Weekly Check-in time

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

I know some of you are already finished and others are still trying to pin down a plot idea (*waves*) but you're all welcome here. :D

How's it going?

If the answer's not well, take a few calming breaths. This is all supposed to be fun, right? Right!

What's 15,000 words anyway? A mere 150 drabbles.

Hey, you still have 125 days so that's only 120 words a day even if you haven't written a single word yet.

All right, so you're supposed to have a 10,000 word rough draft by July 1 -- well, that's still under 244 words a day if you start now and think how you'll be able to cruise along between then and the final draft deadline.

We all know it doesn't quite work that way but it is doable. Yes, it is.

******************************

As an aid to making the most of smaller blocks of time, I'd like to recommend a useful tool.

Focus Booster is a lovely little free shareware pomodoro timer that can help you learn to make the most of the time you actually have available.

While there are a lot of versions of pomodoro timers available, I particularly like this one for having easily adjustable work and rest intervals and for how it sits in the corner of your document as you type your fingers to the bone. :D
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Comments

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Thanks for Focus Booster! I've tried a few timers and that one's really nice and neat. I've finished the rough draft and am now in the messy stage of beta, edits, amendments etc. but I still need a timer sometimes!!

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

I've been using Focus Booster for a while now and I'm really happy with it, when I remember to use it. *g* Really though it's helped me see how much I can get done in small amounts of time when I don't get distracted.

Good luck with the editing.

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

Well! This came at a good time, given that I'm amongst those who haven't, um, even started yet. *shuffles feet* But, I have an idea (if vague), and I have the new DVDs, so that's a good combination. Plus, I am taking an unexpected day of vacation on Friday. A vacation day where I actually have to be at home from 8:30-5:30. (Arrgh for long windows! Especially ones where the folks who are coming during that time might not actually come until Tuesday.) All that time at home, plus deadline, equals actually trying to start my BB. It's getting to make or break time, so this is pretty much it. If I can't even start on Friday, then I'm not going to do it. So, here we go! I hope.

Focus Booster will come in handy that day. Thanks!

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Me neither tbh. Well, that's not true, I've settled on several plots and then rejected them as not having legs and that has to come first.

Under the "misery loves company" banner (*g*) I'm going to try to get at least a plot outline done on Friday to prove to myself I have a feasible idea.

You can do it, I know you can! \o/

[moonlightmead.livejournal.com]

No more words, but I have at least not deleted the words I have. Which is some sort of a start.

Life is about to get interesting again, so I am rather hoping I shall be hiding in my BB as a way to avoid the interest happening anywhere near me. Next fortnight is make or break, I think.

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Hey, from wear I'm sitting, not having deleted any of the words you already have is a big success. \o/

I hope you don't end up having to hide that much and good luck with the story.

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

Lump me into the group that has barely started. I had two promising ideas - both going nowhere. Add to that a medical issue making it extremely painful to type and you'll get the picture. :-( A friend gave me some voice recognition software - but I'm finding it very uncomfortable to narrate - uh -certain types of scenes...Still got time though, right? Only 244 words a day...

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Sorry about your typing problems... well, about the health problem causing the typing problems of course.

Yes, you still have time and if need be you could always put [insert sex here] (*g*) in your rough draft for now on the way to getting it ready.

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

...and what made you think it was the sex scenes I was having trouble vocalizing??!! *VBG*

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Now I'm imagining "vocalizing" the sex scenes... *dies laughing*

[unbelievable2.livejournal.com]

I'm in the "not really moving" group, I'm afraid. I've been toying with the idea to at least write out the scenes I've worked through in my head, even though I've got plot problems with the McGuffin. Am also just starting to do what I could have done a while ago, which is a proper plot outline.
Aaaaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh............

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Deep calming breaths now *hands you paper bag*

I think it's always a good idea to jot down your plot line first, just so you know where you're going *and* so you can do a better job of hiding your McGuffin. *g*

[unbelievable2.livejournal.com]

Obfuscation - the writer's friend.....

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

It's always been my friend... Hmmm, perhaps I should stop picking OTPs that would rather be tortured than talk about their feelings.

[dawnebeth.livejournal.com]

I got some writing done Tuesday and finally worked out an important plot point--yay--so I think I can see what the ending might look like.

Bodie's on the bus now, with Doyle. They may have time to talk about important issues.

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

It's always good when a plot comes together. :D

And bus chat, makes a nice change from car chat.

[margaret-r.livejournal.com]

I'm actually progressing, inch by slow inch. But still ... And I have turnips;)

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

And a cunning plan apparently. *g*

[natsuko1978.livejournal.com]

PLEASE tell me that icon is snurchable!

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

norfolkdumpling made a whole bunch of them a couple of years ago in honour of the BB and some our stranger moments too. :D

You can find the whole set here (http://ci5-boxoftricks.livejournal.com/48783.html)

[natsuko1978.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! :D Fabulous.

[natsuko1978.livejournal.com]

There is more writing. I've been doing a few Word Wars/timed writing things so wordage is happening. The trouble will be the edit when I realise that, yes, I have 45 scenes, but none of them *work* or fit together.

If anyone from this comm would be interested in Word Wars (ie a group of people agree to all write for a set time at a go, say 30 minutes, then see how many words we each managed, repeat) at a time which makes sense in the UK - maybe this weekend? - let me know.

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Ah the wonders of plotting as you get to see which blocks fit together and which don't. *g*

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

I'm at the dodgy stage of having about 800 words of a scene that came out of nowhere a couple of days ago (which may or may not be based on one of those ideas you threw out for me a few weeks ago *is cagey*) - but no plotline to hang them on. But there's now a potential I guess - if I can get my act together and come up with a plan. So, not panicking at the thought of the approaching deadline, just a little um... flustered, heh.

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Well, 800 words isn't too shabby and I find getting that first idea down is crucial.