THE WEEKEND PROGRESS REPORT 2005

[triceretops]

Yeah, 15k Good Words. Go-go-go!

Still on second revision of PJ--revised/rewrote, edited 110 pages. Dying to start another project. The idea factory is screwed, don't know what's up with this...

Tri

[Unique]

Yeah, 15k Good Words. Go-go-go!

Still on second revision of PJ--revised/rewrote, edited 110 pages. Dying to start another project. The idea factory is screwed, don't know what's up with this...

Tri

We're doomed. The world must be coming to an end. I've never seen you without something going on.....MEDIC!

Me? Oh....one poem. Two love letters (fake). And six plot lines for Nano.

Eh - not much. I'm trying to decide which one if any. I'm trying to imagine what 50,000 words on the same subject would be like.

Trying to decide if I should think of 6 more or just throw a dart at the ones I have.

Oh, I almost forgot. Transcribing someone else's words. That always makes me (insert words here).:gone: I think I'll be shuffling off now...

[Kida Adelyne]

:hi:
I'm still sick. Thankfully I've lost the sore throat, but it's been replaced by a cough and a stuffy nose.

I didn't write much of anything because I was so sick, plus I was away at a band workshop for two days and that left me very dead. I promise I'll write more this week.:Hail:

-Ally

[Yeshanu]

Tri, maybe you just need a break. Or you can generate a random plot (see the No Plot? No Problem! thread in the NaNo forum) on a subject that's completely different from what you usually write and NaNo with us!

As for me, I spent the week firming up the details of my NaNo project. The outline is pretty detailed now, the characters are starting to think for themselves, and plot complications are beginning to show up. I can't wait to get started.

Did a little bit more on ATTS, a little bit more on Love Potion, and had some more research just about drop into my lap for the non-fic project, which is now officially known as "The Project That Won't Go Away," or TPTWGA for short. If I can remember all the initials...

I'm waiting on some US stamps, so that I can send SASE's with the submissions I plan to send out before the end of October. This week's goal (up until October 31) is to get out subs to at least four different markets. I know what I'm going to sub, and most of it's ready to go, so it shouldn't be a problem as long as the stamps arrive. My other goal is to get ready for NaNo by drawing a map of my NaNo world so I know where the characters are going when they travel, getting all my dishes and laundry caught up, and having a fridge and cupboard full of easy-to-prepare foods.

[MacAllister]

I've worked through a couple of sticky places that just weren't working, in the Weird rewrite.

I've also managed to send everything sub-able back out into the world to make the rounds again. :D

[scfirenice]

Lets see. I wrote 5 pages in Three and 15 in my non-fiction. I subbed Cerridwen's Tears to three agents but am thinking it might be time to put it down for a bit. I'm hearing too much negative stuff about the fiction market and I'm not an english major or have perfect grammar so it's not perfect and won't be until and editor gets a hold of it. So my thought of the week is to concentrate on the NF. Maybe if I get it out into the world I'll have better luck with the fiction. I'm just not sure a publisher is going to touch it with a ten foot pole. It's true stories from labor and delivery and not the ones that end happily (Mostly) but it is the ones that are inspirational and tear jerking...huh. Not sure about it though.

[gina]

Came down with some kind of flu bug earlier in the week. Weather changing. Going from above 100 to below 70 is quite a shock to the system of an Arizonian! Between my two regular writing gigs though I did write almost 17000 words this week. Fiction muses still silent, but I'm way too busy at the moment to play with them anyway.

[Birol]

I'm hearing too much negative stuff about the fiction market and I'm not an english major or have perfect grammar so it's not perfect and won't be until and editor gets a hold of it.

SC, don't worry about not being an English major. I know and have known plenty of English majors who lack basic grammar skills and are completely worthless at storytelling. It will never be perfect and that's true regardless of what letters someone has behind their name. Keep submitting.

[storygirl]

Once again it is that special time, the time I mentally prepare every feasible excuse for falling short of last week's goals. And wouldn't you know it, not even after my second cup of coffee is my brain working well enough to come up with any good ones. So here is the bitter truth.
~ finish editing at least one of the manuscripts I've been rewriting for week, which will be around 50,000 words (I'm hoping to finish the older, more difficult one, the one saturated with mistakes)
Ha, ha, ha. Wasn't I cute back then? Such dreams, such amibition.
Ok, I didn't even get close on this one. I edited only 4,613 words, but hey, it was in the more difficult ms. Still it's about one tenth of my goal. Ugh.
~ write at least 5000 words in new story This one I actually did. I wrote 5023 words in my WIP.
~ get a rough draft of new beginning for book I'm submitting (which BTW isn't either one of the ones I'm editing) I did this also. I deleted over 2,200 words and put only 450 words in thier place. It is a completely different beginning. I lost a key occurence in that mess of words, but I think I've got it written back into the story later, but still not sure if it's the way I want it. Still some tweaking to do.
I did find a crit partner this week, my first one ever, yea! So we have swaped MSs and I will be critting a lot for a while.
Now, for my next week goals:
~write 6000 words in WIP
~edit/rewrite 15,000 in older MS

Well, I did a accomplish a couple of my goals from last week, and fell sadly short of the other. What's that saying? Two outta three ain't bad...right? He, he, he...*runs away...like a fart in the wind, she is gone*

[batyler65]

Ah, another Monday!

I'm happy to report that I did finish the third draft of Monster this weekend. Now all that remains is a bit of spit-polishing. Oh, that and I have to figure out how to write a synopsis for the thing. YIPPEE! That means that in a couple of weeks I get to pull out the YA novel, dust it off and start rewriting that puppy. Come the first of the year, I hope to have these things out in the world, marking their territories. Yeah, I know, bad puppy puns. It IS Monday, after all.

RAY
Do writers really get vacations? I'm glad to hear such renewed interest in CTN. I think you have the right idea about getting the storyline down in some kind of framework. It always helps to have a roadmap. Keep up the good work! :) :) :)


CC
WOOHOO!!! Congrats on finishing up that rewrite. Keep us posted on the agent query. :) :) :)


LISA
I know we had the smiley party, but I couldn't leave you off my list. I'm still so STOKED that you broke 15k! ONWARD! :) :) :)



TRI
If it makes you feel any better, my brain is also in that strange frozen place where no stories live. It will pass. Deep breaths and keep working on the rewrite. Before long, those voices will be whispering in your head again, demanding attention. :) :) :)


UNIQUE
One poem, two love letters. Hmm. I don't recall those being on your goal list. And what happened to the CHICKEN SERIES? Still, you did write something so I guess I can give you a couple of token lashes for effort. Good luck preparing for NaNo! http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gif


ALLY
Feel better, Ally. It is so hard to write when your head feels like it is stuffed with cotton. No lashes, but next week there had better be something good to report.


RUTH
Wow, once we get you back on the writing wagon, you really start to pile up the projects. Good work!

Oh, and I hate to tell you this, but I think it is actually shorter to say The Project That Won't Go Away than it is to stumble through all those initials. ;)

:) :) :)


MAC
Woohoo! So tell me, how many Subs are we talking about, here? Does that mean you met the 4-sub challenge for October? Huh? :):) :)


SC
20 pages! That is fabulous! :) :) :)

Now for the lecture portion. You have to write the stories that are inside you. Try not to judge them and don't worry about the perfect grammar and such. That all comes out in the rewrite. Just keep writing!


GINA
*Barb shouts over her shoulder at TRI* Hey, TRI! I found where all your words are going!

Good Golly, Miss Molly! 17k? In a WEEK? I am in awe. Well, actually, I'm still in my pajamas, but I am impressed. Fiction muses will come back. They will. They are off partying somewhere and when they come back they will be slightly hung over and surly and you may have to threaten or bribe them, but they will return to work. At least that's the way it goes with mine. :) :) :)


STORYGIRL
Okay, so what we really have here the realization that one goal was unrealistic (and you DID revise that goal) plus the completion of two other goals. I'm not seeing any reason to hide. Those editing goals can be hard to set. I know that one from experience, so don't kick yourself too hard. Look at what you DID accomplish. Not too shabby, if you ask me. :) :) :)

[Jaycinth]

I still could not figure out what to do with chapter 13 so I moved on to book 3,(Shiva's Dance).
This is in a draft form and consists of scenes and dialogue joined by loose description and lumpped into chapters. It is also close to 75,000 words, and needs to be turned into 50,000 strong, useful words, before I can tie up the stings and write an effective ending. I worked on that ( the editing, not the ending), deleting close to 2,000 words and re-arrranged a couple of chapters in the process.
Then I realized how chapter 13 was supposed to begin and I deleted what I'd written, wrote the beginning and I was happy with it (2 paragraphs). If I don't have to put in incredible work days this week I think I can finish it by the end of the week, or at least St. Pumpkin's Day.
I did not finish the short story. I may not get back to it for awhile, but the 'Skins won, so all is right with the world.

[allenparker]

Made the twenty-five hundred<had to write "and" fifty times to make it>

Spent the weekend at the Book'em 2005 in Waynesboro, Va. Helped out a good cause, but felt bad that sales were not what they expected. Met some nice people.

Still trying to finish some editing on NGYG. Nagging problem on one story. I am tempted to pull it and write another story to replace it.


Standing by waiting for the tazer.... Charge it up Barb.

Allen

[batyler65]

ALLEN

ZZZzztttt! Not quite sure why I'm zapping you, though. Of course, fifty "and"s is a pretty steep number. I hope there was some punctuation between them. ;)

Let the nagging problem rest for a couple of days, maybe a solution will occur to you if you stop trying to think of one. That's usually how it works. Pesky muses.

I zapped you, but here's a smiley anyhow. :) Now go on with you, and don't tell the others. They'll think i'm going soft or something.

[batyler65]

JAYCINTH

Sounds like after much trial and error you are finally back underway with Chap. 13 again. Congrats! There's nothing quite like the feeling when you FINALLY break through. Keep going! I'll keep my fingers crossed for that new deadline goal.

:) :) :)

[Birol]

Oh, yeah. A report. Worked mostly on reading and researching school stuff this weekend. I am so sick of books by dead Russian authors. AT least these were all written in the 20th century. Struggled with POV Character #4. She wants to seize control of my brain; I want to let her, but schoolwork makes that difficult to do.

I did work on POV Character #4. Mostly on her second scene. Wrote it. Deleted it. Repeated often. Thought I'd figured out what was wrong with it. Have decided to put in a place marker and continue on. Maybe.

[jdkiggins]

Uh oh, this time I am late reporting. ;)


Every single page written this week was like pulling teeth. I'm just happy I'm able to produce some copy in the wee hours of the morning before my brain totally fogs out. :D

Total this week: 62 new pages on two different manuscripts ++ 40 edited pages.

[batyler65]

LORI
There is only so much one brain can churn out. (For the record, we suspect Tri has TWO brains and his current downturn in productivity is a clever effort to conceal the fact ;) )

Do what you have to do. And don't forget to take care of yourself in the process.


:)

[batyler65]

Joanne,
Ugh, I HATE weeks like that. As a matter of fact, I think I am having one this week. Grrrr.... Sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and force your fingers to keep moving. Although at 62 pages, sounds like you achieved plenty. :) :) :)

[amyfin]

*sneaking in when Barb's back is turned* I've been playing hooky for the last couple of weeks, sick kids among other things, c'est la vie...

I wanted to say !!!!!!!THANKS BARB!!!!!! for the advice and encouragement (and I've officially adopted your mantra "you can't fix a blank page").

progress report: I've written. Some words. Here and there. They might be ugly, but I'm refusing to fight with them until I have a finished draft.

Goal for this week: Incorperate theoretical perspectives for 5 topics in my paper (maybe around 20 to 25 pages of 'serious' work).

[batyler65]

AMY

First, let me say, I'm sorry to hear about the sick kids. I'm the mother of three and I certainly understand how crazed a houseful of sick kids can be. Hopefully everyone is on the mend.


And you are WELCOME for the advice and encouragement! (and all this time, these folks have been calling it NAGGING.) :)

Here's an addition to your mantra: Some words are better than no words. ;) Ugly words still count. Just keep writing.

Good luck with your new goal. Come back this weekend and let me know how it is going.

See you then.

Barb

[Kitahoshi]

*clickety clack clack click* No, this is not the new voice of our overworked Kita. It is indeed, her rushing to do the week's words at the last minute. In fact, she has succeeded and has updated HBU with a new 1877 word chapter. She now must run to clean the kitty litter.

*shovel shuffle shhhhhhhp* Oh my.

[batyler65]

KITA

YAY! A brand new chapter! There, there, take a deep breath. Um... Kita? You might want to put the litter scoop down before you start typing again. I hear that typing goes better if you use both hands.

:) :) :)

[batyler65]

Friday, October 28, 205

Hi, All!

Let's kick this weekend off!

It has been a busy week for me. I've edited 268 pages on my final polishing pass of MONSTER. If I get some time this weekend, I plan to knock that out and pronounce it done. Or at least as done as it is likely to get without someone offering me money to rewrite it yet again.

No artwork accomplished this week. On top of the editing, I also had a round of four deadlines to keep me occupied. Busy, busy, busy. I also got two contracts from Highlights for Children this week (so naturally, I sent them more stuff).

I counted up my submissions for the month of October and came up with 13 (counting the one I must send out today). How did you guys do with the challenge? I want to hear.

Now for a some announcements:

1: Next week I will be MIA. Yes. I'm leaving. All weekend. Am not reporting in AT ALL. I will be leaving you in the capable hands of Ally (a.k.a Kida). (THANKS, ALLY).

2: Tuesday marks the kickoff for NaNoWriMo (http://www.nanowrimo.org), wherein thousands of crazy...er... motivated writers attempt to complete a 50k novel in 30 days. (For those of you doing the math, that comes out to approx. 1,667 words per day.) If you are among those signed up, I wish you the very best of luck! :)

3: November also means that it is time for WPR's SECOND ANNUAL 1K 2DAY CHALLENGE! That's right, folks. It is time to pull out the stops and try to write 1k every day for the month of November. What can you count in your 1k? Greeting cards, journal entries, short stories, essays, NaNo works, reviews, novels... well, heck, if it has to do with writing, it counts. The goal is to learn to generate a quantity of words every single day. Last year, many folks surprised themselves with the amount of writing they could accomplish if they had a 1k per day goal. Challenge yourself. You know you want to. Who's with me?

4: Oops! *headsmack* I almost forgot.
Today is Tri's birthday!!! http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteCake.gif
HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!



We now return you to your regularly scheduled report.

Barb

[allenparker]

First, All Hail Ally! Protector Fat Balding Humor Writers, Defender of the Faith!

Second, Congrats on the finish line Barb. Now, don't make the same mistake I do and send it to my Mom. I once got a Christmas card back with blue and red marks for correction.

Now the report!

Wrote my own Prompt for the Halloween weekend, Decided to write the prompt out.

Wrote an article for a southern magazine. Got accepted. TAT, twelve hours.

Biblio writing going somewhat slow. 2500 words, but only after staring from the beginning and "fixing" the entire 34k already written. I hate it when characters change jobs in the middle of a story. Why can’t they simply do what I tell them to do.

Finished a requested rewrite of my WIP.
Wife believes that I have run away from home and I am now residing on the Palatial futon permanently.

Well, not permanently, just till the cheesewiz and chocolate chip cookies run out.

If any of you should see a brain dead zombie for sale on eBay, please make sure my wife sells me to a good home.

Just a thought... Allen

[scarletpeaches]

Hello, all, thought I would join in this thread as it seems to be a way of motivating myself...I signed up for NaNoWriMo, which will be starting on Tuesday, so I need all the help I can get. This time next week, I WILL have done 6,668 words of that, God willing. I also plan to make a start on editing my previous book. I have three queries out on that and it needs a little tightening up. Also, I really should start carrying a notebook with me everywhere. There, I've said all that publicly, so now I have to do it.

[batyler65]

Welcome Scarlet!! (um... is it okay to call you Scarlet?)

You've come to the write place for motivation. Looks like you already have your goals lined up. Now all you have to do is show up once a week and report on them.

Good you have you here and good luck with NaNo!

Barb

[scarletpeaches]

You can call me anything you like! :D (Within reason, heh heh).

Real name's Nichola (hopefully I'll be seeing it on a book cover soon...:()

[Unique]

Now all you have to do <<<<-----If you believe this part, I have some land in Florida for sale....

Good you have you here and good luck with NaNo!

Barb

And it is good to have you here. It takes some of the heat off us other vic, I mean participants.

>Ouch< Barb, that's sharp! Now cut that out! I'll be back with a report - I promise!


See you in Nanoland, Scarlett!! >Ouch<

[allenparker]

You can call me anything you like! :D

Sorry, but I have to ask...

Is you middle name Letter?

<ducks as he sees a GIANT scarlet A flying across the room.>

Welcome....

Allen

[triceretops]

Welcome, scarlet--this be the place for motivation and confessions, good, bad or indifferent. All I can say is that it works--knocked out two 400-page novels on this thread that I'm really happy with. We are an mixed bag of nuts here, any and all are welcome

Congrats, Barb, on that second polish of Monster! And for the birthday greeting!

Report: second draft on third book is done--200 pages of line by line. I fear that it will need a third go-around since I did my other book that way. I hate it, but it's neccesary to give it some good strong legs to stand on. I threw the query on the SYW thread and found that it's too long and reads like a synopsis, so I'll whittle it down. I still haven't finished exausting submissions on the last novel and sent out nine queries last week--results are showing on the RSCC thread.

Got the bright idea of taking a chapter out of novel number one and re-writing it into a stand alone short story. 3004 words done, almost finished on it.

The muse FINALLY bashed me over the head with a new book idea. I've decided to create Lady Luck into a gorgeous female siren who visits a down-on-his-luck guy to change his life forever--lots of possibilities with this one and it's still fermenting in my head. If anyone remembers the script Bedazzled, that's about the direction I'm headed, but will veer away from the plot enough to give it a unique flavor. Only problem is, I don't know what genre this would be--mainstream fantasy? Is this what they call urban fantasy? I have no idea what this is. I just better get my marketing savvy right.

Onward and upward.

Tri

[Unique]

:hooray: Oooh, oooh, can I be the model for your siren, Tri? can I, can I, please, please, please?

Glad to see your Muse revisiting. I was worried about you. I'd loan you mine but she's not fit to live.

[jdkiggins]

Welcome, Scarlet. Woo Hoo, Tri. Keep writing!

I know it’s only Saturday, but I’m doing a happy dance and reporting early because I’m tired. ;) :banana::banana:

Some of you know I joined a writing marathon at the beginning of the month. Well...the KIA Marathon Rocks! It got me writing again!

Sunday night, October 23 began the fourth and final week of the marathon. I’d been in a slump since the Absolute Write Idol contest ended and the KIA marathon, which began October 1, was exactly what I needed to get me going again. I’m so happy I signed up for the dance!

The first week I hopped back and forth from one manuscript to another. Yes, I managed to write a bit and edit some. Week two and three I concentrated on one manuscript that I started years ago. I left it hanging at 175 pages in 2001. It’s been collecting dust ever since.

Week two, I added 81 pages to that manuscript. Week three, I added 62 pages. That’s a total of 143 pages. I reported those pages here. At the beginning of this week, Sunday night, my manuscript was at 318 pages and I still needed to finish the story. Yeah, it’s a big one! Mom’s been sick this past week, spending a lot of time curled up on the couch and watching TV. I was able to sit in the living room with my laptop, be in the same room with her all day, every day, write, and still take care of her. Then, after she was in bed for the night, I’d write even more. I was determined to finish!

Well fellow writers, I finished that book early this morning!!!! I’m not saying it’s a great book, but I love the story line. (I’ll reread it and edit it later and find out if it was worth the effort.) It totaled out at 452 pages and nearly 100,000 words. Which means from last Sunday at midnight until 9:00 a.m. this morning, I wrote a total of 134 pages and 27,671 words to complete this novel.

Woo Hoo!!!! My manuscript is complete!

I need some coffee and chocolate and a whole bunch of energy boosters. (And some Ben Gay for my fingers and wrists. LOL)

I’m ready to start “NaNoWriMo” in a few days with a book I have 19 pages of notes (not an outline) just notes. After “NaNoWriMo” I have two other books to finish. The first has a total of 14 pages I wrote three years ago. The other has a total of 10 pages, written about the same time. Lots of notes for each, so I have three more novels in my mind waiting to be put in manuscript form. When these three are complete, I think I’ll concentrate on writing a query and synopsis for all my novels, rather than start a new one. What editor/agent/publisher, who may consider my query, wouldn’t want to hear that I have seven completed novels and three more I’m working on? At least they’ll know I’m not a “one book” wonder. :)

[storygirl]

Only thing I'm reporting is...I'M ON VACATION!!!

Hubby surprised me with some leave time, so I'm going to spend every second I can with him and not worry about my writing until about the 15th of November. Some of you know that he leaves for Iraq late next month, so my priority is Hubby right now.

Hope you all had a great week and have an even better week coming up!!! See y'all later.

[scfirenice]

I think I'm going to report early this weekend too, it's not like I'm going to get anything more accomplished. No new subs this week, one new rejection I will post, 15 pages in Three. It would have been more, but I almost lost the whole daggon thing and spent several hours recovering it. O well. That's it. No new pages in the NF.

[batyler65]

SMILEY PARTY FOR JOANNE!!!


w00t!!!!! Congratulations on reaching THE END!!!!

http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/sehrgrosse/large-smiley-055.gif

[triceretops]

Wow, Joanne, who whipped you out of gate? Tri gets a false start and the ponies really start running here. All right--that did it! I keep reading about these marathon gigs, especially that nano nano thing, and I must confess I don't know anything about it. But, Seriously Joanne, kudos for you with that big punch. It feels good doesn't it?

Unique, be careful what you ask for. You just might end up in this script, and I'm not kidding. I'll dive into your post archives and find out what you're all about. The following characters have appeared in both my books:

Snarzler
Galoot
Poppy Hullings
Zaz

So, Unique shall be Ms. Felicitous Fortune, or Felicity for short (the ancient muse, Lady Luck).


Tri

[Kida Adelyne]

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

YAY JOANNE!!!!!!




Okie, my report:
I wrote nothing.

Whip here ----->

Anticipating Nano very muchly. :Jump: I have come up with a bribe system for myself, to make sure I reach 50k this year.

Also anticipating being in charge of...um... motivation... next week:D

All Hail Ally! Protector Fat Balding Humor Writers, Defender of the Faith!
I can be bribed with chocolate. :tongue

Ps. Welcome Scarlet :hi:

Ciao, ace to kill! *runs off like a loon*

[Unique]

Well, I had written a big la la about what I did this week when some sort of weird power flux took place.

It happened while I was at church this morning, too. 12:00, 12:00, 12:00 so - in the interest of sparing my computer any more maladies, let's just say:

I wrote. Lots. Getting ready for NaNo and some on the Chicken Series.

And:

I'll be back.....

[Birol]

Maybe it's trying to change the clocks for you?

[maestrowork]

Joanne, you're awesome. A whole novel in less than a month! Wow. I wish I had that kind of stamina and inspiration and work ethics.

[gina]

Slowed down a bit this week. Feeling a bit burnt. Wrote 12,500 words which just barely kept my two sites goings. I write for my own site and another site, so the numbers seem to add up quickly and early on during the week I usually already have 6,000 words. I don't see the my making the November challenge being an issue. I typically write 1000 words or more a day, and on the days I don't I make it up the rest of the week. I'm not doing Nano either. Just no time. I'm hoping to find my fiction muses this month, but things are just so crazy right now I'm not sure if I'll have a lot of time to focus on my fiction much.

[Jaycinth]

I went out of town this weekend. To visit a friend and help her move her mother in. I thought I would wake up early and take my fatihful lapdog out onto the deck with a cup of coffee and type til people woke up, but it was DAMN COLD!! ( pardon my language, but it was.)

So I only got 1,000 new words written in chapter 13.
( This must be a serious cosmic joke. I'm an accountant and chapter 13 is giving me serious trouble. Drum roll please!)

[Good Word]

I cut some and changed some, and I'm at 16,300. Net gain about 900 words, but far far better than nothing. I'm actually seeing a little structure. 20K here I come.

Joanne, you amaze me.

(I'll have what she's having.)

[batyler65]

Finished the polish on MONSTER. I pronounce it DOA. Now to get the synopsis done and send it on its merry way. :)



ALLEN
Good deal on the Halloween prompt. I haven't had time to attempt ANYTHING new.

Congrats on the acceptance! Had you queried and got the go-ahead, or was this a "cold call"?

2500 words passes your 2k per week goal. So smilies for you. :) :) :) That said, I have to add: It's been my experience that it is never a good idea to stop cold in the middle of a story to go back and rewrite. It kills my momentum faster than hitting the ground after jumping from a twenty story building (also a bad idea, I might add). Here's a trick I use (it really does work), start a story notebook. Seriously. Any old notebook will do. When you hit something that needs rewritten, jot notes in the notebook and keep trucking with the story. The rewrites will all still be there when you get done, nothing gets lost, and you don't waste hours and hours changing something that will probably need changed again before you reach The End. Get to the end and fix everything at once. (Just my two bits).




SCARLET
Tomorrow is the day NaNo starts. I hope you are geared up. *crosses fingers*. I can't wait to hear how you do this week.




TRI
Yippee, getting that second draft out of the way has got to feel good! Let us know how that excerpt works out. Any ideas for where to sub it?


I'm glad your muse is back from vacation. It gives me hope for mine. (Sadly, Bud has taken a vacation since the rewrite process started.) Keep up the good work. I'm sure you will be back to knocking our socks off by the end of the week. :) :) :)





JOANNE
Congrats again! Take a little (teeny tiny) break this week and do something nice for yourself to celebrate. (Like sleep, maybe?) :) :) :)






STORYGIRL
Okay, vacation excuse accepted. But you had better be back here by mid November. Hugs to your Hubby. Spend as much time with him as you can.




SC
Don't sound so discouraged. Some weeks are better than others. 15 pages is still a good amount of writing. Just keep getting the words down. As long as you are going forward, you will reach The End. And that is the ultimate goal. Sorry to hear about the computer woes. They seem to be going around this month. HAS EVERYBODY MADE THEIR BACKUPS?


Keep your chin up. From the sound of things you are getting very nice rejections. Trust me on this, publishers, editors and the like are way to busy to write nice comments just to make you feel better. If you are getting comments, you are ahead of many writers who never see anything but blank form letters. :) :) :)





ALLY
Nothing? You dare say NOTHING? Get it in gear grrrl. Nano starts tomorrow.http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gif


KITA
Come out, come out wherever you are!



UNIQUE

Specifics? I can't hand out your lashes if you haven't really earned them. ;)





RAY

Where the heck is your report? http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gif






GINA

12k+ words doesn't seem like much of a slowdown to me. But if you say so, I'll take your word for it. I understand about not doing NaNo. It is a big commitment when you have to stay on top of paying gigs. Best of luck with the pesky muses. If mine shows up on your doorstep, send him home. We have work to do. :) :) :)






CC
You seem to be missing again, big guy. Don't make me track you down. *pauses to wonder if CC and Bud missing at the same time is too coincidental to be coincidence*




JAYCINTH
lol@chapter 13/accountant. So you had a slow week. Guess that means you'll have to do extra this week. ;) Are you up for the November challenge? Huh? Huh? :):)





LISA
Woo! Keep going! You are going to make it this time. Plus, you ARE going to join that 1k 2day challenge, right? Ahem… I said, RIGHT? Let's get this book finished. :) :) :)



JEN
You still out there?

[Good Word]

Er, what's the 1k 2day challenge?

Is it here or elsewhere?

[Unique]

:Hail: Hail Mistress Barb.

Progress Energy swears whatever it was causing the power interruptions is fixed...(I hope) but 4 power interruptions in one day is only about 4 too many.

3 character sketches for NaNo characters - two mains and a minor. (Beware - they may look familiar, heh heh)

On the Chicken Series - nothing new in the 'reality' portion, but a dozen recipes for Chapter titles. (I'll have to explain this concept to you one day - it's - well, let's just say it's fiction based on real life) The fiction part is fun - the real life part sucks. That's why it gets ignored a lot.

# of words? I don't know. It's still long hand and not transcribed into the Mighty Word Counter of Word. (Horribly old fashioned, am I not?)

[Jaycinth]

What is the November Challenge?

[maestrowork]

Barb, I am doing research. ;)

[Good Word]

Sounds like Ray is on a date. :)

[batyler65]

What is the November Challenge?

The November Challenge is the Second Annual 1K 2Day Challenge. Participants attempt to write 1,000 words each and every day for the month of November. See my opening WPR post last Friday (in the announcements) for more details.


C'mon, you know you wanna. ;)

[batyler65]

:Hail: Hail Mistress Barb.



Sounds like you earned your lashes. ;)

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gif

[Unique]

Thank you, ma'am.

If I do really well this month, will you borrow Liam's phone?

[Good Word]

So who is doing the 1k 2day challenge?

(--says Lisa, sticking toe in the water just to see how it feels--can she take the plunge?)

[batyler65]

Everyone who is doing NaNo should automatically include themselves in the 1k 2day challenge. (since they need to write 1667 words per day to complete NaNo)

I haven't really heard too many jump right in. I'll be doing it, am going to whip Lori into doing it (Listening, Lori?). Gina is in.

Seriously folks, give it a try. You will definitely be surprised at yourselves. Cross my heart. ;)

[Kitahoshi]

*appears from under a rug* Uhhh... *ahem* well, anyhow I anticipate finishing HBU this week or maybe next week. I was dragged into NanoWrimo by Ally so yeah... I guess I'll have words this week. In short, I'm using my afterschool time to first:1. begin novel with first 1600-1700 words

2. write another chapter for HBU

3. attmept to finish a German word search in an exhausted fervor.

So needless to say, I will be back, and I'm late for last week (again). Luckily Nano Wrimo will be keeping me on schedule. As well as Ally with that chainsaw in my backyard.

[Good Word]

Okay Barb. Count me in for the 1k 2day.

It is going to be a serious stretch, but I want to get this novel written!

I'm at 600ish for the day so far.

[jdkiggins]

So who is doing the 1k 2day challenge?

(--says Lisa, sticking toe in the water just to see how it feels--can she take the plunge?)

I'm in, Lisa. If I keep up with NaNo, :roll: I should be able to report for the 1k 2 day as well. Only difference will be is I can add word count on top of NaNo because you allow journals and all that other good stuff I write in between my novel writing. :D

[Kitahoshi]

*walks in, huddled over* I have a deathly case of 'slouching-while-typing-for long-periods-of-time-stiff back' now. It is 8:44PM on a Tuesday and I have:

1. Started my novel for NanoWrimo with a flaming step forward at 1910 words. I have come to fondly call my novel: Call me Deo and have the best hopes for it. If it goes as well as it has today I might look to submitting it and adding to our rejections.

2. Written the official second last chapter of How to Befriend the Undead with my one true and loyal reviewer at FictionPress.com at 1139 words and burning fingers. They tingle like they're still typing even when they're still now.

3. Eaten and wondering how I'm going to go about that German word search in bed before I fall asleep and drool on it. Maybe if I sleep on it, I'll get really good at word searches (my teacher keeps assigning them and I've always been terrible at it, even english word searches- oh wait, SPECIFICALLY english word searches). Ah the dinner of novelists- pizza and pop in front of the computer while typing away. And just think! a whole more month of this to go...

So huzzah! That's 1 139 words for last week and 1 910 words for this week. Except that I'll probably up it to 3 000 (yes, lower than I should have but I'm better at hitting goals when I choose a low goal).

[Good Word]

Ok, Joanne.

(Lisa high-fives Joanne, like a giddy kiddy.)

I did my 1k today.

And there was LIGHT!

[Kitahoshi]

Ok, Joanne.

(Lisa high-fives Joanne, like a giddy kiddy.)

I did my 1k today.

And there was LIGHT!

Yay! I shall give you a monkey to celebrate. *gives her a menacing looking monkey with wings that look like they came off a kid's costume* This is Bobo. He'll make sure you keep up the good work. *whispers* You think you've got it bad? Look back there! I've got at least fifty watching my back!

[Good Word]

Yay! I shall give you a monkey to celebrate. *gives her a menacing looking monkey with wings that look like they came off a kid's costume* This is Bobo. He'll make sure you keep up the good work. *whispers* You think you've got it bad? Look back there! I've got at least fifty watching my back!

Bobo! Here sit upon my shoulder, you cute little stinkpot. Just breathe quietly. I'm writing.

[Kitahoshi]

Good job Bobo! *dances* Day Two: I have done it again! I got my words done. And I tried out for the school musical (as did Ally) - o' god help me. But not in a religious sense. Just that I was so happy to get out of the last one and now I'm throwing myself in again. What's up with that?

[jdkiggins]

Ok, Joanne.

(Lisa high-fives Joanne, like a giddy kiddy.)

I did my 1k today.

And there was LIGHT!

:PartySmil :PartySmil
Way to go, Good Word!

I wrote and reported my 1622 words for NaNo yesterday. Only 45 words under the daily average. ;)

Today I wrote 1753. I'm getting there. Not sure if this book will be worth a darn when I'm finished, but it's flowing decently at the moment. We'll see what happens between now and the weekend.

[Unique]

Good job Bobo! *dances* Day Two: I have done it again! I got my words done. And I tried out for the school musical (as did Ally) - o' god help me. But not in a religious sense. Just that I was so happy to get out of the last one and now I'm throwing myself in again. What's up with that?

Did they promise you could wear horns on your head while you sing this time?
That might have something to do with it.

[allenparker]

Count me in for the 1K. Doing the NaNo thing, too.

I was under the mistaken belief that I needed more stress in my life, so I decided these were worthy goals.

Tales From the Palatial Futon is finally under way. Scheduled to be an insight into dying, I hope that it is at least legible if not comprehendable. I think "good" is asking too much.

Allen

[Kitahoshi]

Did they promise you could wear horns on your head while you sing this time?
That might have something to do with it.

But they were such pretty horns! They're so shiny... *drool* O.O

[Kida Adelyne]

Hello Mighty Weekenders!

As Mistress Barb told you all last week, I am the one who shall be in charge of punishments and rewards this week. I am going to hand out a lot of stars. Right?

My report is as follows:
Word Count: 5001
Sanity: Currently 60%. I've hit a new high!
Tea drunk: 4 cups (note to self, never drink tea before bed)

So Report!
If you are part of Nano or 1k2day, please specify so I can make sure your all on track. :poke:

-Ally

[allenparker]

Nano 6800 words...... What a fright sight this manuscript is. Someone better give me plenty of leeway in December for editing. It got so bad last night that I put on an Elvira movie for background noise.

1k2day is going on schedule.

Edited a final edit for Nudist Guy and Yankee Gal for a request from an agent. Mailing it today. Cross anything that might bring me luck. BTW, we have a handicapped rabbit program in my neighborhood. It seems someone cut off a bunch of rabbit's feet for luck

<stands in the corner, whistling>

Allen

[Jaycinth]

My characters have taken me hostage. I am currently being held in an unknown location, but I suspect it is somewhere in the vicinity of Jupiter. They are saying that I got them into this mess, so it's like suddenly MY responsibility to get them out. Shhhhhh they're coming back...and these aren't even the bad guys.........Must escape...but how?

[Kida Adelyne]

Nano 6800 words...... What a fright sight this manuscript is. Someone better give me plenty of leeway in December for editing. It got so bad last night that I put on an Elvira movie for background noise.

Haha, you should see some of the tripe I've spit up. Oh well. Goodie stars for you for being right on track

:Sun: :Sun: :Sun:

[Kida Adelyne]

My characters have taken me hostage. I am currently being held in an unknown location, but I suspect it is somewhere in the vicinity of Jupiter. They are saying that I got them into this mess, so it's like suddenly MY responsibility to get them out. Shhhhhh they're coming back...and these aren't even the bad guys.........Must escape...but how?

Oh dear... should I call 911? Unless they've let you take a pen and paper with you that is...

[Good Word]

I

BROKE

20

K

today.

[Unique]

:::Unique slides in on one of Good Word's bon bons and falls flat on her ***:::

4,495 words. That's it. You can beat me now.


::::Unique scrapes the chocolate off the back of her jeans and runs out the door:::

:::pokes her head back in - sorry to post and run. There's a meeting of purple prose monkeys in Conference Room B. See ya there!:::

[Kida Adelyne]

http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/party/party0038.gifhttp://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/party/party0038.gif

GO GOODWORD GO!
http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/party/party0038.gifhttp://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/party/party0038.gif

[Kida Adelyne]

4,495 words. That's it. You can beat me now.


Ummmm... are you saying I should beat you because you don't think you wrote enough, or that I should beat you because your our favorite little massachist?

I think you wrote scats of words, so I am very proud of you. So here is a whipping for all your accomplishments:whip: and a star :Sun:

[jdkiggins]

Way to go to everyone with any word count! :Clap:

As of November 3, I wrote 5165 words. I haven’t taken a count since, but OMG I need a break. I have to write my column and catch up to the 8335 words I should have for NaNo by the end of today. Ha! Fat chance!
:Smack: :Smack: :Smack: :Smack:
What the heck was I thinking when I joined NaNo?!

See you later everyone. Going to write.

[scfirenice]

Alright, I'm sneaking in early in the hopes that Barb won't look for me until tomorrow. As of right now. Right this minute. I have written MAYBE 20 words. maybe. I might get some writing in tonight, I might not. No excuses, I just haven't done it. Motivation is a bit hard for me right now. O well. I did do lots of PR for SOS though.
*sneaks out holding frying pan over butt.*

[gina]

Checking in for this week. Between my two writing gigs this week, I clocked in at 11,459 words. Total for the month of October was 55,601. Fiction muses are still silent. I'm just too busy with everything else.

[triceretops]

The major computer crash caught up with me and slammed me hard. You name the horse, virus, spywar, adware and I caught it, but good. Wiped everything, kept fingers crossed that my major work was properly saved--which it was, just barely. I did lose work--small stuff, but very important synopsis's and queries that were very specific.

Sorry--no writing at all cause I've been down. I'm trying to reload everything and bring it back to the norm--it's taken three days just to reinstall everything.

I'm sooooo glad to be back and I see that everyone is doing great.

Tri

[Unique]

The major computer crash caught up with me and slammed me hard. You name the horse, virus, spywar, adware and I caught it, but good. Wiped everything, kept fingers crossed that my major work was properly saved--which it was, just barely. I did lose work--small stuff, but very important synopsis's and queries that were very specific.

Sorry--no writing at all cause I've been down. I'm trying to reload everything and bring it back to the norm--it's taken three days just to reinstall everything.

I'm sooooo glad to be back and I see that everyone is doing great.

Tri

:hi:Good to see you back. Sorry about the computer crashes. It was that porno surfing roommate wasn't it?
Give him this::Hammer:
from us.
The silly rabid - tricks are for twigs.

[triceretops]

Yes it was Unique. Good ole' Mr. Sicko, with his rotten crap destroyed every file in this bugger. We have since locked him out with a parental control adjustment that he can't get through, and have made one of the high-tech roomates an administrator, so nothing can be accessed that will threaten us again.

There's nothing like starting from a fresh slate, believe me, even though all my reseach favorites were lost. But I just found an edited query in the SYW thread, so that was nice.

Tri

[Kida Adelyne]

You were thinking what all us crazies were thinking. Keep at it, I know you can do it!

:Sun::Sun::Sun:

[Kida Adelyne]

Alright, I'm sneaking in early in the hopes that Barb won't look for me until tomorrow.

But you forgot Barb left her little minion in charge, didn't you? *tisk*
This hurts me more than it hurts you.
:whip:
BIC! Now!

[Kida Adelyne]

That's sucks big time. :Hug2: Just get back into the writing groove this coming week. Paint your words on cave walls if you have to, but write!

[Jaycinth]

I deleted approx 1,000. words
I wrote approx 3,200 (new) words.
The chapter is not tied up. I think it will take 3-4 neat paragraphs to accomplish that.
Then I have to read the entire thing and see "does it make sense", then find some people to read it and, well, shread it so i can put it back together again.

I did not get to a crit I promised and I feel bad about that because I enjoy the story, and I like the crittees work.

[ChunkyC]

HIYA GANG! MISS ME?

Okay, so only Barb mentioned my absence once, two or three pages back. *sigh*

I'm going to assume that everyone knew I was caught up in the book launch of STORIES OF STRENGTH this past November 1st. From the week previous to that until now, I've been spending almost all my time here in the SoS forum, and on the SoS website, and at Lulu.com monitoring the launch and the first week's sales, disseminating promotional materials etc. etc.... HAVE YOU BOUGHT YOUR COPY YET? No pressure. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif

So, on to the report, such as it is.



Wrote and filed my column on time last week and this week.
Wrote and sent out nearly seventy press releases for SoS. Okay, 48 of them were to my high school classmates, the rest to media outlets, and I only had to customize the release Jenna posted for everyone, but still, it took TIME.
Did find a few minutes to jot down some character development notes for HOME AND AWAY. I fully intend to get back to it this week and write some new words in the manuscript itself.
That's it for now.

So tazer me, lash me
tie me to a tree,
Just so long as you
buy a book or three.

http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/emoticons/pi_bigsmile.gif

Click the pretty flower, you know you want to.

[September skies]

I have to write my column .... :Smack:
What the heck was I thinking when I joined NaNo?!


Oh, it's always fun to write under pressure. Nano comes at a bad month for me. November is a "busy" writing time -- Veterans Day is BIG in my area and I have been inundated with Veteran stories.

I feel I have been neglecting Nano a little but as soon as Veteran Day passes, I am going to get more serious and write a lot more.

[Kida Adelyne]

I deleted approx 1,000. words
I wrote approx 3,200 (new) words.

So that is a net gain of... lemme see *counts on her fingers*

*takes off her socks to use her toes*

*realises that she does not have that many fingers and toes and opens a calculator*

2200 words! Goodie good. Stars for you!

:Sun: :Sun: :Sun:

[Kida Adelyne]

Charlie,

I'd whip you, but your time was well spent. So I won't whip you, but no stars either. You need to write to get that (more than your column too)

[Kida Adelyne]

helloOoOoOoOo

By my calcualation there are many many people who have so far not graced this thread this week. I shall be dissapointed if you deny me my treat *puppy eyes*

-Ally

ps. Kita reported to me in person because she is unable to connect to the internet. she's on track with nano, she tells me.

[amyfin]

Ummm... 488 words. *Cringing Barb breaks out the whip* :flag: Wait... I actually started to incorporate some theory into my paper... and I'm on a roll, think I'm gonna write all night tonite after the kids go to bed...

[Kida Adelyne]

Ummm... 488 words.

Some words is better than none. I'm sure barb wouldn't tazer you just say her usual mantra of 'ten minutes a day'. So, try to write ten minutes a day! You'll be surprised at how many words you can done that way!

[MacAllister]

woo-HOO! Rewrite is back on track, I've generated just under 5K words for the week, and feeling good about where I've gotta take it next. :)

Kida, you're a PEACH! :kiss:

[Kida Adelyne]

I guess that I still get to give you your star mac, even though it's wednesday (sorry, I was, you know, writing)

:Sun::Sun:
-Ally

[Jaycinth]

I don't want to write the last 4 paragraphs of book two.
There is no 'why' to this. I don't kill anyone. I do justify another character's actions and I tie up a lot of strings. This is a series, but I am sure I have made book two into a stand alone and not a cliff hanger..although there are things a reader will want to know more about and justify the publication of book 3.
I understand the psychology behind my inaction.
Last night I watched TV, painted my toes and went to sleep early to avoid any writing. This morning I went back to sleep during part of my designated writing time.
I figure if I air this attempt to shoot myself in the foot (feet?) maybe I'll fool ol' subconscious into taking a hike long enough to write 4 simple paragraphs. 18 sentences. Just words.:hi:

[batyler65]

Jaycinth

Write them in a separate file. Then cut and paste them. Don't exactly understand why this particular solution works, but it does. ;)

Hang tough,
Barb

[Yeshanu]

I can be bribed with chocolate. :tongue

Good thing, too. I spend November 1 stocking up. Which is why I haven't been whipped yet.

Only done about 3500 words since November 1. I am waaaaay behind...

*sigh*

[batyler65]

Suck it up and get busy, Ruth. You can do it!

[Birol]

helloOoOoOoOo

By my calcualation there are many many people who have so far not graced this thread this week. I shall be dissapointed if you deny me my treat *puppy eyes*

-Ally

ps. Kita reported to me in person because she is unable to connect to the internet. she's on track with nano, she tells me.

Sorry, I missed your week, Ally, but I was away from the computer and AW. I've been back at the computer since early this week, but am only now getting back to AW.

I worked. I swear. Wrote much. Got back on track with TBWN (wrote longhand so I don't have a wordcount for you), completed several school assignments, and sent out some queries.

[Birol]

Everyone who is doing NaNo should automatically include themselves in the 1k 2day challenge. (since they need to write 1667 words per day to complete NaNo)

I haven't really heard too many jump right in. I'll be doing it, am going to whip Lori into doing it (Listening, Lori?). Gina is in.

Seriously folks, give it a try. You will definitely be surprised at yourselves. Cross my heart. ;)

Barb bull-- insi-- encouraged me to do this last year. It was a huge eye-opening learning experience when I watched a large project that had otherwise stalled open up before my eyes and the progress move forward by leaps and bounds.

I know we are about 1/3d of the way through November, but if you haven't been corralled into this challenge yet, I strongly encourage you to jump on-board.

[batyler65]

Friday, November 11, 2005

Good Day, weekenders!

Couple of announcements:

A HUGE THANK YOU to Ally for wielding the taser last weekend.

Also, for those of you who follow along, KIT celebrated her 18th birthday a couple of days back. HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY, KIT! (Don't worry, the paint washes off. ;) )


I'm still feeling a bit off-kilter from my time away. I guess vacations are like that.

So far this week, I've kept up with the 1k 2day challenge. Have written a little over 4300 words and I haven't even started for today. How about the rest of you guys?

I sent out three queries, a humor column, wrote two prompts, and started a new short story. Sheesh. Sounds much more productive than it actually feels. I have a deadline today that I have to knock out and then I'll work on tying up the loose ends in the new short. Maybe by this time next week, it will have a bit of polish on it and be ready for my writing group to dismember. One can hope, can't one?

Next week, I plan to start hashing out the query and synopsis for MONSTER. Ah, another learning experience.

Batter Up!

Who's next?

Barb

[allenparker]

Report.

I had no idea it was Friday. I think I slept sometime this week, but I am not sure. Monday and Tuesday, I had two eating machines devour my refrig. After a few whole turkeys, a ham and several pizzas, they settled into an all night session of war games on the game cube. Next time my son says a friend is coming over, I am moving in with my Dad. He, of course, thinks the whole scenario is just funny as hell.

Anyway, wrote 8000 for NANo. that should keep the 1k2day quiet as well.
Not sleeping has allowed me to type some type of garbage in the pages.

I had to unhook the Stink-O-Meter from the smoke alarm. Everytime I carried the laptop past the bugger, the Stink-Alarm woke the house up. It was worse than the last time I served the family cabbage and baked beans with an egg quiche for dessert. Won't make that mistake again.

I have given up on drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes. I have begun to chew coffee beans and chase it with Red Bull and Jolt Cola.

Submited two queries... one accepted article and one, "Please poke your eyes out..." If he had offered to publish after the eye poking, I might have done it. They cant get any redder.

Allen

edited to make the typos less noticable.

[Good Word]

Allen, you are hilarious.

I hired a new muse from the agency and he's got a bit of a B.O. problem, but other than that, he's great so far. I just dab a little of Vick's Vapor Rub under my nose and it works like--well, like Vick's Vapor Rub under my nose.

But I did 4330 words this week, so I guess it's all worth it.

Just wish I could do something about this rash--the Crazy Glue I used to keep my keister in the chair is kind of irritating.

Hope everyone had a good week.

Lisa, who isn't counting this post as part of her word count

[gina]

Another busy week for me as always. I've just been really swamped, and I have a number of things I'm working on. Came in just a bit under 15,000 words for the week.

[Kida Adelyne]

Hello! I'm back! In case you havn't heard, I just got back from a stay in the hospital. I was so rotten to the nurses that they made me leave the morning after the operation.:tongue Still in pain, but not nearly as much as when I went to Emergency on thursday and friday. Big hugs to everyone :Hug2:

I believe I wrote somthing at the beginning of the week, but I can't remeber. I'm somthing like 10k behind on Nano right now, but I may catch up this week since I'm not allowed to go to school.:D

*squiggles off*

-Ally

[jdkiggins]

NaNo NaNo! Suddenly I feel like I’m on the Mork and Mindy show. :D

My word count is about where it should be for day 12, but the sporadic daily writing is driving me nuts. One day I’ll write almost 900 words, another day 1700 and a few days I’ve gone bonkers and written close to 4000.
November 12, 2005 – 2218 words Total – 20163 words
November 13, 2005 – still waiting on the muse. :D
29837 words to go for NaNo!

I do have something to report other than NaNo! Woo Hoo!

Monday I found an old disc and opened it. I was quite surprised to see nearly 25 stories I’d written last year. I’m working on editing them and finding them homes.

Submitted one article to ByLine Magazine.

And…I’ve been doing market research (Birol told me to say that—she was very kind and sent me a link for flash fiction. ;)) She did motivate my investigative powers and I ran off to find more links to those who do not accept land mail submissions. :D Reason: Heaven knows when I’ll make it to the mailbox or post office.

Also…Sent out a ton of news releases for the SoS anthology. Haven’t heard a thing yet. :(
Oh yes, and I have a book review “nearly” on its final draft. ;)
Kida, sorry to hear you were in the hospital. Hope all is well now. :Hug2:

[scfirenice]

Kida, get well!!!!

I am on fire this week. I wrote 16 pages in my fiction, wrote a 20 page NF proposal AND the query letter. I plan on getting multiple submissions put together today as grandma is here to play with the kiddo!!!! Yay ME! Finally something is clicking in little brain. I know this doesn't compare to those doing NaNo, but with all the other balls I have in the air this amount of progress is a freaking miracle.

[Unique]

My little purple prose monkey pal was sick? Oh, no! Get better soon. Tell the mother creature you should be getting exta treats to help you get well quicker.

4,500+ words this week. Woo-hoo! I only need to write that much in a day and I'll be caught up. But I refuse to be disappointed. That's a whole heck of a lot of words for me.

[Jaycinth]

I finished Book 2. I conquered chapter 13 and finished it. I am naming it "Parallel Course" and I am going to print it out and put it aside Until New Year's day and try not to read or try to edit it until then.

Next goals: I've gotten read-back on my first book.. I'm going to re-edit it, re-name it and have it ready to re-/query/submit on Newyear's day or soon after.

I've 70k words on book 3 but only 40k of them are good ones. And because I changed the ending on 2 I have to change the opening of 3. So, setting a goal of 100K words for 3, I doubt I'll have it finished before April, so that will be my goal, to have 3 in the same condition as 2 is now by April Fool's Day.

I have a short story I need to finish. No timeline. It will come to me or it won't' I'll carry a notepad.


I feel sort of funny being 'finished' again. Like heading home after a vacation, or finishing a class. Something is missing. I'm going to make beef stew and watch football and see if it blows over.

[Yeshanu]

I've written just over a thousand words since I checked in on Wednesday. I found out that the hospital is not a good place for me to write. Anyhow, thanks to everyone who expressed concern for Ally. She's better now, mainly because she's allowed to eat... :D

Hopefully, this week will be better for both of us.

[batyler65]

ALLEN
Time flies when you don't know what is going on, eh?

Congrats on the 8k. Yes, that will keep the 1k2day hounds at bay. Here's to another fun-filled week. ;)

:) :) :) :)




LISA-LISA
You GO GIRL! Should I send more Vick's? Keep those words coming. Next stop 30K? :) :) :) :)




GINA
Swamped seems to work for you. 15k is a LOT of freakin' words! Keep up the good work! :) :) :) :)





ALLY
::Hugs:: I doubt that the nurses thought you were rotten. I'm just glad that you are feeling better now. I AM expecting you to play catch-up with Nano while you recuperate. But rest, too, okay? :)





JOANNE
Take a deep breath. Sporadic writing is not a bad thing. Obviously, you are keeping up with your counts. Keep plugging along whenever you can.

Ooh, goody! The finding of lost stories always gives me warm fuzzies. Best of luck finding them homes. Keep us posted! :) :) :) :)







SC
WOW! You were cranking out the words this week. Way To Go! And SUBS? Sounds like mucho-mucho productivity! I can't wait to see next weekend's report. :) :) :) :)







UNIQUE
You've earned your lashes, this week. Woo-hoo for you! Don't give up, you can get caught up. Maybe not all in one day, but you can get caught up. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emotewhip.gif






JAYCINTH

Congrats on the completion! PARTY! I know what you mean about that "completion letdown". I go through exactly the same thing. It will pass and your muse will be handing you a new story idea saying: "Look what I made for you. Hang it up on the fridge, pleeeeeeze?" Or maybe that's just my muse. :) :) :) :)





RUTH

::hugs:: Tough weekend in your neck of the woods. Hospitals and stress are not usually all that productive. Take a deep breath (maybe a nice soothing hot bath). I'm sure this week is bound to be lots better. :)

[batyler65]

HMMMMMMMMMMMM

*sigh*

There are an AWFUL LOT OF QUIET FOLKS OUT THERE.

*crickets chirping*

[allenparker]

Ally, I hope you are feeling much better now. I would send you a get well card, but since everyone at Hallmark had to be rushed to the hospital after reading my first "get well" submission, perhaps I could just send a warm fuzzy e-hug?

Allen

[triceretops]

Been sick this week with some type of super flu. I did manage to start new fanatasy novel with 2,700 words--I'm outa my genre and element with this one so I'm taking it real slow and deliberate.

Tri

[batyler65]

Get well, Tri!

As long as slow and deliberate doesn't mean thinking the thing to death, you're good. ;)

:) :) :) :)

[Yeshanu]

We kind of lost some posts, here, due to the move.

But I didn't report over the weekend. I was too busy...







Writing! As of Saturday night, my word count stood at 4200 words for NaNo, which, if you've been paying attention, is approximately the same as it was last week. At the close of my writing day on Sunday, this is what I wrote:



I need twenty five more freaking words to make ten thousand. Fourteen after that sentence. Ten more after that one. Four. Three. Two. Ten thousand!



All right, so it's a bit cheesy. But I did 5800 words yesterday. Hoping to do something similar today (as soon as I get off the forums) as I am taking a day off work.

And Barb?


KEEPER OF LOST MARBLES


So that's where they've gone! Can I have mine back? :)

[Jaycinth]

I discovered that it is quite hard to compose either a proper query or a proper synopsis without a title for the work in question.

So, until further notice, I'm re-naming my first book, " EMGE " (Extreme Makeover: Galaxy Edition)." The title "Washington Sex Tapes" is catchy but, just doesn't tell the story.

( The previous name was "Sources' Code" any ideas? )

I didn't get real writing done, but I made a kickin' soup, bread, wrote two letters and got a bunch of bookkeeping done. I didn't fool with book two but I really looked at book three. Didn't change anything...yet.

Oh! I did some critiquing but didn't finish.

[Birol]

*Lori walks in carrying two garbage can lids. She stops in the middle of the room and bangs them together, making a racket loud enough to wake the dead.*

Now that I have your attention.... Barb's off this week. Her oldest child and his family are arriving from out-of-state to visit and celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. Needless to say, she's a bit pre-occupied and short on time, so I told her I'd respond to this week's reports for her. Except.... They seem to be lost somewhere out in the internet ether.

Me, I wrote nearly 3700 words as well as completed lots and lots of schoolwork. I have one scene to write and one scene to tweak in POV Character #4's storyline for TBWN. After that, it is just a matter of putting the four different storylines in order (each POV character is currently in a different file) and writing the climax. And maybe a little sanding to smooth out a couple of temporal paradoxes. Then, the whole thing gets sent to my writing group to tell me where it sucks. I told them they'd have it before the end of the year; they're expecting it before Christmas.

Now, if the rest of you could repost your progress reports for this week, I have this bag of shiny gold stars and this nifty taser and nowhere to use them.

[maestrowork]

OK, I reported, and I'm not going to do it again.

Just zap me and get it over with. Life is taunting me already anyway.

[Good Word]

Well, my total from Saturday to Saturday was 2900 or so, which I would be okay with usually, but not when I've been trying to do the 1k 2day challenge. I get off-kilter with traveling, even when bringing the trusty laptop...and here we are with Thanksgiving, and more traveling.

I am happy with my overall word count--I produced almost as many words in the last four-week period (on my novel) than I did in the past year. And I like what it's becoming. Things were flowing well, but now I'm a little stumped. Gotta get some good input, maybe do a little research...

Lisa

[Good Word]

Can I zap Ray?

[allenparker]

Wrote nothing. I am on strike until I get a contract on NGYG. I refuse to sign paychecks, order material, or even sign my will.

NANO... nope, not a word.

1k2day.... 0kthisweek.

I have written more words on this post than in any of my other stuff.

I'll just sit in the corner and sulk until I feel like writing.

Okay, I'm over it. Will do better this week.

Okay, I'm well grounded, got my asbestos underwear on, and have my padded pants in place. Give me your best shot...

allen

[triceretops]

Well, I'm back for now, don't know how long. If I go under I'll just blow bubbles. I think my last total was 3,000 words for the week which brings the grand total to 5,500. I'm moving like a sloth on this--who said contemporary fantasy was easy? Actually, I don't care how you cut it, it's MAINSTREAM until the magical elements are added, so now I'm trying to write like King and get all fantsy smanchy. I'll report in next Sunday if I'm flyin' in cyber.

Tri

[Kida Adelyne]

After I reported last week, I found out that I really didn't like the novel I was writing for Nano. It's sucks. So, I'm not writing it anymore. After a lengthly conversation with my muse I decided to write a novel almost entirely based on dares. I wrote 3k on that before I suddenly stopped all productive activity. I was all set to give up on Nano, and then my mother scolded me, and now I'm armed with nine pages of dares fron the Fantasy Dare thread from nanowrimo forums, and I'm ready to take off. I fully plan on writing the 4.5k a day I need to to catch up. Wheee!:Shrug:

-Ally


Ps. Kita still had no internet. I don't know if she's going to report during class (the only time she has internet) but I do know she's still very much on track with Nano, incase she doesn't get to report.

[Yeshanu]

NANO... nope, not a word.
Over in the NaNo forum I've started the "Come From Behind Thread." Just for you, Allen. Okay, maybe not just for you, but you can join us...

[Unique]

Hello? Is this AW WPR Amnesty International?


Seven thousand nine hundred fifteen words this week.
I only need that many each day to catch up!

I've found out the best way to pad the old word count is to stick two of you in a room and let you talk to each other.

Bad Allen, Bad Ray...zap 'em Lori. You can even give them my jolt. They deserve it.:wag:

[scfirenice]

Total page count was 30. 25 in my fiction WIP and 5 in a new short vs. essay vs. article...we'll see when it's done. 4 submissions and already got one rejection back (I think they boomeranged it.) That's it. Unique....how do you do it?

[Unique]

Unique....how do you do it?

I use AW people for characters. You know they talk a lot. They do it in my stories, too.:D

[gina]

Wow all the threads in here from the weekend are gone! I read about the site switch. I checked in as well back on Friday night. Had almost 16,000 words last week, and I'm already working on things for this week. Although they might be a bit slower with the holiday. Not sure yet. I did find out my one site through Media Village is now on their hot list, so that makes it one of their top sites. Started there last week of September, so i'm happy to have moved up the ranks so quickly.

[Birol]

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2005

Hey Gang!

*counts on fingers*

*counts on toes*

Um... I might as well get it over with: I did not come close to 1k 2day this week. I'm starting today with a tally of 3,398 words.

In my defense, I will say that I have been writing diligently every single day.

* 2 queries for my puzzle book.
* 2 educational newsletters for the gig that pays my bills
* 2 batches of greeting cards
* 1 requested revision of a sub made last month
* 1 letter of introduction for an up and coming pub I'd really
like to write for.

Add in the fact that my eldest is coming in town early next week with his family to celebrate both Thanksgiving AND Christmas and there was shopping and planning, etc. PLUS my M-I-L's birthday was Wednesday (again with the shopping and the planning). Not to mention the small blue chickens in floppy hats... er... never mind.

*Whew*

I feel better for getting that off my chest. I still have some clean-up work and a little research to do for the last newsletter (deadline: today). Then I plan to work on my Novel Query and the next humor column (and possibly a prompt for this forum http://66.116.174.26/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif). Next week, I will be in editor mode as my family will be gathering for the holidays. I have a short story to rewrite and a YA novel to start editing.

If by some chance, I DO NOT SHOW UP NEXT WEEKEND, nobody panic. I will simply be basking in the glow of family. I'm sure everyone will carry on without me.

So, how's by you? Step right up and take the microphone. Speak clearly and don't stand too close to the amp. We don't like that pesky feedback.

BaRb

[Birol]

Well, this is indeed a sad day. It looks like I'm leaving the internet for an undetermined length of time, maybe forever--I don't know. Suffice to say my ISP roomate provider has gotten in an argument with another roomate, who has defiantly used this computer for the most degrading sites imaginable, which has constantly attacked it with virus, spyware and whatnots. I'm the innocent victim who uses the computer, and now everything is going to be shut off. This has been a reacuring problem for a year now--it's finally come to a head.

I don't know what to say--I feel that my career is up in smoke because most of my contacts to agents and editors are of the email variety, and I have dozens of subs out there that haven't made it back yet. I have no Writer's Market, so I don't know how I'll continue any submission process unless I walk five miles to the library. I can only continue writing, and hope that one day this issue gets resolved.

Just wanted all of you to know how much you've meant to me for the last 11 months. I've truly been in heaven here, but all things come to an end at some point. I'll try to come back, like Houdini said, and it will surely take some magic or good luck on my part. Carry on, all of you, in good faith, stay strong and, oh yes, you must prosper.

My deadline is this evening some time.

Triceratops

Whoops, while I'm still alive here, I've managed another 3,000 for the week. Trying to find a comprimise and see if I can't manage a seperate dial up service type option to return.

Tri

Well, I'm back for now, don't know how long. If I go under I'll just blow bubbles. I think my last total was 3,000 words for the week which brings the grand total to 5,500. I'm moving like a sloth on this--who said contemporary fantasy was easy? Actually, I don't care how you cut it, it's MAINSTREAM until the magical elements are added, so now I'm trying to write like King and get all fantsy smanchy. I'll report in next Sunday if I'm flyin' in cyber.

Tri

Tri, we need to work on your perceptions of reality. Writing 5,500 words while dealing with internet disconnectivity issues is not "moving like a sloth". Is it your normal speed? No. But your normal speed is just not natural. Of course you're going to have weeks that are, by your standards, off. Deal with the roommate who is threatening to take you from us, get your internet issues worked out, and I bet you're right back on track next week.

Stars for you: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gif


Not that I will miss being shown up by you, but I certainly will misss your input. Please hury back.

REPORT:

Wrote absolutely nothing. Not a word. This is the most consecutive letters i have written this week.

As for 1k2day? Nope.

NANO... failure again.

Revising of previous WIP, about 30,000 words.

Still, no new stuff.

I decided that for t his particular day, and on Monday, that it would be prudent to wear a pair of asbestos boxers with a good grounding system.

Get out the jumper cables Barb. Let'r rip!

Wrote nothing. I am on strike until I get a contract on NGYG. I refuse to sign paychecks, order material, or even sign my will.

NANO... nope, not a word.

1k2day.... 0kthisweek.

I have written more words on this post than in any of my other stuff.

I'll just sit in the corner and sulk until I feel like writing.

Okay, I'm over it. Will do better this week.

Okay, I'm well grounded, got my asbestos underwear on, and have my padded pants in place. Give me your best shot...

allen

Yep. You are deserving of the taser. Allen, we know you are much better than this.

ZZZzzzTTTtttt Now, get back to work and produce something, okay?

Working on new query letter, for book one.
Working on new title for book one.
I am avoiding re-writing the synopsis on book one.

I am ignoring book two. I am ignoring book two. I am ignoring book two.

I have put all of my chapters, chapter fragments and notes for book three in the 'book three' file on my computer. It is a mess and it has no logical ending. By April it should have.

(SHHHHHH I know what happens in book 4, don't tell my muse, she drinks on fridays and she has an iron skillet)

I discovered that it is quite hard to compose either a proper query or a proper synopsis without a title for the work in question.

So, until further notice, I'm re-naming my first book, " EMGE " (Extreme Makeover: Galaxy Edition)." The title "Washington Sex Tapes" is catchy but, just doesn't tell the story.

( The previous name was "Sources' Code" any ideas? )

I didn't get real writing done, but I made a kickin' soup, bread, wrote two letters and got a bunch of bookkeeping done. I didn't fool with book two but I really looked at book three. Didn't change anything...yet.

Oh! I did some critiquing but didn't finish.

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/Emoterofl5.gif Interesting, ah, titles, but reading between the lines, it sounds like some procrastinating might be going on. Small, motivating zap for you. ZZzzzttt

How can we help with the title? (I apologize now if I'm wrong about that procrastinating thing.)

Again, nothing this week on Crap, the Novel (aka CTN). Zap me. Beat me. Abuse me. Been overwhelmed with personal matters, governmental wrangling, general fan-hitting with s***. Been doing some marketing stuff with TPB and SoS. Awards. Stuff. Started on a short story.

OK, I reported, and I'm not going to do it again.

Just zap me and get it over with. Life is taunting me already anyway.

Ray, my brother, life is beating you up enough right now. No stars, but no zaps either. How about a hug? http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteHug2.gif

(Lisa, Unique, sorry to disappoint you ladies.)


A good week. I think I may be getting more into a groove when it comes to my writing positions. Wrote just under 16,000 words this week. Also found my fiction museand wrote two and half pages by hand last night. Just need to type those in. Not sure about the week ahead with the holiday and all.

Wow all the threads in here from the weekend are gone! I read about the site switch. I checked in as well back on Friday night. Had almost 16,000 words last week, and I'm already working on things for this week. Although they might be a bit slower with the holiday. Not sure yet. I did find out my one site through Media Village is now on their hot list, so that makes it one of their top sites. Started there last week of September, so i'm happy to have moved up the ranks so quickly.

Good work, Gina. Stars for you: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gif

I know keeping the flow during the holidays and with family and friends around can be a bit rough, but this is just the start of the season. If you're in the US, I'll grant you Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, off, but for the rest of the week, make yourself right for a certain amount of time or a certain wordcount each day to keep in the habit. They don't have to be good words; you can rewrite them next week. Just tell your family and friends that your job only allowed you the one day off this year. Slave drivers.

We kind of lost some posts, here, due to the move.

But I didn't report over the weekend. I was too busy...

Writing! As of Saturday night, my word count stood at 4200 words for NaNo, which, if you've been paying attention, is approximately the same as it was last week. At the close of my writing day on Sunday, this is what I wrote:

Quote:


I need twenty five more freaking words to make ten thousand. Fourteen after that sentence. Ten more after that one. Four. Three. Two. Ten thousand!


All right, so it's a bit cheesy. But I did 5800 words yesterday. Hoping to do something similar today (as soon as I get off the forums) as I am taking a day off work.

Congratulations, Ruth. Yes, the last 25 words were, ah, I bit on the stretching it thin side, but to get 9,975 legitimate words in one week is quite the accomplishment. Stars for you: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gif

Well, my total from Saturday to Saturday was 2900 or so, which I would be okay with usually, but not when I've been trying to do the 1k 2day challenge. I get off-kilter with traveling, even when bringing the trusty laptop...and here we are with Thanksgiving, and more traveling.

I am happy with my overall word count--I produced almost as many words in the last four-week period (on my novel) than I did in the past year. And I like what it's becoming. Things were flowing well, but now I'm a little stumped. Gotta get some good input, maybe do a little research...

Lisa

Lisa, this week, like Gina, you are only allowed Thanksgiving Day off. Otherwise, 1K 2Day. That means you need to have 6000 words written by next report. But, if you don't achieve that, no beating yourself up. Just dust yourself off and start over the next day.

Have a star for keeping the forward momentum going: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gif

(But no using research as a procrastination tool.)

After I reported last week, I found out that I really didn't like the novel I was writing for Nano. It's sucks. So, I'm not writing it anymore. After a lengthly conversation with my muse I decided to write a novel almost entirely based on dares. I wrote 3k on that before I suddenly stopped all productive activity. I was all set to give up on Nano, and then my mother scolded me, and now I'm armed with nine pages of dares fron the Fantasy Dare thread from nanowrimo forums, and I'm ready to take off. I fully plan on writing the 4.5k a day I need to to catch up. Wheee!:Shrug:

-Ally


Ps. Kita still had no internet. I don't know if she's going to report during class (the only time she has internet) but I do know she's still very much on track with Nano, incase she doesn't get to report.

Um, let's see, you started a novel, decided you didn't like it, and then trashed it to start a new and better novel. Not buying it. Sounds like the "Shiny New Object" syndrome to me. No stars, but I have to check with Barb to see if I can zap you yet or not.

As for Kita, since she's still on track for NaNo -- that's quite an accomplishment at this point in the challenge -- one that I was never able to achieve when I Nano'd -- here's her stars. Please see that she gets them? http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gif

Hello? Is this AW WPR Amnesty International?


Seven thousand nine hundred fifteen words this week.
I only need that many each day to catch up!

I've found out the best way to pad the old word count is to stick two of you in a room and let you talk to each other.

Bad Allen, Bad Ray...zap 'em Lori. You can even give them my jolt. They deserve it.:wag:

Unique, I understand that you're behind on Nano, but 7,915 words in one week is nothing to sneeze at. Here's your reward: ZZZzzzTTTtttt

Masochist. ;)

Total page count was 30. 25 in my fiction WIP and 5 in a new short vs. essay vs. article...we'll see when it's done. 4 submissions and already got one rejection back (I think they boomeranged it.) That's it. Unique....how do you do it?

SC, that's an awesome number of pages. You should be proud. (Stop comparing yourself to Unique. The only person you're in competition with is yourself.) Have a couple of stars: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteSun.gif(I took one away because you seem to think you can do better. Have at it.)

[Birol]

Fair warning. Barb says it's okay to zap you again. Heehee. Best be good this week. ;)

[Kida Adelyne]

Fair warning. Barb says it's okay to zap you again. Heehee. Best be good this week. ;)

Really, it was utter crap. Depressed the heck out of me. I forced myself to keep writing and turned up with a new plot.

[allenparker]

Really, it was utter crap. Depressed the heck out of me. I forced myself to keep writing and turned up with a new plot.


I know the feeling. THe stench from my NANO novel kept setting off the smoke alarms. I finally had to have my son clean the harddrive of all remnants of the beast.

I did notice Bill Gates climbing into the trash can looking for the rest of the story. I see a new Windows version on the horizon.... Windows NANO.

Allen...

[Birol]

... it's already Friday.

So wake up, Slackers!


Barb hasn't wrestled the taser back from me quite yet and it's time to report. I don't know when she's planning on doing that. I suspect she's planning a sneak attack.

My week has been busy and a bit weird temporally. On top of the holiday (it's Thanksgiving in the States) and it's related family-obligations, I've accepted new responsibilities that have put my schedule off-kilter.

As I type this, I'm sitting in what was my childhood room that, in its most recent incarnation, is a spare bedroom that has been partially redecorated for my nephew. Prior to this, it was a den and there was no bed in here, just a futon. These days, there's a Winnie-the-Pooh poster on the wall, stuffed animals and children's books stacked in baskets, pictures of people my mother wants my nephew to recognize and know, plastic drawers and baskets of my old plastic army soldiers and other toys. (I wonder if my mother would look at me too strangely if she found a battle scene mocked out on the kitchen table when she woke up?) My laptop is squeezed onto a much smaller desk than I'm accustomed to amidst a phone, ten-key calculator, Santa Claus snow globe, a touch lamp, and baskets and cups filled with various envelopes, scrap paper, pencils and pens.

How many of the rest of you are displaced this week and writing amidst family obligations, cooking responsibilities, and shopping expeditions that have your sleep schedule turned completely on its head in an environment that has you wondering where on earth the dictionary is? Are you managing to keep up with your goals? What tricks are you using to stay on top of your writing? Are you making the most of the situation by recharging your creativity and jotting down notes about the family anecdotes?

I'm not certain of my final word count, yet, so I'm going to hold off reporting until Sunday. For my fellow Statians, sound off as you are able to escape from the 1001-retelling of the time you held your cousin in the electric fence. For the rest, just sound off.

[gina]

My holiday was spent quietly at home, so no interruptions there. However, since my two writing gigs are in the entertainment field, I won't have much to write on that front this weekend because the holiday weekend is known as an extremely slow news time. That's what I meant by things slowing down on my last report. Can't write what I usually write if there is nothing for me to write about. I foresee another slow period the end of December, but since I've been running myself a bit ragged between my two writing gigs writing over 15,000 words a week most weeks, I'm going to enjoy taking things a bit slower in December, and also possibly use the opportunity to try to get back to my fiction writing, that is if I can find my muses. They are still hiding a bit. Even though I also wrote a few pages by hand in one of my works in progress. My nonfiction pursuits keep me so busy. It is hard to find time to fit everything in. Slower doesn't mean stopping in my case because one of my sites needs daily content. Just took a look at the word count so far for the week, and I'm just under 10,000 right now. I usually include Friday's total as well, and I do have a couple of posts for my one site to write up later on, and of course any news that happens to come in. One television news story was all that came in today, when there is usually thirty or forty to choose from.

Earlier this week, my one site over at Media Village, Thoughts from the Couch, was named one of the sites Hot Blogs. I just started writing for the site the last week of September, so my site there seems to be growing quickly. I've always heard of some other things in the works there, but I can't report on them now because they are still in development.

Hope everyone had a great holiday!

ETA: Ended up with just a bit under 11,000 for the week, including Friday's total.

[Unique]

(I wonder if my mother would look at me too strangely if she found a battle scene mocked out on the kitchen table when she woke up?)[/b]



Oh, do it! Do it, do it, do it....I'll love you forever if you do it...hee hee. I love to torment the mother creatures...don't you?

[triceretops]

Unique--you is juss so baaaaad...little hurely girlie!

Tri:Hail:

[allenparker]

Well, what once were vices, now are habits, as th album title goes.

Cooked a turkey while contemplating writing.
Cooked a ham while in deep thoughts and plot development.
Decided to that I type best when there is a computer within fifty feet of me.

Stowed away the left over ham and turkey while staring into space.
Made ham salad as I parused the cosmos.

Sat on the couch staring at the insides of my eyelids, watching the clouds circle around my pupils.

Wrote 1600 words.

edited 100.

Okay, who gets the honor of zapping Allen?

[Birol]

Oh, do it! Do it, do it, do it....I'll love you forever if you do it...hee hee. I love to torment the mother creatures...don't you?


Thing is, Unique, my mother would probably just look at the table, raise one eyebrow, maybe shoot a I'm-not-going-to-ask look at me, shake her head, and continue on to the coffee pot. Even when we were growing up, there wasn't a lot that my brother or I could do that really rattled her. Except for the time we knocked the picture that hung above the couch where she was sleeping off the wall or the time my sixteen year old brother let my twelve year old self drive, the biggest reaction we could hope for was "Are you two through now" and this only when she wanted our attention for some reason.

[Good Word]

Well, I did write. A little. 1300 words. Most of it directly into the manuscript. One silly dustjacket blurb.

My word count is at 28660. I will be thrilled to break 30k by the end of the month. If I get farther than that it's a bonus. I'm far from the 1k per day at this point, but I'm still moving forward.

Go ahead, zap me.

[scfirenice]

I did nothing. Absolutely nothing. I might and I repeat MIGHT have written 5 pages, but....that could be fuzzy math. http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_6_8.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxdm824YYUS)

There, I saved you the trouble.

[triceretops]

Well, I started on the fantasy novel, and began to pick up momentum on it, when half way through the week I got a request from an agent for a full hard copy manuscript--from just a query. So the book stopped at 9,000 words, which was a gain of about 5,500 for the week.

The reason I stopped is because I feel that the second book, which was requested, deserved a third rewrite and polish before I sent it in, just like the first book received. So here Tri was again, caught uprepared to deliver the goods. So I've been on the rewrite, and so far I have 320 pages done of the 406 needed. I'm glad I decided to give it the third-over, because, alas, I missed a mess of things again!

BTW, this agent called AND emailed me. He's legit, but new.

I hope everyone is still enjoying their holliday turkey fest weekend and all the football.

Tri

[Jaycinth]

Retrieved my query letter (written and lost in cyber space last week).

I need feedback so I'm posting it somewhere around here. Either queries or Science Fiction.

I worked on (WIP3) 'Shiva's Dance', eliminating 20k words, and turning the thing into a neat 55k WIP. I liked some of the things I deleted so now I am 10k into book 4 without trying. I didn't mean to do this, but my muse is a mean drunk, she's got an iron skillet and the 'Skins lost for the 3rd week in a row. I'm not going to give the woman any excuses. . .


My plan is to polish the query letter for 'Alien Source', research and send out 20 queries by January 3rd.

I did not look at book two. It does not exist until January 3rd 2006.

Since I better have a writing goal, lets say I develop a gripping beginning for chapter one of 'Shiva's Dance' and/or a working synopsis of the same.

Oh, and I posted a veggie soup recipie on the recipie thread. It will make tummies happy.

[Birol]

My report:

Contacted two new markets. One wants column ideas from me. We'll see what I can come up with.
Wrote 235 new words in TBWN.

Also, as you may or may not know, TBWN has four POV characters. I've been keeping each POV character's story in a separate file to work on. This week I:

Determined the seqence for the scenes.
Combined the scenes into one file.
The above was actually a major undertaking. However, in so doing, I discovered (for those of you who have been asking) that the story is currently 65.5K long and I have 27 chapters mostly completed (there's still 2 3/4 scenes that occur before Chapter 27 that need to be written). Was quite surprised to see it all together like that. The thing is nearing completion. Finally.

I probably won't be able to do much work on it until after December 12th, though, as it's the end of the semester.

[batyler65]

Everyone survive the weekend?

I'm not so sure about myself. I'm in that post-holiday letdown. Just sent my kid and his family back home yesterday and the house is oddly quiet and empty. Guess that means lots of uninterrupted writing time. *sigh*


GINA:
Way to go! Congrats on the Hot Blog listing. That is great news. I understand about the slowdown. I write educational material as my main paying gig and it is 9 months on, 3 months off (pesky summer break). I'm getting ready to head into my own hiatus. Hunt down those muses and make them get busy! :) :) :)

ALLEN:
ZZZZTTTTT!!!!!! Get up off that couch and get busy, mister. Write something. Write it even if it is bad. You CAN NOT FIX A BLANK PAGE.




LISA:
30k by the end of the month will redeem you(Bud says bring puddin'). For the moment… You are still moving forward. But since you seem to think you need it: ZZZZZzzzztttttt!! Get moving, the month is almost over!



SC:
I like your zappy smilie. Five pages is not ABSOLUTELY nothing. Next to nothing maybe, but definitely NOT absolutely nothing. Get it together and do better this week. Aim to double last week's output. Just don't stop. :)


TRI:
WooHoo! *crosses fingers* Here's wishing you luck on this latest request for a full. Get the thing in the mail! I'm also glad to see that you are still with us. The new book will wait. Keep us posted! 'Nana dance! http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gif


JAYCINTH:
I love it that as you finish up one project you are already setting the next goals. Applause for you! http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoteClap.gif Good luck with the query. I'm still mucking around with mine. *grumble* :) :) :)


LORI:
*Reads label* Some Assembly Required. Hmm. Somehow, I don't think that would catch on in the world of publishing. Congrats on getting the book together. Now all we have to do is wait for the big boffo climax! Hopefully, you will be reporting on that by the end of the year. Ooh, and a column! Yippee!!! That would be a great gig for you. Want to tell us what type of market it is? Hmm? :) :) :)


I can't help but notice that some of our major players seem to keep going missing. If you see them, send them home.

[Birol]

Ooh, and a column! Yippee!!! That would be a great gig for you. Want to tell us what type of market it is? Hmm?

This isn't anything to get too excited about yet. It was a blind ad and although they've contacted me, I'm still feeling them out, as they probably are me. While, I do know the type of market, I prefer to wait to see how things fall out before providing more details. Probably shouldn't even have mentioned it in my report yet, but I had to tell you something. ;)

[Yeshanu]

My muse got into my extra-secret stash of vintage vodka this week, and I started having all sorts of weird ideas. Right now, she's urging me to invent a flush toilet for cats...

About mid-week she hit me with another fantasy novel idea, which I just kind of stuck into my NaNo, but with different coloured letters. Oooh! Pretty! I'm calling it "SNO Job! An AW-full Bard's Tale of How a Motley Bunch of Kooks Saved the World by Destroying The One Cookie Recipe." (SNO stands for Shiny New Object -- thanks, Lori! (I think.)) Skeptics will not that I simply need to write the title 2273 times and I'll be over 50,000 words.

Actually, since I've written another 8200 words this week (and yes, some of it was on my original NaNo book) on top of the 10,000 I had at this time last week, I only need to write the title 1445 1/2 times in order to reach 50,000...

SNO Job! An AW-full Bard's Tale of How a Motley Bunch of Kooks Saved the World by Destroying The One Cookie Recipe (1444 1/2)

SNO Job! An AW-full Bard's Tale of How a Motley Bunch of Kooks Saved the World by Destroying The One Cookie Recipe (1443 1/2)

SNO Job! An AW-full Bard's Tale of How a Motley Bunch of Kooks Saved the World by Destroying The One Cookie Recipe (1442 1/2)





(Whaddya mean, that doesn't count...) :)

[ChunkyC]

Sorry, been busy signing copies of Stories of Strength. *preen*

Okay, so that actually took all of three minutes.

I can't remember when I was here last. Sorry, Barberina. I've been swamped at work, looking after this joint for Jenna while she's away, trying to promote SoS, writing my column ... now there was something else, I can't quite put my finger on it, lemme see what could it be....

oh.


OH.

...and trying to keep the wife happy. But no new words in H&A. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/frown.gif

Beat me
tazer me
lather me
razor me

I deserve it.

[Good Word]

Chunk, you deserve lots of good things for what you've been dealing with lately, and if you consider those things (lathering, tazering, etc.) your bonus for the week, I say...well, to each his own. :)

[Kida Adelyne]

Hullo sorry I'm late :Hail:
I wrote 2k or somthing this week. I then got very depressed, had a nervous break down, spent a lot of time being generally very unhappy for several reasons. Then today I decided to be happy, and had a very good day. I'm going to be back to normal now, though (obviously) I'm not going to finish Nano. Most of my writing will probably be school related until christmas break (W00t... not.)

Any-who. you can tazer me, as I fully deserve it.


As for Kita: she still had no acess to the internet, but she was, as of today, at 45k on Nano. I shall tell you for her sake when she is finished so you can all make her stop moping about how talentless she is (it's a load of hookie, as she has many talents, but try telling her that. :rolleyes: )
Ciao!

-Ally

[batyler65]

Beat me
tazer me
lather me
razor me


Ooh, CC, you DO know how to turn a girl's head. ;)

I was going to fuss at you mightily, but now my head is filled with all these other ideas... er... um... Did I just type that aloud?

Thought so.

Deep breaths, Charlie. Okay. Now that I've stopped hyperventilating, you need to get back to work on that book. Carve out ten minutes a day, twenty if you can spare them. You've fallen out of the habit, my dear and you need to fall back in.

[batyler65]

(SNO stands for Shiny New Object -- thanks, Lori! (I think.))


(Whaddya mean, that doesn't count...) :)

Ruth, back away from the shiny object NOW.

(Lori, what the heck did you think you were doing, passing that thing around?)


I can't zap you because your word total puts you above the 1k 2day challenge. Plus it's just a darned impressive total.

Keep writing, and stay out of the plumbing.

[batyler65]

Hullo sorry I'm late :Hail:
I wrote 2k or somthing this week. I then got very depressed, had a nervous break down, spent a lot of time being generally very unhappy for several reasons. Then today I decided to be happy, and had a very good day. I'm going to be back to normal now, though (obviously) I'm not going to finish Nano. Most of my writing will probably be school related until christmas break (W00t... not.)

Any-who. you can tazer me, as I fully deserve it.


ZZZZZtttttttttttt!

There, feel better now?

Sorry about NaNo. I really had high hopes of you finishing. But, then, life sometimes hands us hurdles that are hard to get over. Keep writing, Ally. There's always next year. ;)





As for Kita: she still had no acess to the internet, but she was, as of today, at 45k on Nano. I shall tell you for her sake when she is finished so you can all make her stop moping about how talentless she is (it's a load of hookie, as she has many talents, but try telling her that. :rolleyes: )
Ciao!

-Ally

Yes, please tell us when Kita finishes. *Passes Ally hugs to give to Kita* You are officially in charge of handing out hugs for all the hard work she has done this month.

Any idea when she will be reconnected to the Internet?

Let us know.

[Unique]

:poke: *quit poking, quit poking...I'll tell them myself.


Ahem. According to the mighty counter of word, I am at 21,614. How many were words of this week? I have no clue.

Will I finish NaNo at 50,000? heh heh. On one of these threads it clearly states, 'I reserve the right to cheat at the last minute.' ...and so I might.

At some point in the business, it went from something I was doing for fun to something I was doing for a reason. No matter that I don't know what the reason is...it still took a lot of the joi de verve out of it. sigh. there's always next year.

:poke: *you can quit poking me now

[batyler65]

:poke: *quit poking, quit poking...I'll tell them myself.


Ahem. According to the mighty counter of word, I am at 21,614. How many were words of this week? I have no clue.

Will I finish NaNo at 50,000? heh heh. On one of these threads it clearly states, 'I reserve the right to cheat at the last minute.' ...and so I might.

At some point in the business, it went from something I was doing for fun to something I was doing for a reason. No matter that I don't know what the reason is...it still took a lot of the joi de verve out of it. sigh. there's always next year.

:poke: *you can quit poking me now

Um... Unique? You know it's not a good sign when invisible people are poking you, right?

21k is a lot of writing to just abandon. I hope you will pick it up and finish it regardless of the deadline for NaNo.

ZZZZZzzzzzzttttttt!

Thought you deserved that. You have written quite a bit. :)

[Good Word]

Unique, I applaud you. Keep going.

Me, I haven't met the daily challenge of 1k2day, but I am at 29k on my manuscript (not all of it this month). Not sure if I'm going to make it to 30 today--I'm so tired I'm shaking but I'm going to do a little more. Unfortunately this last day I had cabinets put up in my kitchen starting at 6 am, had an editing deadline (made it) and other things I am too tired to mention...gotta keep going...gotta keep going...zzzz.

[Good Word]

Did it.

Checking in with a total word count of 30,508. Will figure out how many were done this month in the am.

[MacAllister]

Wa HOO!!!!!! Way to friggin' GO, Lisa! :D

I managed to submit a short, this week, and I'm still slogging along on the rewrite.

Wait...

Is it time to report? What day is it?

[Unique]

Wait...

Is it time to report? What day is it?

It's Tuesday, Mac....you're early.


(or late - depending)

[Birol]

Tuesday? But that means.... Oh, shoot. *Lori runs out of the house in her PJs.*

[MacAllister]

Tuesday?


That's funny. My computer clock says Thursday...

Damned daylight savings time, anyway.

[maestrowork]

That's funny. My computer clock says Thursday...

Damned daylight savings time, anyway.

I think that's called weekday savings time. :)

[MacAllister]

I think that's called weekday savings time.
Oh GREAT!

Whose freaking bright idea was that? As if we don't already have a gross imbalance between weekdays and weekends?!

[Kida Adelyne]

Reporting in for Kita:

SHE DID IT!!!!!!!!

she tells me she completed Nano sometime before midnight and completed her novel at 52,900 words around 2am. She's letting me read the manuscript on the sole condition that I keep my inner editor at bay. :)

Okie, that's it. I failed miserably at Nano, but there's always next year.

-Ally

[allenparker]

I had been sitting around my office all day long thinking about how little my slaves...errr.. workers were accomplishing during the 6 and 1/2 day work week. With the holidays coming and my fat February royalty check appearing just over the horizon, I decided we needed a couple extra days in the week for my people to tote the barge and lift the bales. Most of their noses were getting a little long, so I also forced them to keep their noses to the grindstone an extra amount. They will shortly notice a beauty deduction in their paycheck envelop.

Just one more deduction and I should have them working for me for life without parole...errr pay.

Allen the clothes compulsive nudist.

[Yeshanu]

Tuesday?


That's funny. My computer clock says Thursday...

Damned daylight savings time, anyway.
Then there's me. I've had three Wednesdays this week.

Went to my boss on Tuesday, telling him I'd have to take a half day on Friday, and he told me to remind him Thursday. I said, "Okay, I'll remind you tomorrow."

I honestly thought it was Wednesday. Today, I went to remind him, and he said, "Isn't tomorrow Thursday?" (He was joking. I think...)

Anyhow,

http://bestsmileys.com/fireworks/7.gif


Congrats to Kita and Lisa for accomplishing so much this month!

[batyler65]

Friday, DECEMBER(!!) 2, 2005

Oh my goodness! How did THAT happen? We are already closing in on the end of another year. I must admit, I am making a terrible showing for myself for the last quarter.

This week, I worked on my novel query and synopsis. (Somebody shoot me now and get it over with, okay?) At the current rate, I might have the query done by New Year's. Sheesh, I managed to shut out the internal editor for a whole novel... 421 pages... but now she is rearing her ugly head every single time I try to put a word in the query. *sigh*

I also worked on my humor column which is due on Monday. Need to finish that up today. I also generated 20 new query ideas over the past two days, wrote a bit in my humor journal, cooked up a couple of kooky card ideas and sent off a query to a natl. magazine yesterday. Oh. And I accepted two bonus assignments from my educational gig.

I have a mighty long to-do list piling up on me. Still haven't finished rewriting the short story, and there are a couple of fast-approaching greeting card deadlines. Add in my youngest son's 13th birthday on Monday, holiday shopping, another child's birthday on the 23 and the holidays themselves... Well, I'm feeling a bit overworked.

What's up in your neck of the woods? I'm making a list. Checking it twice. Which are you? Naughty... Nice?

[batyler65]

WOOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

'Nana dance for Kita and Lisa!!!!!!


http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoticonbanana.gif

[Birol]

WAY TO GO, LISA & KITA!




http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emotePartySmiley.gif:PartySmil

[allenparker]

WIP 3500 words
Edit 50 pages

NANO salvage 10,000 word edit

Spent a few hours outlining the Newest work, starring Benny and Leonard. There is also the annual family Christmas story. I have half of the family story written, about 400 words.

Nothing spectacular. Oh, for those keeping track, the writing strike was ended when my wife threatened a sex strike unless I produced some income producing writings. My wife's strikes always oulast mine. I can't seem to win those battles.

Back to the grindstone.

Allen
editted to corect some pore speling

[gina]

Word count for the week 10,048

Busy week. I was sick had a migraine and I had some issues getting my cable internet hooked up and running. Spent a lot of hours on the phone to only have someone come out Saturday morning and mess up the job. I figured out what they did wrong, and fixed it. Never knew how sensitive a cable internet connection could be. We even lost our cable television on two of the television sets. Stressful week.
A lot of the television shows that I review for my review site are going off for the month in the next week or two, so I'll have some downtime the last two weeks of December. I'll only have to maintain my one blog at Media Village with some shorter movie and music reviews on my review site to keep content going.

[Kida Adelyne]

Hullo, I've spent the entire week working on school work and I got a bit done. I have an essay due in a week, as well a short story for creative writing, so I'll be working on those this week.

I did manage a little bit of editing of Picat's Rebellion. Not much, maybe two pages. I'm also starting to work on plot stuff for my 'Novella' (it's really a long short story) for creative writing.

-Ally

[jdkiggins]

This is Sunday, right? Haven't reported for several weeks, and to be honest, I don't have anything to report. I think I have a few hundred words in my blog the past few days, but that's about it.

I'll get back into the swing of things this week during my late evening hours. :D

[Unique]

Just a few doodle bugs on the paper. My brain has recovered from NaNo (thank you very much)

I just came back from the store and I have:

One new 5 subject notebook
One pack of colored pencils (Cover Art)
One GIANT bag of Smarties
Two bags of extra strength coffee

I spent the last week reading. Remember reading? My favorite thing to do? I answered a post from mkparker offering a bunch of back issues of Writer's Digest - they came. :faint: I have enough copies to be reading til next NaNo. Thanks, Mary! Another dear friend loaned me two books on writing and I'm reading those, too. Thanks, dear friend who shall remain blameless. for my writing endeavors - unless I become famous. Then he gets credit.

I'm ready to roll. (On the Rest of the Story)(And yes, the Chicken Series is perking too)

[scfirenice]

Lets see. I finished and subbed a short story to EQUUS magazine (3000 words) sent a REQUESTED (yipee) partial after having a mild heart attack from finally getting a positive response and added 13 pages to as yet unnamed novel Three. So page total for the weeks is around 23. I hate doing word counts b/c there are too many formulas to come up with them. E=MC2, take the number of characters and divide by your bra size, use the word count button then ignore that and multiply by your shoe size...I can't keep up, but I can tell you how many pages I wrote......Inique, I'd zap you myself, but you'd enjoy it too much.

[Jaycinth]

Re-wrote Query but forgot to post it and left disk at home.

Wrote (Now don't have a heart attack...) my synopsis. Checks in at 1400 words. Forgot to post it and left disk at home.

Shiva's Dance ( book three) Futted around but could not get beginning right, but I know the characters I'm going to drag out of my universe to begin it...All of the ones my 'readers' have fallen in love with who are still alive.

I am still ignoring Parallel Course ( book the 2) I promised that when I finished it I would put it away and not tinker for at least 30 days ( well the promise was until mid January...) Buuuut Iwant to tinker!!!!

Made some rocking Caramel, chocolate, pecan and french vanilla cookies. MMMMMMM they were so nice warm and soft from the oven with the caramel and chocolate all gooey and nice.......MMMMMMMMM ( Yes I mean the cookies consisted of all those ingredients...each and every cookie packed with high calorie goodness)

The 'Skins won!!!!!

I drank some wine.

[triceretops]

Okay, a total of 502 pages edited, rewritten, and polished for the FOURTH go around on Planet Janitor, which was supposed to be printed up in hard copy and sent a week ago. Gak! Just let me drag my feet and blow agents off cause I'm not ready. Really, I wanted to go over this second novel a fourth time, and I'm glad I did. Sentence clarity was the reason, and also making sure the plot arc came out. I want this dang thing printed up and outta here tommorow or bust. And that will be a beotch cause my brandnew Lexmark is cartridge jamming for no apparent reason. So I'm going to reinstall everything and hope to find the default printer alignment settings once again.

Wrote only 500 words of the third fantasy book--can't wait to get back to it.

Wrote a short story that was accepted--2,700 words.

Another short story accepted and slated for Staticmovent magazine for January of next year.

Bedebedebedebe...that's all folks.

Tri

[batyler65]

ALLEN:

Sounds like you been working at a steady pace. Also sounds like your wife has better motivational tools at her disposal that I do. ;) No zaps for you this week. :) :) :) :)

[Birol]

Schoolwork mainly.

Wrote a paper that was only 10 days past due, did research for a couple of others, and finished a presentation I have to give today. I'm sure I did some freelance writing, too, but heck if I can remember what it was.

[batyler65]

GINA:

I hope both you and your computer are doing better now.

Down time? In December? Ha! I doubt it. I'm willing to bet that real life rushes in to fill the void. Be that as it may, I hope you have hunted down your fiction muse and at least plan to plot out something fictional during your break.

No zaps for you either. :) :) :) :)

[batyler65]

ALLY:
Tweet? oooh-kay. *backs away*

Sounds like you are running a full schedule again. A schedule that doesn't leave much room for writing outside of school work. Repeat after me (I SWEAR I'm going to start tattooing this on foreheads): TEN MINUTES a day. Put words on paper for TEN MINUTES EACH AND EVERY DAY. Set a timer (The microwave works well) attach your seat to the seat of a chair and use a pen (YES, a pen!) to write words on paper until the timer goes off. Do not stop writing for any reasun until the timer goes off. If you have more time, use it. If not, put pen down, and move on to whatever needs doing. Ten minutes will keep you from getting zapped. ;)

:) (One smiley for school related writing)
:) (another for the editing)

[batyler65]

JOANNE:
Darn it, you didn't even dream up a creative, yet unlikely excuse. Trust me, this hurts you more than it does me.

ZZZZZzzzzzzttttttt!!!!

Next time, get abducted by aliens, or Vikings, or something! Get back to work! ;)

[batyler65]

UNIQUE:
Sounds like you've come out of NaNo with your wits about you and ready to rock on with the rest of your projects. Now start getting those words down.

Oooh! Office supplies! We loves office supplies!

Okay, a small zap for the office supplies: zzzttt!
Oh, and another small zap for giving me a part in your NaNo project. ZZZzzztttt! :)

Now, get back to those Chickens. They aren't going to wait forever, you know. Impatient bunch, those chickens.

[batyler65]

SC:
PARTY TIME!!!!!

Congrats on the request! *Crosses fingers* Wishing great things for you!

Page counts are acceptable for me and 23 sounds like a nice round total. You just keep zipping right along!

Keep us posted on the request. We like to party, you know!

Oh, and don't forget to let us know how that short story makes out. Inquiring (a.k.a. Nosy) minds want to know. ;)

:) :) :) :)

[batyler65]

JAYCINTH:
Okay...

Point 1: Insanely jealous because your synopsis is done and mine is not even started. (But must give smilies for that anyway *grumble*)

:) :)

Point 2: Moderately jealous of Query because mine is 3/4 ths done, but still... (must also give smilies because to not give them makes me look like a poor sport *grumble*).

:) :)

Point 3: Why do your reports make me hungry?


Mid January will be here before you know it. Forget about Parallel Course. Right now, it sounds like a distraction because Shiva's Dance is giving you trouble. Step back, take a deep breath, and allow yourself to write whatever comes out for the opening of Shiva's Dance. You can always fix it later. You cannot, however, fix a blank page. Put some words in there, even if you just write a sketchy placeholder.

Send food.

:) :) :)

[batyler65]

TRI:
First of all -- I want to say I am SO GLAD that you are still with us!

Now:
Get the book out! OUT!

I will cross my fingers on the whole printer thing. Cantankerous machines always seem to know when you have an important hardcopy to print.

It sounds like you are going to blast into another writing marathon on that third book. I'm sure you will put us all to shame with your word counts by next week.

CONGRATULATIONS on the acceptances!!
Tell us:
Titles? Where? When? We need to know these things!

:) :) :) :)

[batyler65]

LORI:
Deep breaths. School won't last forever. I am being lenient for the moment. However, I seem to recall that you have a rather substantial New Year's deadline. Isn't that when TBWN is supposed to be finished. Hmmm?

No smilies, but no zaps. They do nothing to reduce stress. Well, they DO amuse me, which reduces MY stress, but somehow I don't think you would find that productive.

Hang tough.

[Birol]

LORI:
Deep breaths. School won't last forever. I am being lenient for the moment. However, I seem to recall that you have a rather substantial New Year's deadline. Isn't that when TBWN is supposed to be finished. Hmmm?

No smilies, but no zaps. They do nothing to reduce stress. Well, they DO amuse me, which reduces MY stress, but somehow I don't think you would find that productive.

Hang tough.

December 12th. My last essay and last paper are due that date. Then, one halfway decent night's sleep and it is me and TBWN for the rest of the year. I'll even write on the 25th if I'm not done by then.

[gina]

GINA:

I hope both you and your computer are doing better now.

Down time? In December? Ha! I doubt it. I'm willing to bet that real life rushes in to fill the void. Be that as it may, I hope you have hunted down your fiction muse and at least plan to plot out something fictional during your break.

No zaps for you either. :) :) :) :)
Computer and myself are fine. It wasn't my computer causing the problem. Bad signal and wiring in my apartment didn't allow my high speed to connect. Those problems are fixed now. As for this month, my family doesn't so much for the holiday. The majority of our family is in another state, and my father works the Friday before and the Monday after, so no trip. Other than quiet dinner here with my dad and brother, we have no plans. Not much of a shopper either, so unless something changes this month will be quiet! As for the fiction, I don't plot much. I just jump in head first. I have four WIP's in a holding pattern. I'll see what I can do with those.

[Yeshanu]

Which are you? Naughty... Nice?

Um...

Naughty. Definitely naughty this week. I didn't even report on time. In my defense, I was sick Sunday and Monday, which are my reporting days. Before that, I, um... Didn't write. I got about 1000 words or so down on paper. Um... I was abducted by aliens dressed up as vikings. Yeah! That's what happened.







Really.

[Jaycinth]

Indeed!!! and I am here trying to drum up 'critters' for my Synopsis and Query of 'Alien Source' . The Query is where queries should be, and the synopsis resides on the Science Fiction thread.
If I get more than 3 on either one, I promise I will post the easiest Christmas Cookie recipie in the world. Yes I will. And a baked Ziti recipie!

( Listen folks, truth be told, if I could get to where you are...and I didn't hate to drive I'd bring you some of both...but since I can't you'll have to trust the recipies...the recipies are your friends. . .)

[batyler65]

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2005


Welcome! Once again, the weekend is upon us. I hope your week has been productive.

I have undertaken steps to get the procrastination beastie under control and they seem to be working. This week I:

Subbed my monthly humor column
Subbed a batch of humorous Mother's Day cards
Did a requested rewrite for my bill-paying gig.
Signed a contract to write 2-1k bonus issues for my bill-paying gig
Made a sale and sent out an invoice (because money is good)
Finished my novel query
Condensed my 423-page novel into an eight-page outline which will magically morph into something resembling a three-page synopsis (a girl can dream, can't she?)
Rewrote a 4k short story (almost ready to sub)
Researched six markets for above short story
Generated 40 query ideas (yes, 40!)
Researched, composed and sent out four queries.
Preliminary research for one other query.
Scheduled a date to explore two places I intend to write travel pieces about.
Finally reached a decision about how to present the story in my next novel.
Selected the topic I will use for the Erma Bombeck Competition this year and made preliminary notes.
*whew*
Oh, and had a birthday gathering for my youngest child who, for some reason, thought it would be a good idea to turn 13 last Monday.

Today I have a query idea to develop; more humor cards to write and sub; and an intro letter to compose and mail to a pub I want to write for. Then, THEN I am free for the weekend. (Which of course means holiday shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry... Hmm... I think I need to look up the definition of FREE.) Next week's calendar is already filling up with projects *rubs hands together*.

So, how about you? What does your list look like this week? I'm waiting to hear.

Sound Off!

[Good Word]

Sheesh, that's a tough act to follow.

Think I'll come back later.

[Good Word]

Anyway, this week I organized my manuscript for what turned out to be about 7-8 hours total (a little rewriting thrown in). Mostly, I cleaned it up to send to my writing buddy so I wouldn't be totally embarrassed. It's still messy (needs formatting, better sentence constructs, etc.), but is beginning to take form.

I also worked on one editing project, outined a project description for another--and got it!

Lisa

[allenparker]

Wrote 1200 words on Leonard and Benny manuscript.
Reviewed about 100 pages on the Biblioheroes manuscript.
Wrote a Erma article

Oh, and wrote my name on the bottom of a book deal with a small publisher in Mi. Do I get to count those words, too. That's an additional 3 words.

Life is good.

Except that dancing naked on the family table probably wasn't the best idea. Anyone got some glue, duct tape and baling wire? my wife will be home shortly...

As they say, for every silver lining, there is some smuck waiting to steal the silver after you mine it.

[triceretops]

Wow, way to GO BARB AND ALLEN! You people are getting things done.


I hurriedly slapped together a short story that is about 3,700 words long and needs a total re-write or a butchering, or both. And I'm only fooling around with shorts because my writing grant ran out (my savings), so I need to generate income so I can afford to print out and send novel manuscripts to agents and publishers who want to see them. So I'm caught in a small quandry here, making one form of writing pay for the other. Cheezzzz.

It took me two full days to print up Planet Janitor, modify a Nike box, and use a mile of masking tape to send off my book to an agent. I had to sit at the printer and do five pages at a time (a field) because my Lexmark is still cartridge jamming even after I've done an uninstall and reinstall to default settings. This was totally maddening and took two days away from my writing.

The Fantansy novel is just plain difficult. I really want exotic settings, and I'm researching some. I did manage to hammer out a torturous 3,000 words bringing the total to 12,400. I don't know how I'll ever get through this. How do you create a Roman Goddess in the flesh? What does she wear, what's the hair style, perfume; where's her residence, how does talk? And this one is so high-maintenence, she changes her wardrobe like Samantha Stevens on bewitched.

So, with the short story and the fantasy novel, my count hit 6,700.

Tri

[scfirenice]

Great Gods, Barb. How can I post my progress after what you wrote. In one WEEK? Or is that for the whole year?


OMG I just got a phone call from the agent saying she didn't get my package and asking me to email it to her. Of course I said yes and then went on to BLATHER about stuff, even asking her how her weekend was going like she was my best friend. Oh-lord. Did I screw the pooch? *passing out now*

Oh yeah progress....around 18 pages. I think the next few weeks are going to be tough.

*passes back out*

[gina]

Maintained both review site and my site at media village with content. Wrote 5 reviews, took on another review assignment from Romance Divas. Almost done reading that. Total word count for the week = 10263.

[Unique]

I have a little over 1,700 words on The Rest of the Story.

Not a lot of progress, but that Christmas thing.....feh. Who put it in December?
And that's all I wrote (well, maybe one or two poems, I don't remember exactly.)

[Kida Adelyne]

I didn't write anything this week. Right now, at 10pm I am frantically writing my sociology essay, despite the fact that I've been working on it steadily for two weeks, I'm still not done. I am in a very bad mood right now, mostly becuase I was almost done and then I accidentally closed the file. Without saving. After an hour of work. I strongly desire somting to kick right now, but can't find anything that wont hurt my feet or protest the action.

-Ally

[Jaycinth]

I didn't do anything except find green nailpolish. It is not the perfect shade of green but it is the closest I've been able to get, and it does match my skirt.

I worked on chapter one of Shiva's Dance, kind of. I scripted a meager bit of dialogue, then went out and shopped for Christmas Cards. ( There are a lot of good cards out there. It took over two hours to pick out the 12 best. Dirty ones for single adult friends, religious themed for certain family members, irreverent ones for the teenagers who don;t believe in Santa...and there was even a nice one with Rudolph becoming a chainsaw lunatic that I got for the 'goth' in my life)

So, including the words I deleted Chapter one has 400 less words than it did on Friday.

I also dithered around on book four. I 'wrote' about 2,000 words in my weird shorthand, and made lotza notes on it. I'm tempted to work on this exclusively but my brain ( bad brain!!!) says that because they are in the same universe...book four depends on the action in book three so I should go back. But finishing book three just brings me closer to the expiration dates on two of my favorite characters, and I'm not in the mood for that now.

I made 15 dozen cookies. 7 dozen still exist. Look on the recipie thread. Easiest cookie recipie in the world.

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is a dark movie, and my 13 yr old goth princess said it would have scared her if she were 10. Hmmmm.

'Skins won!

[MacAllister]

I'm going Christmas shopping. Again. Spent most of the week Christmas shopping, and attending various seasonal celebrations and revels and other debauchery.

Thought I'd try to write something today, perhaps. :D

[Birol]

School-wise:

Wrote just over 3400 words. (Have a major paper to finish today.)
Created and gave two presentations. (Not included in above word count.)

Freelance-wise:

Sent 1 query out. (Pathetic, I know.)
Submitted 1 short story.
Outlined and wrote 500 words for a missing scene in TBWN. (Even more pathetic, I realize.)

[batyler65]

PEOPLE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE!

What is going on here? Holidays? What? Who gave you permission to have HOLIDAYS? Sheesh. Next you'll be asking for frivolities like sleep and, I dunno, food or something.



LISA-LISA
A little organization can go a long way. Just remember, if you stop dead in your tracks you won't get anywhere. Get that story moving! Messy is okay. Messy is great, even. You can always fix messy later. Keep on keepin' on! :) :) :)


ALLEN
Woo-hoo and a shiny, silver tiara for you! (I dunno, it fell out of the props closet when I was looking for ideas and I thought it more appropriate for you to wear than the moose head.) CONGRATS on the contract! :) :) :)


TRI:
Sorry you are still having printer problems. Sounds like you need a tech consult. Maybe call a dealer? It might be a simple problem to fix if you just knew the right way to hold your tongue while you were doing it. Sounds like despite all the troubles, you are still doing what you do best, hammering away at the writing. I'm crossing my fingers that checks will be heading your way soon. :) :) :)


SC:
Yes, one week. But, I write full time. It always amazes me how much I can get done if I quit piddle-farting around and actually work!

Eighteen pages is nothing to sneer at. And no you probably didn't screw the pooch. Editors and agents are people, too. Well, most of them are. I've not talked one to death yet, and I DO tend to blather on. Take a deep breath, put your head between your knees and stop passing out. You can't write like that. :) :) :)


GINA
Good deal on the review work. Any change in the fiction status? Give your muse a poke with a sharp stick and see if you don't get some fiction ideas. In the meantime, keep up the good work. :) :) :)



UNIQUE
Don't know if I can exactly Zap you for 1700 words. Yes, it is progress. No, I don't want to hear about holidays. Make a schedule and stick to it. Even ten minutes a day is something.

Here, carry this moose head for me while we go visit Ally.


ALLY
Here. (Gestures for Unique to drop the moose head at Ally's feet.) You can kick this Ally. I'm reasonably certain the moose is dead and not just wandering around in search of his misplaced body. He won't protest the action and if you wear shoes, your feet should be fine.

I hate computer accidents. I hope you got your paper finished. Tell me, have you written anything for yourself lately? Hmm? No zaps because you are under pressure, but I'd like to hear that you are writing something fun the next time you pop in.



JAYCINTH
Unless you are scrawling notes with that green nail polish it doesn't count toward writing. Despite the holiday hubbub, it does appear that you got writing done. Quite a bit of it actually. And then there ARE cookies. This week, work on whatever you think is best, but realize that you can't put off Book Three forever, despite wanting to hang on to those characters. Otherwise, Book Four cannot exist. Deep breath, head down, plow forward. Yes, it is hard, but you will survive it. :) :) :)


MAC
Just so's you know, I was at the mall yesterday and saw a shirt that said "The Voices in my head just started singing "Hotel California". People who share my life just couldn't understand why I found that so ridiculously funny. What does that have to do with writing? About as much as Christmas shopping. How do you expect to finish Weird if you don't WORK ON IT???

ZZZZzzzzztttt!!!!!




LORI
3400 words, one query an outline and 500 words of fiction. Sounds like progress to me. I suspect that school will be out soon and that novel of yours will get priority once again. Next week's report will look different, I bet. :)

[Birol]

LORI
3400 words, one query an outline and 500 words of fiction. Sounds like progress to me. I suspect that school will be out soon and that novel of yours will get priority once again. Next week's report will look different, I bet. :)

Do I have a choice other than to give a different report?

[Yeshanu]

On Monday last week I was sick.

Tuesday and Wednesday were okay, but then Thursday I was sick again.

Friday I read Barb's report, and got sick again. (Just kidding, I think.)

Wrote two whole pages all week.

Zap me now and get it over with...

[batyler65]

Do I have a choice other than to give a different report?

Did you have to ASK?!?

Go forth and write!

[batyler65]

On Monday last week I was sick.

Tuesday and Wednesday were okay, but then Thursday I was sick again.

Friday I read Barb's report, and got sick again. (Just kidding, I think.)

Wrote two whole pages all week.

Zap me now and get it over with...

((((Ruth))))
Sorry you were sick. And honestly, I DO write for a living. I should be generating output like that every week, and if I don't start, I'm going to have to go find a job out there in RL *shudder*. We do not want to go there. It is scary.

Two pages is better than no pages.

ZZZZZzzzztt! (but just a little one)

Try for FOUR pages by next report. FOUR. F-O-U-R. One more than three. Got it?

I'm just going to go over here and smell of ozone, okay?

[Good Word]

I want that shirt.

[Yeshanu]

Try for FOUR pages by next report. FOUR. F-O-U-R. One more than three. Got it?

I'm a musician. I can count to eight. (Okay, I'm a viola player, which means numbers after six are a bit fuzzy, but I usually can get to eight with no problem.)


Oh, and I want one of them shirts, too.

<Ruth wanders away singing, "Welcome to the Hotel California. What a lovely place...">

[gina]

GINA
Good deal on the review work. Any change in the fiction status? Give your muse a poke with a sharp stick and see if you don't get some fiction ideas. In the meantime, keep up the good work. :) :) :)



Thanks! Most of review work goes on my review site or on other sites. I use my Media Village gig to help promote my reviews too so that helps. I'm pondering an idea for a short christmas story to keep the muses working again, but I'm not out of the thinking/plotting stage yet.

[triceretops]

Gawd I love the women in this thread...

Tri

[MacAllister]

oh boy...I got the big RED zap...

:o

I could probably put in a couple hours on it tonight...

[batyler65]

Gawd I love the women in this thread...

Tri

Awwww. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteKiss.gif

[batyler65]

FRIDAY, December 16, 2005


Good morning, fellow writers! Another week has passed us by and once again it is time to do what we always do. (No, Allen. Not that. Get down off the table. Oh, and tell Lori to get out from under there, it isn't working. I can still see her.)

This year is winding down fast. Two more weekend reports and it will be over. It's time to start looking ahead to next year. Now is a good time to look over your past goals and assess your progress. Are you where you wanted to be? Do you need to set the bar higher? Lower? Start mulling it over in your spare time. January is coming. ;)


Okay, for me this week:

Research for two bonus issues for my bill-paying gig.
Research for the March issue of my bill-paying gig.
1 rough draft of one 1k bonus issue
1 outline for the other 1k bonus issue
3 puzzles for three different juvenile markets
1 query to a writer's magazine
11 humorous greeting cards for my fave company (subbed)
8 new query ideas.
Final pass of edits on my 4k short story.

Today's to-do list includes:


Preliminary research for a query I need to get together. (Anybody know US-based "relaxation experts" i.e. certified experts in aromatherapy, massage, yoga, etc. who might be willing to grant an interview?)
An intro letter to a company I want to write for
Brainstorming my March humor column
Outlining my Bombeck entry
Writing the first draft of my Bombeck entry.
Humorous graduation cards for my fave company.
Jot notes for two short stories that are banging around inside my head.
Next week, I suspect my list will be shorter, as my Hubby is on vacation and we will be participating in the mad holiday dash.

Today's list is calling me, so I had better get my rear in gear. it's your turn. How about it gang? How did you make out this week?

Ho-Ho-Ho,
Barb

[gina]

*Applied for a reviewer position for a website on Friday.
* Kept up eith both my writing gigs - blog at media village and review site.
* Wrote a short 200 word ficlet, attempted two others but those weren't finished.
* Took another book review assignment on from Romance Divas.
* Word count for the week - 10113

The next couple of weeks should be really slow. All the shows I cover on my review site are now off til January for the holidays. Things will pick back up the first week of January. It might be a good regeneration time for me I think.

[ChunkyC]

I've been away for a while, and my butt is stinging from Barb's tazer and whip. I have been diligently writing my weekly movie review column, which is okay.

But....

Today, after a nearly two-month long unwanted hiatus, I finally got back to writing HOME AND AWAY and put down 2326 words, bringing the total up to 12,357.

WHEW! I feel like I might have broken the logjam that had me stuck on 10,031 since late October.

PS -- I haven't had time to review what I've missed in this thread. If congratulations are due to any of you for your accomplishments, I offer them wholeheartedly.

[Unique]

In between batches of cookies and other death defying stunts I have written 16 pages of dreck and two poems; one of which seems to have been a hit. Go figure.

Next week's goal: Something not so dreck-like.

[triceretops]

Okie dokie, found some stride here this week. From 12,400 to 22,500 gives me a tote of 10,100 for the week. I just about trashed this script, but thought better of it and decided to have fun with it instead. I'm juggling with high-fashion, exotic locations, and a beautiful Roman goddess who is eventually going to fall in love with a mortal. This is so totally different from hard science fiction that I'm deliberately changing my writing style. But it just occured to me that this is a great set-up for female agents and edtiors, especially with the subject matter. so come query time it will be a nice change of pace dealing with the ladies for a change.

Tri

[scfirenice]

Well I got down about 12 pages I think or 14. Not sure exactly. Tomorrow is day four and I hope to hear from the agent who has CT, he said 4 days and he would get back to me. Also, some of you have followed this on another thread, but I recently found out I am pregnant with triplets, yes three babies. I am not sure how I feel about this and if I am honest, Happy isn't at the top of the list. Everyone says what a blessing, all I see is never sleeping again and dust on my laptop. I know, selfish. I guess I need to finish Three then when they sell I'll have some cushion built in....oh boy and girl probably....I know, It'll get better when I adjust to the shock.

[Birol]

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteHug2.gif

I'm sure it'll all work out for the best, SC.


ETA: In the meantime, here's a new market (http://www.twinsmagazine.com/editorial.html) opportunity for you. (What can I say? In my world, everything is writing-related. ;) )

[Birol]

Wrote one paper, wrote one essay, and edited one essay. All three were academic-related. Total wordcount for these three projects was over 4550 words. Now just to wait for the grades. While I wait, it is back to The Badly Written Novel.

I'll probably be writing around holiday company this year. Any suggestions on how to write with other people in the house? I've gotten way to used to living alone.

[allenparker]

Does anyone else think that Tri is screwing up the grading curve here?

Anyone want to halfsies on a computer hit man?


Report:

After much contemplation, I discovered one of my main works was not working like I planned. After a small funeral, and a bit of time at the shredder, I laid to rest WIP2. I held a New Orleans Voodoo ritual and have revived the poor soul as an anthology idea. Having discussed this with a fellow author, I built a story line to be written in three other variations, compiling a book of the same story told as a humor novella, Sifi novella, horror novella, and lastly, a romance novella.



Leanord and Bennie were treated to about 2000 additional words, but lost about 200 in the edit process. (I believe an additional 500 or so will fall during routine cleanup, but we will see after the book is done.)

Subbed two articles
Wrote the family article for dinner on Christmas Eve.

This sounds thin this week, but I felt good about the accomplishments. Your call, Barb....


Next Year's Goals

Start, collect writers for, edit, and sell the anthology.
I have to complete my contract on Nudist Guy and Yankee Gal.
Finish, edit, submit and sell Leonard and Bennie
Begin another book in the Chester series.

Allen

[Jaycinth]

(Yes, I agree. Tri's progress is daunting and makes me feel even more inadequate):gone:

I did nothing, because I do not count re-writing the query letter for the fourth time as anything 'pro-active'. This is a bad season for me, but I hope to get back on track before January. Hopefully just not tied to the track. . . .

[batyler65]

GINA
Keeping the fingers crossed on the reviewer position. Good luck!

Flash fiction? Ooh, me likes little 200 word stories. Thought about subbing it?


Enjoy your bit of regeneration. May you be visited by a happy muse with lots of shiny ideas. ;)

:)



CC
Where HAVE you been??? I've missed your… er… stinging butt just doesn't quite sound right here, does it? Ahem. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/redface.gif


Yippee for the end of the Hiatus! I'm glad you are writing again (and not just the movie review column). Onward!


Yes, you missed quite a few things. I became an internationally known supermodel for the whip industry (red hair and all), Mac was eaten by a killer Christmas tree from Mars. Lisa-Lisa joined a beer cult with Bud and they are writing a poetry anthology about pudding. Kit and Ally are receiving treatment for purple-proseitis and are expected to make a full recovery, although doctors remain at a loss as to how to remove the monkey tails. Lori had a complete nervous breakdown during which her psyche broke into two distinct personalities: the student and that other one… Film at eleven.http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/smilepopcorn.gif

Welcome back!
:) :) :)





UNIQUE
More dreck! Woohoo! Yes, I think 16 pages of dreck are a worthy accomplishment. You can (say it with me, people) ALWAYS FIX THEM LATER. As long as you are moving forward, it counts. Cookies AND death defying stunts? That sounds like the title for a humorous essay. Perhaps you have one brewing in there? :) :) :)





TRI
Ah, there's the Tri we know and love! Sounds like you are back in the swing of things and no longer over-thinking. Good for you! This book sounds like lots of fun. :) :) :)




SC

*pats SC on the back* There, there. Have a good cry. Get it all out. I remember distinctly my feelings when the doctor told me my first child might be twins (thankfully not). First, there was disbelief, then a certain horror at the idea. I don't recall that Happy ever factored into the picture. Three babies will be a challenge. No doubt about that. Start planning now. Get into the habit of writing on the fly. Better to develop those habits now than while you are in a sleep-deprived haze. Start taking a notebook with you everywhere. Write a sentence here and a sentence there. It will feel completely unnatural at first but it will pass. We're here for you. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteHug2.gif





LORI
Yippee!!!! School work is done! TBWN! It is time to get that book DONE.


As for writing around holiday company. Sheesh, last year I had company (not the same company) for the entire month of December. All of them knew in advance that I had to write to keep food on the table, so I just tried to have a set schedule for work and one for play. Folks were most accommodating. I did learn that if I told them in advance what my schedule would be like, I didn't feel guilty about neglecting my houseguests. And I made sure I had PLENTY of free time scheduled, so I didn't feel slighted.

:) :) :)




ALLEN
Shame, shame, shame. ;) Tri is not screwing up the grading curve. This was never intended to be a competition, although I do find it helpful to see what others are getting done. It makes me reassess my own goals on a weekly basis.

As for your accomplishments… Don't worry about them sounding thin. If you feel like you accomplished something, you DID. Don't shortchange yourself. The only time your accomplishments are thin is when you know you could have done more, but didn't. At any rate, the things you listed sounded pretty good to me. Just keep plugging along. :) :) :)




JAYCINTH
Hang tough. This will pass. Like I said, this is not a competition. It is meant as motivational. We come here to share successes, to whine, complain and otherwise vent, and to shore each other up. We all have dry spells. If this is one for you, recognize it and change direction. Maybe you need to start a new project, revisit something old, or just spend a few days brainstorming. It could be that you need a little down time. It happens. Don't beat yourself up about it. It will pass.http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/EmoteHug2.gif

[triceretops]

Jaycinth. Not to worry. Throw me some chapters of your WIP--I lost those installments when my computer crashed. I love your stuff. If you're having some trouble with revision or starting something up--bounce it off my thick head. I'm here for you.

Tri

[Kida Adelyne]

Kit and Ally are receiving treatment for purple-proseitis and are expected to make a full recovery, although doctors remain at a loss as to how to remove the monkey tails
I decided to keep mine. Matches my eyes. This week, I didn't write anything except an outline for my novella for writing class. So, tazer away.

As for goals, I can't even remember what mine were, but I know I didn't meet them. However, this has been a fairly good year, in the fact that I believe my writing has improved quite a bit. In the new year, I don't know what I want to accomplish, so I'm gonna leave that open ended.

Ciao,
-Ally

[Good Word]

I did squat on my manuscript, more or less. I admit it. Had an editing deadline that took over. But that project is done. Ready set go.

[Yeshanu]

Well, I got four pages done, if you count the two (or more) pages of market research I did for someone else. Two pages of ATTS, though.

Got a book from the library yesterday: Writing the Breakout Novel, by Donald Maass, plus the workbook. I'm addicted to "How to write a novel books," and that can't be good, but this one is different. It's written for those who have already written novels, even those who have already published, and want to take their writing to a higher level. I think it's what I need in order to make ATTS into the book I know it can be, so I'm going to work through the exercises in the hopes that by the end of 2006 I'll have a second draft that I'm proud of.

[gina]

GINA
Keeping the fingers crossed on the reviewer position. Good luck!

Flash fiction? Ooh, me likes little 200 word stories. Thought about subbing it?


Enjoy your bit of regeneration. May you be visited by a happy muse with lots of shiny ideas. ;)

:)


It was for a prompt for a fan fiction community I'm a member of. I posted it to the group, and received some good postive feedback off of it, and I also posted it to my fiction blog, Eroticisms. I write a lot of flash fiction since I tend to write short mostly.

[MacAllister]

I'm HERE! I'm HERE! I've had an injured horse all week, so haven't been on the boards much...she's on the mend, though, and I wrote two new scenes in Weird, for a total of 2765 words today. :D

(I know I'm late--but I'm hoping it gets me off the hook!)

[batyler65]

In the new year, I don't know what I want to accomplish, so I'm gonna leave that open ended.


ALLY

ZZZZZzzzzztt!! There. Consider yourself zapped.

Now, as to leaving things open. Nope. No can do. You must pick at least one goal for the year. you have until New Year's to decide. It can be something simple, like writing a page per day, or to make five submissions in the coming year, but choose something. Wandering around directionless will only get you lost. ;)

[batyler65]

I did squat on my manuscript, more or less. I admit it. Had an editing deadline that took over. But that project is done. Ready set go.

LISA

I hate it when the paying gigs have to come first. Just who do they think they are, anyway? Deep breath, butt in chair and back to work with you. You can do it!!

What's the current word count, anyway? Do we get to have a party soon?

[batyler65]

Well, I got four pages done, if you count the two (or more) pages of market research I did for someone else. Two pages of ATTS, though.

Got a book from the library yesterday: Writing the Breakout Novel, by Donald Maass, plus the workbook. I'm addicted to "How to write a novel books," and that can't be good, but this one is different. It's written for those who have already written novels, even those who have already published, and want to take their writing to a higher level. I think it's what I need in order to make ATTS into the book I know it can be, so I'm going to work through the exercises in the hopes that by the end of 2006 I'll have a second draft that I'm proud of.

Hmm. Another how-to book? Ruth, Ruth, Ruth... I'll reserve judgement. At least you know where you want to go. Keep me posted on the progress and what you think of the how-to book as you go along. Just keep working.

[batyler65]

It was for a prompt for a fan fiction community I'm a member of. I posted it to the group, and received some good postive feedback off of it, and I also posted it to my fiction blog, Eroticisms. I write a lot of flash fiction since I tend to write short mostly.

There are lots of flash fiction markets out there. You ought to consider subbing for pay. :)

If you haven't already explored it, look for the Flash Fiction Flash e-newsletter. Lots of market info in there.

[batyler65]

I'm HERE! I'm HERE! I've had an injured horse all week, so haven't been on the boards much...she's on the mend, though, and I wrote two new scenes in Weird, for a total of 2765 words today. :D

(I know I'm late--but I'm hoping it gets me off the hook!)

hmmm. *considers hook* Nope. Looks like it is still firmly embedded. I suspect you are stuck with it until this book is done. How much more do you have to do?

[MacAllister]

how much more? I'm not sure, but I'll know when I get there? Is that a real answer?

[batyler65]

Friday, December 23,2005

Hey gang,
This week's report is cancelled due to vacation/illness/birthday planning/holidays

Feel free to carry on without me. I'm zonked.

Barb

[Birol]

Friday, December 23,2005

Hey gang,
This week's report is cancelled due to vacation/illness/birthday planning/holidays

Feel free to carry on without me. I'm zonked.

Barb

Oooo. Amuck, amuck, amuck, amuck.

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emotePartySmiley.gif

[triceretops]

Barb, take a break fa gawd's sake. I can assure you that we are totally inept at carrying on and reporting truthfully and on time. Just kid-kid


Well, then...I'll chime in very early (two days early) and admit to 3,000 words on the urban fantasy, cause it is so dang hard. I'm stopping right here because the good news is....

I THINK I JUST LANDED AN AGENT!!! NOT FIVE MINUTES AGO. I didn't get to the phone in time and his message was cut off in mid sentence. But he explained what he would like to see changed in the first chapter and also a scene midway through the book. So I know he read the full 415 page hard copy manuscript within nine days of submission. He said that he wants to talk with me further on it and boom--the message cut off. So I emailed him.

Sounds like a yes and a rewrite to me and I'm willing to take that plunge and fine-tune as he suggests.

Apparently the first chapter is a character glut with a lot of grab-azzing in a spaceport bar without getting the story off to a leap from the gate. So I think he's saying start off with a bang and get them damn people in space fast!

Secondly, since my captain loves his ship so much and his girlfriend works in the hydroponics lab, he should have visited that lab and known the components and operations of it for the past two years. Doh! I have him going in there like he's never seen the place before. Not logical.

Anyway, I'm a happy camper this evening. I'll let you know what happens with this.

Tri

[gina]

Tri, congrats on the agent!


Slow week for me, but I knew it would be. Not much in the way of new and exciting in the entertainment industry for me to cover, so writing has dropped some. That may or may not pick up this coming week. i'm doing year end posts, so that might take some writing. Also write a couple of scenes this week. One in my WIP and one that might turn into something later. All told I ended up at 4540 this week.

[scfirenice]

Congrats Tri!!!!

Uh. I can't believe it's sunday. I didn't do anything. Nothing. Not one thing. I could lay out a thousand excuses, but I not gonna.

[Birol]

Congratulations, Tri. Best of luck with your agent.


In spite of the holiday, I wrote nearly 2900 words in TBWN this week. I've also identified a few potential markets to contact next week.

[batyler65]

WOOHOO, TRI!!!!!!!!!!

Ohmigosh, we are all waiting around here for you to come back and tell us "the rest of the story".

Meanwhile, let's party!

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emotePartySmiley.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emotePartySmiley.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emotePartySmiley.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emotePartySmiley.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emotePartySmiley.gif


http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoteTheWave.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoteTheWave.gifhttp://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/images/smilies/emoteTheWave.gif

[allenparker]

I hope the agent sells the book for a bunch of money....

Allen

[triceretops]

Forgive me, I've been in a dead faint. IT'S CONFIRMED. He emailed me to say that he loved it and would like to get behind it. I have to call him today in a few hours to hash out some minor revisions. He calls 200 gramatical errors, "minor revisions." Doh! Sorry, I didn't have a beta for this, and my dumb eyes missed some things. But he read it within six days of receiving it, and knows the book inside and out. This guy is fast and aggressive, and very timely. He's called three times and left messages, so I knew I was on to something.

I do believe my first book, Word Wars, is much better than this one, but I'm not going to mention it, but hold back until this one is fine-tuned and out there in publisher land.

I actually used this thread to keep myself straight--this was my work thread, this is where I had to come and answer to the gods. Somehow, someway, it worked for me. So all of you who are archiving here, know this: the odds are in your favor if you persist, and this can be at your own pace. It's no secret that I went hogwild, and that is evident from my many rejections here. Why was the second book picked up almost immediately? I wish I knew that answer. The query was better, much shorter and to the point. The second book's plot was so generic and so simple, I thought it was too easy, even amateurish, but alas, it won out over the complicated one. I have no idea why that is, but maybe it meant it would reach a broader audience.

Planet Janitor hit after about the 16th rejection from agents. Word Wars has stacked up 65--that is the total inventory of email agents only--so who knows why?

Another thing--I go against the grain. While I submitted to agents, I sent queries to about 18 very tiny publishing houses just to get feedback. I used them to garner comments. Didn't get much, but enough to know how to fix some things. I knew that if I did get an agent, I wouldn't have to tell them that I sent it to the large houses and nixed those deals. I always start at the bottom first and work my way up, because I make revisions on the way up by using the small publisher comments. I know this works in direct violation of what you hear in AW. Just ask Uncle Jim. His students start at the top. I don't and leave those prime sources for an agent. I USE the tiny houses as an editing service to polish and change for the big boys. I'm not suggesting you do this, it only works well for me this way.

What would I have done if one of these (no advance) tiny guys accepted the book? I would have politely refused. That's because I'm not really looking for POD with limited distribution. I'm aiming at mass market paperback with traditional press. So did I use the system to my own benifit? Yeppers, I did and don't apologize for it.

Anyway I'll keep you updated. One small step for Chris, but a giant leap for AW writers and PA authors, who don't think that agents are taking on newbies.

Tri

[Kida Adelyne]

:partyguy::partyguy::partyguy::partyguy::partyguy:

YAY FOR TRI!!!!

[Jaycinth]

Other than making an awesome glazed ham the only thing I accomplished was the third redo of my query and second of my synopsis. (Science Fiction) My goal was to start submitting in January so I hope a few of you will crit for me, and give me permission to go for it.

Thanks. Love!:kiss:

[Birol]

Tri, by all means do what works for you and continue presenting your methods on AW. In my experience, there is no one way that is correct where writing is concerned. I recommend that everyone listen to all the advice presented on AW and take what works best for them.

There are as many paths to getting published as there are writers, but whatever route you've chosen, it's likely that someone has walked that way before.