Weekly Check In Post

[przed.livejournal.com]

Another week gone by, another weekly check in post.

I know there's a number of you done at least the first draft, if not more. (Congrats! I shall try not to hate you.) And there are a few of us still flailing about. Time to let us know where you are. And if you're done, you can let us know how you're spending the copious amounts of free time you have.

And just for fun, have a couple of links:

911 Writer's Block, possibly the dorkiest web tool in existence for breaking your writer's block.

P.J. O'Rourke on avoiding writing. The man has some world class writing avoidance techniques.

Comments

[hutchynstarsk.livejournal.com]

I have been working on editing. :)

Not quite there yet with the ending but it shouldn't be too many more words.

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

It's a great feeling, isn't it, when you can see the finishing line?

[przed.livejournal.com]

That's great! Good luck with the ending.

I aspire to the editing stage, but I'm not quite there yet.

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

Am finished, and (sorry about this everyone) have written two short stories since. Plus am having a fun time with a 'August Photo A Day' Challenge that I've joined, where my dolls Little Bodie and Doyle are steadily making more fans with their daily photograph. (They are on Facebook if anyone wants to see what they are up to). So yes, am keeping myself occupied and very much looking forward to the Big Bang reveal!

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Don't apologise! That's great. I am very impressed though - how do you do it? *g*

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

I think it's because I'm lucky enough to work in a school so I get loads of holidays! LOL!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Being productive is awesome! And no need to apologize. The rest of us will just jealously look on. ;-)

[inlovewithboth.livejournal.com]

Last year's Big Bang was a touch angsty for me. I was worried about so much, would the story be any good, was I getting the technical aspects right, would I complete it in time... I enjoyed the process but fretted a lot. This year has been much more about partying and enjoying it!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Nice to hear it was a more pleasant experience for you this year. (I was a bit stressed myself last year. I asked for the very last posting spot, and I very definitely needed it. I'm hoping I'll be done well ahead of the final deadline this year.)

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I like that writer's block link! I'm bookmarking that to come back to it again.

I've been reading up on the American west in 1870 (research), playing with photoshop, and goofing off. *g* My story is off for its Brit check - I expect to have it back next week and then it'll be just waiting for posting time.

[przed.livejournal.com]

The writer's block link is just goofy enough that I reckon it might knock something loose when needed. Glad you enjoyed it.

Doing research is a fab thing. And congrats at being so very close to completely done!

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

I really like the combinations of three random things. That's one of my favourite ways to get the creative juices flowing, and the article has some really interesting combinations.

[maddalia.livejournal.com]

I envy you being so near the end but I'm happy for you too. *g* Looking forward to reading!

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

It probably sounds a bit weird, but I actually wish I wasn't quite so done. *g* It makes the time go by much easier if you're busy trying to finish your story or art.

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Getting there, getting there... nice to be over 15k (just) now so slightly less pressure! I have promised to get it to my beta before, oh say, the literal eleventh hour (I have a bit of a record for that) so I feel like I have a good timeframe to be done in time. And I'm feeling more positive about it again which helps *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

Yay for being over 15K! And I have every confidence that you'll be done early. Say on the tenth hour. ;-)

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

Feeling positive is definitely a good thing when you're trying to get a story done.

[golden-bastet.livejournal.com]

Have some beta comments, will have some more in a few days. But I am way behind, one of the betas seems to have demonstrated that I'm relying too heavily on knowledge of the inspirational material, and this week I'm hitting 14-hr days at work. ;_;

Well, they're doing some electrical maintenance at work this weekend (= no computers available), so there's that.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Good luck wrestling with the beta comments. And dealing with the 14 hr days at work. That sounds grim. I'm sure it'll all work out.

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

Hey, butting in here, but I just wanted to say that, to me, relying on knowledge of the inspirational material is exactly the point of writing fan fiction. I definitely do it. I revel in it. So, just my opinion, but...

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

I agree with msmoat. When writing fanfic, it's important to rely on your knowledge of the inspirational material (aka the fandom you're writing in).

Good luck with the 14 hour work days. They don't sound fun at all. :(

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

The words "The End" were written. \o/! !

Next comes the dreaded first read-through and rewrite, followed by the (usually) much more fun "tweaking like mad". So far, I haven't had the time (or the inclination, to be honest) to look at it. *g* But I will. At the weekend.

33,000 words or so. The longest thing I've written, outside of "Ringing in the Changes", I think. I hope it's not too boring!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Hooray for writing "The End"!!!!

Your stories are never ever boring. I can't wait!

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

I am really, really glad that I have, at last, finished the draft. It's just the contemplation of how much more I have to do... *g* Still, at least it's just rewriting, and I do enjoy all the tweaking and polishing after the initial rewrite!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Tweaking and polishing is fun. The trick is always in knowing when to stop, which I never can seem to work out. *g*

[maddalia.livejournal.com]

I'll be out-boring you, if length is an indication! And przed's right, your stories are never dull. Congrats on those two little words! :)

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

Heh. Thank you for the vote of confidence! *g* At the moment, mind, I have more confidence in your story than mine. But that's par for the course for me.

I am so glad that I did finish the draft! Now to find some time to rewrite/edit/tweak!

[maddalia.livejournal.com]

Well, I hope the tweaking process is fun for you! Looking forward to the finished product :)

[maddalia.livejournal.com]

Well, my "Measuring Scars" has hit 35K, and looks to be heading for the 50-55 mark in its final third. And I am officially obsessed, as I get with all writing at this stage of the game. The story so far is in its fifth edit. No writer's block here, and I don't mean that to sound like bragging; when a story fills your head & insists on plotting itself out every minute of the day, you're constantly snatching moments to tweak this speech or that bit of narration, and your brain writes dialogue when you're not looking - so to speak - it becomes a task, albeit a pleasant one, and you know it's just got to get done, and yet RL still demands attention.

My first BB has been a great experience, though. It's an exciting thing to be part of. I can't wait to see everyone else's stories!

[przed.livejournal.com]

That's an impressive word count, and it sounds like the story has full hold on you, which can definitely be exciting. Good luck hitting that 50K mark, and I'm glad you're enjoying the BB experience.

[maddalia.livejournal.com]

Thanks, that's really nice :)

[liriel1810.livejournal.com]

That's really great that you're not suffering any sort of writers block at all. It sounds like you've got an epic story that absolutely needs to be told.

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

I’m fine-tuning,correcting,adjusting, putting things right, amending, modifying, altering, fixing,

AND I CAN'T STOP!!

I’m sorry you had to see me this way!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Tweaking is a disease. Seriously. (Would it make you feel any better to know that my SO calls me The Tweaker?)

That said, you've got a month to tweak to your heart's content, so enjoy it! Or not. ;-/