

[murphybabe]

S-l-o-w-l-y. But words are added. Round about 9000, I think.

Actually, something that Draycevixen said helps me :) I was maundering, just after I'd signed up, and asked if I could just do drabbles. Drayce said yes, if I did 200 of them and they were linked.

I was shying away from my BB fic, then I lost it, then I got it back again (hooray!) and when inspiration was lacking, I have been telling myself just to add another hundred words. This usually leads to a bit more... and a bit more. So, y'know, we might get there.

Also, long plane journeys coming up, so plenty of opportunity for scribbling in a notebook.

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

yeah, interesting idea. It's not so daunting is it, if you're thinking about it in small chunks?

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

I totally agree, forcing yourself to write at least 100 words a day will quite often see that word count expand.

You're doing very well!

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

The bad news is... my original idea is refusing to cooperate. (it's now sitting in the naughty corner and may get to come out for next year)

The good news is... I've come up with another idea and written a sort of outline and even managed to write about 1200 words on it. I'm feeling pretty excited about working on this story too, so that's very hopeful.

I'm so glad there are still two months to work on the rough draft! May is Bodie and Doyle month on my writing schedule, so I'm hopefully of getting at least the VERY rough draft done (the one I don't show anyone, not even my beta!).

What inspires me? Well, in this instance it was a picture, but it can be something someone else wrote, a dream, a news item... pretty much anything can inspire me - it just all depends on whether or not my brain is in receptive mode or not. ;)

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

brave brave girl! I'm thrashing my original idea forcing it to comply! LOL!!!

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if it's brave - or stupid. *g* I was getting nowhere fast with the original idea so it was either come up with a new idea, or drop out. :( Lighting a stick of dynamite under the damn thing wasn't working. *g*

Go you! I hope you can make your idea behave!

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

Nobody is more surprised than me to find I'm now at 9000 words! Where did they come from?!!!

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

That's an awesome number of words! Sounds like your idea is taking well to the thrashing you're giving it. *g*

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

it means I've written 4000 since my last check in and I have absolutely no idea how! LOL!!

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

Now I'm doubly impressed! Don't you love it when you're just sort of pecking away at a story and then you sit back and say 'wow, did I write that much?'.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I'm basking in the glow of another rewrite. I'm basking in the glow of my beta kicking my butt because I need it. I'm forging on!

I have a rule when I'm writing. I must write every day (unless I'm out of town). It doesn't matter if it's 100 words or 1,000. I have to work on the story, add to it, take stuff out, edit, something. And it has to be finished. I don't allow myself NOT to finish, even if it's getting words out that will not stay. But then I don't churn out stories any longer like I used to. I can remember having a dozen or more "finished" stories (and not drabbles!) in folders waiting for zine tribs and edits. Now it's one story at a time for a specific purpose, like this BB. I am strange...

[przed.livejournal.com]

Go, Kat! Sounds like you're making good progress, which is awesome.

Writing every day is a fantastic discipline to have. I should do that, but have been a bit slash the last week. But I have to say, I've always been like you are now. I may have multiple WIPs hanging around, but I can only concentrate on finishing one story at a time.

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

*checks* 6,705 words baby! \o/

This is actually starting to look possible, thank god. I am determined to hit 10K by Friday - today and tomorrow are WRITING DAYS *nods to self* And then I can leave it alone for a while and come back and edit it before draft deadline, because I think leaving a fic alone for a while really helps get a new fresh perspective when one comes back - which usually means me going 'GAH! What is this dross?' but I push myself through that... *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Look at that word count! Yay! *\o/*

Sounds like you've got a good plan. I'm with you on needing to leave a fic alone for a bit. If I have less of a memory of how painful the initial writing was, I'm more likely to do the hard editing that needs to be done.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I suppose I should say something.

I'm up to 5,045 words, though a bit of that is vague outline. But I've got a good structure and I'm now more than confident that I can hit the rough draft minimum, so yay!

Of course, I've yet to send any of it to my betas, so that'll be the next hurdle.

[marjorammax.livejournal.com]

Real life has been a real b*tch the last three weeks and I haven't been able to look at my BB at all. Now that things are slowing down I'm freaking out that I'll have lost momentum and what's even worse is I can't bring myself to look at what's already down.

I'm not panicking too much at the moment, though. Last time I looked I was over 26,500 words (not that I think it will have increased while my back's been turned! lol) and there's still plenty of time left.

I think it will be an early night tonight and an early rise tomorrow. I'll get up before anyone else, make a cuppa, and begin by reading what i've already written while it's nice and quiet. Hopefully things will start flowing then.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear the RL issues are slowing down a bit. I'm sure you'll get stuck back into the story fine. Sounds like you've got a good plan for getting back underway.

And that word count! That's impressive. And you're well over what you'll need for the rough draft deadline, so that's fab!

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

I got up to about 13,500 words and stalled. So I sent it off for some 'beta-ing', hoping that walking away for a few days and some comments from the beta will kick start the creativity again. (I guess I could fill the word count with some gratuitous sex...)NAH - nobody would want to read that! *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Awesome word count, and I'm sure taking a break and getting some feedback is going to get you back in the groove.

(I guess I could fill the word count with some gratuitous sex...)NAH - nobody would want to read that! *g*

Yeah, you're right, there's no one out there who'd want to read gratuitous sex scenes. Oh, wait, there totally is! *g*