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What's On Your Mind About Your Writing?

Undercover

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You know, like Facebook? But instead it's AWbook...lol

Anyway, I thought I would start a thread like that since I haven't seen one. If there is one, you can move this then.

What's on my mind about my writing? Well a lot. I can't seem to stop thinking about writing. Sometimes it sucks thinking about it so much and writing too on top of it! ha!

Anyway, I'm writing my 5th novel right now. It's my third YA book. My first two are with my agent, which she's been great about. I was blessed to find one to represent both of my YAs. So I figured to write another while I wait on my submissions. I'm up to 38K words and nearing the end. I'm hoping to get it up to 50 but I feel like I barely have 10 left in me. I wrote an outline which is helping too but I feel like I'm crawling to write out the rest of it now.

Usually I write out 2,000 words a day, but lately it's barely 500. It seems like I can only do 500 in a sitting and then I get antsy to read it and look back on it. Like I said, I have an outline, and notes and I'm up to the 19th chapter, but I feel like I am forgetting what I write, it's nuts. Then the rest of the time, when I'm not writing, I friggin' thinking about writing. Like I said, it sucks. It's this ficious circle. And I know it won't stop till the novels is actually done, which could be a couple more months.

Anyway, your turn...

What's on your mind about your writing?
 

wyndmaker

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I am writing two stories right now, one YA, the other MG. Both are fantasies and loosely related. I have a basic idea of what I want but no outlines with these.

I have not been writing that much as of late, but have been busy building an adobe hut out in the back 40 of our property. I still write, just not as much as I have in the past. Doing the physical work is good excercise, and good to clear my head, because I to think about writing and in fact dream about it when I go to bed.

I have gotten some good ideas in my sleep, and enjoy getting up early in the morning and working them into my stories. I then go out and work on the adobe, I will probably find a way to incoporate that in to one of the stories somewhere.

Gool luck Undercover.
 

Silver-Midnight

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I'm working on an urban fantasy novella/novel right now. I don't really know where my word count will end so, I can't really say how long it will be. I'm at 9500+ right now I think, which is almost half way to the goal that I want reach (20,000 words). So, I'm hoping that I get there at least. I haven't really had time to write so much; I've been kind of busy these last few weeks. So, I'm hoping I can write some more soon.

I try to do at least 2000 words per chapter; that has been successful for me so far. So, I'll probably keep to doing that.

I'm still deciding on what I want to do for the ending of this WIP though. I can't tell yet.
 

Undercover

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Thanks Wyndmaker. That's good that you have that. Being physically active really helps too. I try to take walks at least a half an hour a day. And when my kids get home from school helps to alleviate some of the stress of writing and real life problems too.

Silver-Midnight, I think you have a really good start. Clearing the 10,000 mark is a good feeling. You're almost there, keep it up! I too have my chapters around 2,000 or so. It works well for me too. I almost envy you on not knowing the end. I think now that since I wrote out the outline (which I don't normally do, but did it because thinking about it bugged me so much) but now that I know, it seemed to fizzle my writing down somewhat.

Anyway, thanks for sharing you guys. Makes me feel better I'm not alone. I really appreciate it. Good luck to you both.
 
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backslashbaby

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I think I've finally hit a system that works. I have enough stories going that when I hit a wrong turn I can clear the memory banks by going back to a different work. I have an awful problem with having wrong turns mess up my current writing. I'm not a perfectionist, but it makes me lose the tune when that happens. Trudging on through just screws it up. I have to leave it for a bit and come back fresh.

But it's OK! I always thought juggling works might be a bad idea, but I think it's what I needed :)
 

Jamesaritchie

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I really don't think about any phase writing, except when I'm actually sitting down and writing, or posting/blogging about it.

When not actively writing, my attention is on family, friends, shooting and camping, football.or this, that, or the other interest. When I am writing, I focus on the story at hand. I never go back and read a page I've already finished, and I forget all about submissions until I hear from an editor.

I enjoy writing, and writing for a living is a good life, but its main purpose is to fund my life outside of writing
 

huu

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I really don't think about any phase writing, except when I'm actually sitting down and writing, or posting/blogging about it.

When not actively writing, my attention is on family, friends, shooting and camping, football.or this, that, or the other interest. When I am writing, I focus on the story at hand. I never go back and read a page I've already finished, and I forget all about submissions until I hear from an editor.

I enjoy writing, and writing for a living is a good life, but its main purpose is to fund my life outside of writing

I'm like this as well...I don't think about writing actually, at all, unless I'm working on something or reading.
 

CrastersBabies

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A nasty fight scene followed by another. Two chapters at different sections of the book. I've put this off for too long.

I cracked the first one. Took me 3 weeks. It's utter crap, but revision will pretty it up in no time. At least the skeleton is there and movement and such are set.

Halfway through a nasty rewrite. Once this is finished, it will be far easier to edit.

Sometimes, being a perfectionist with my writing is truly crippling. Other times, It's pretty cool. Right now, I'm over the big hump so I'm happy, but tired. Mentally exhausted.

My prose has turned to utter tripe, so I'm reading a few poets. That always helps. Billy Collins for the win.
 

Silver-Midnight

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I've finally hit the 10,000+ word mark. The last few hundred words before and after that are a bit "meh", but it's my first draft. So, I'm hoping to fix it during my rewrite. It feels good to be, what I'm thinking, is halfway done. I still don't know how long this is going to be, but thinking(and hoping) 20,000+ words. I'm pretty sure that will change when I rewrite it; I'm thinking I'll still be in the same ballpark but it might be a little more or a little less than my first draft.
 
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buz

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Oh Jeepers...

I have "three" WIPS, and that's in quotation marks because the third is in the "ideas about how it's actually going to work out" stage rather than the "actual writing it" stage.

The other two...I dunno, man. The first is my first thing that could with any respect to the word be called a novel, but it has major plotting problems. I've taken several stabs at fixing them, but they've been off the mark, and I realized (with the incredible patience of some lovely betas and critters) its issues are deeper than I previously thought. So now I've decided to change the entire structure and do a total rewrite...and it scares me, so I'm procrastinating...and there are a bunch of unknowns yet to be worked out in that department. :p

The other one...still plugging away at the first draft, and there are some areas of major suck but it doesn't seem to have huge insurmountable issues, at least. Rapidly coming to the halfway mark where I don't have a crystal clear idea of how to make things unfold...afraid I'm going to eff it all up like the first one. The good news is that I've gotten slightly less crap at plotting now (a move from total crap to mostly crap, but improvement nonetheless).

Because of the "unknowns" and the "not sure how things should unfold" in both of these, plus the third idea swirling around in my head, I drive myself crazy all day trying to figure it out while I'm supposed to be paying attention to my work. :p I'm spacey as a rule, though, so it's not like this is unusual...

I think I've finally hit a system that works. I have enough stories going that when I hit a wrong turn I can clear the memory banks by going back to a different work. I have an awful problem with having wrong turns mess up my current writing. I'm not a perfectionist, but it makes me lose the tune when that happens. Trudging on through just screws it up. I have to leave it for a bit and come back fresh.

But it's OK! I always thought juggling works might be a bad idea, but I think it's what I needed :)

I'm sort of counting on this as well, for when I know I'll get totally stuck :D Glad to know it works for someone!
 
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Hip-Hop-a-potamus

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I'm in the grieving period for my masterpiece. I worked on it for 2 years, and I actually have someone at a publishing house looking at it for me right now (brother of a friend, who gave it a good word).

I've been working on it for so long and with such singlemindedness, it's been hard to switch gears to something new (even though this new one was started over a year ago).

I developed such a great 1st person voice for my other character that this one is looking mighty lame by comparison, so my big bugaboo right now is viewpoint and voice.

My main character is dead. I'm debating which characters I'm going to have telling the story about her. 3rd person sounded entirely too boring and distanced from everything. So I'm playing around a bit with different viewpoints to see which I like best.
 
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bearilou

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Three things going on. Edits to a SF-romancey book I'm co-writing with someone, my short story contribution for the AW Western contest and sketching out an idea for a non-fiction project that has caught me off guard with the desire to write.

All that swirling around and trying to determine whether I want to work on polishing up my AW secret santa story and shopping it around or dusting off an on-hold project and to keep working on that.

Also, because I am a 'collector' of different ways to plot and outline, I happened upon William Wallace Cook's Plotto: The Master Book of All Plots and thought it was a very unique way of fitting plot elements together. It's complicated (but not really, once you understand his 'system') and it appeals to my logical-side. Not sure it's any good to use as a plotting/outlining way to write but it is fun to play with.

How odd that I didn't get the impression that the OP thought or indicated that writing is all they think about, but just wanted to know what was on our minds as far as writing goes. I'm sure many of us has 'lives' outside of writing but as this is a writing board and this is a writing discussion....
 

Laura J

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I'm hitting the home stretch for my MG fantasy. It's my first ever and I'm kind of proud of myself for getting this far. I'm really looking forward to typing 'the end'. It needs a lot of work still, but the story will be finished.

I was worried I wouldn't have another idea. I came across the story in my head while daydreaming and decided to write it. I didn't think about being a writer and then thought of a story. So, I thought my writing was a bit of a fluke. But, I have another idea brewing, well, actually bubbling up trying to get my attention. I'm writing notes and thinking a lot about it, but promised myself I wouldn't start it until I finished the first draft. I tend to move on to the next shiny object. So, I made a commitment to my characters that I wouldn't leave them hanging like scrapbooking, knitting, jewelry making, cake decorating... you get the picture.

I also have to finish this soon. We had a home fire (the only reason I even started writing, big time silver lining). We will be in upheaval again and I won't have time to write during the transition home again. So, pressure. Maybe good?

Okay, done babbling. Zippy coffee morning.
 
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GFanthome

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I have to admit, I've got so much going on in my life right now that I don't have time to even think about my writing. Sure, I'm still continuing to submit to publishers on a regular basis, but until things slow down in my life, I have to put off starting that new novel. Luckily this is coming soon - April is my magic month to start.

The good thing is, receiving a rejection letter has become "okay, la whatever" now because I don't have time to think about it.
 
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Buffysquirrel

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I keep thinking about the bits I haven't written that I really need to go back and write. But first, this next scene....
 
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BethS

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It seems like I can only do 500 in a sitting and then I get antsy to read it and look back on it.

Nothing wrong with that. Writing is as much about looking backward (if not more), as it is about looking forward.
 
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randi.lee

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What's on my mind? How frustrated I am right now. I'm going through one of those phases where I hate everything I write so I want to just erase it and start all over again, which means I make virtually no progress on the actual novel.

We are two peas in a pod. I'm incredibly angry/frustrated with my WIP as well. It's limiting my ability to write and I'm trying to work my way out of it.
 
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Snowball2695

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God my writing is having to take a back seat right now, I have WAY to much on my plate. Not only am I having to juggle school work, friendship problems, and finding an artist, I also don't have a computer I have regular access to. The best thing I have right now that doesn't involve mounds of paper is the stupid Note Pad app on my Kindle, and that severely limits how much I can write at a time.

But I'm trying dangit!
 
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Mark Moore

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My current WIP is "basically done", which means it's functional as a story,but I'd like to add some scenes of MC #1 at work and in Karate class for atmosphere and to establish more of her personality. Then it's off to find a beta-reader.

Meanwhile, I'm awaiting word from two potential cover artists.
 

lookitsandrea

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I am currently writing the first draft of my first book. The outlining and pre-planning took quite a bit of time (a couple of months), so I am excited to have started writing! I still have quite a bit of ways to go.

I pretty much think about writing all the time. Every little thing I do inspires me to do something in my story, to incorporate that idea or those feelings somehow with my main characters. I usually write about 1000-2000 words a sitting, but this varies quite a bit.
 

heza

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I've suspended drafting on my MG fantasy. I've backed out of two different settings and now, have to start over on my world building. I can see that it's going to make for a much more impressive story, this new world, but the idea of completely recreating it is daunting. It's also not really talking to me at the moment, so the world isn't building up as fast or cohesively as I hoped it would. It's going to need mulling.

Unfortunately, I've got a YA that is talking to me. It's distracting, but I promised myself I would wait 2 or 3 novels in before I started work on it.
 
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