Just wrote 2,500 words before bed. Probably not the best thing to do in the middle of the night, but I felt drawn to sit at the keyboard. I try to never fight the urge to write. However, it would have been much better if the urge had been to do homework.
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Basic Writing questions is not a crit forum. All crits belong in Share Your Work
What's On Your Mind About Your Writing?
- Thread starter Undercover
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Just looked back at a chapter I've been working on the last few days, finished last night, and realized it's 16 manuscript pages in length.
I think my stories are interesting. I think they are fun to read. However, I know that I may be the only one who thinks that.
Guess I'm my own audience.
Guess I'm my own audience.
Glad to read you are making progress after reading about your earlier frustrations!
I've got a phone call with my editor at noon my time, which is going to be our first time speaking, and I'm looking forward to it and also to clarifying some initial edits. Diving back into this manuscript is going to be great.
Even so, I'm pretty invested in my new project and so I keep thinking about a significant change I made to the main character's circumstances and how that's going to flow through the 12k I have already written.
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I think my stories are interesting. I think they are fun to read. However, I know that I may be the only one who thinks that.
Guess I'm my own audience.
And I thought that was the conventional wisdom. Write the stories you'd like to read and others will too. I don't know, maybe that advice only works if your skill level is high enough.
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I think that's a pretty durn good insight all by itself. Advice only really works when you've got the foundation to lay it on, so you can experience it in practice for yourself. So build those foundations!
Yay! Let's go! My question is, when's the foundation going to be strong enough?
In other news, I'm getting tired of 'breakthroughs'. I thought of one more perfect change today and while it's great cause I'm learning, I want to be finished of this book already. The first ten chapters have been changed and tweaked a million times and I'm sure a million more to come. Good thing I'm obsessive, or I'd have given up.
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If we're thinking of the same thing, I've been calling that "story" because I don't know a better word. But not big plot story, smaller sentence and paragraph story. Like from Raymond Chandler's Red Wind
I count 3 or 4 examples of "story" in that paragraph.
I've heard that prologues are looked upon unfavorably by agents and publishers. However, I picked up three random NYT best sellers in a row, and they all had prologues.
My WIP in progress has a prologue. My critique partners, and a few beta readers think it's a good beginning and sets the stage for what's to come.
So, what's a writer to do? Should I ditch the prologue and instead try to weave smatterings of it into back flashes? Dreams? Conversations? Or, should I go with MY gut, and my CPs advice, and let the prologue stand as it is?
Whatcha think?
My WIP in progress has a prologue. My critique partners, and a few beta readers think it's a good beginning and sets the stage for what's to come.
So, what's a writer to do? Should I ditch the prologue and instead try to weave smatterings of it into back flashes? Dreams? Conversations? Or, should I go with MY gut, and my CPs advice, and let the prologue stand as it is?
Whatcha think?
You could always write your prologue but try to write the story so that it works without it. Then, when you have an agent and publisher, you can tell them that you have this awesome prologue. If they don't think it's awesome, it's no big deal, but they might also decide to make it part of the story.
On my end, I'm getting some new ideas on what to write. Maybe going epic with my fantasy is the wrong move at the moment. Now I'm trying to come up with some ideas that are perhaps a little less epic (and lengthy).
I'm also debating the whole trade vs. self-publishing thing. Self-publishing is more appealing than it once was, but I really want to see my books out from a trade publisher.
I'm also debating the whole trade vs. self-publishing thing. Self-publishing is more appealing than it once was, but I really want to see my books out from a trade publisher.
I keep bouncing back and forth between being happy and a little frustrated. It was never my intention to be a romance author and yet, I've fallen into that category. Don't get me wrong, I'm appreciative of the chances given and the stories I have been able to publish, but romance isn't what I want. I want to write urban fantasy and mysteries and though I do I feel like they fall short of being publishable.
Great idea
That's a really good idea. Thanks for the suggestion.
BTW, I trust people who like cats...
That's a really good idea. Thanks for the suggestion.
BTW, I trust people who like cats...
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Working on 1st revision of wip. I'm a little overwhelmed by the number of tiny details that need to be stitched and patched for the sake of coherence. Makes me want to go on vacation.
Yesterday, wrote 500 terrible, terrible words.
Today, wrote 500 mediocre words to replace them.
Progress!
Today, wrote 500 mediocre words to replace them.
Progress!
I'm feeling happy about my increasing endurance. I have been able recently on several occaisions to bichok for two hours - used to be that it was a challenged sticking to it for more than 45mins.
I like this idea and plan on using it for a SF sequel that needs a short amount of back story. If it flies, fine. If not, nobody was hurt in its demise.
tri
I have spent much of the day thinking about the setting. The city writes itself but I wanted a timeless feel in a modern setting. Struggling with that so I have pinned myself to the exact mid nineties.
I've been attacked by a massive bunny. I DON'T want anymore stories. I've got plenty I need to finish, thank you very much. So I've ignored this one. And with my sad memory, it's usually pretty easy to forget bunnies when they come a'tickling. But this one won't go away and it's grown massive.
I'm still being stubborn and not writing anything, but the story's not going away. Help me, help me, help me.
I'm still being stubborn and not writing anything, but the story's not going away. Help me, help me, help me.
Outlining went over like a lead balloon. I was so bored, I didn't write during my evening hours.
So, this evening: diving straight into the story. Main character; English lane; preserved forest in the background. Pea gravel, velvet jacket, recent rain. Nosy neighbor. Braided hair.
So, this evening: diving straight into the story. Main character; English lane; preserved forest in the background. Pea gravel, velvet jacket, recent rain. Nosy neighbor. Braided hair.
I have to put a scene between two exciting scenes, so it has to be a breather. BUT it also has to move the plot forward, show us something about the characters, etc. They're hunting. I can't do a whole scene of them doing nothing but shooting birds.
It should probably be some sort of witty conversation, but for the life of me, I can't think how it will advance the plot. *sighs*
Maybe instead I'll write the short where Andromeda tells Perseus to piss off because he killed a pregnant woman (Medusa) without even attempting to negotiate first. And he left her children to die. My husband wants to read that one.
Except I haven't figured out how Andromeda finds out. That scumbag Perseus wouldn't have told her. I need a logical character for exposition. I can't see the kraken obliging.
It should probably be some sort of witty conversation, but for the life of me, I can't think how it will advance the plot. *sighs*
Maybe instead I'll write the short where Andromeda tells Perseus to piss off because he killed a pregnant woman (Medusa) without even attempting to negotiate first. And he left her children to die. My husband wants to read that one.
Except I haven't figured out how Andromeda finds out. That scumbag Perseus wouldn't have told her. I need a logical character for exposition. I can't see the kraken obliging.
/ I have been writing a Thriller Novel for the past two months and almost done with it just some editing is required and also the end is not yet fixed because its too confusing for me to decide it I also started a thread regarding it and I think by next week i will definitely end this.........