Check-in Day 4!

[charamei]

Day 4!

Yesterday, lots of people had clarified their ideas but not started writing yet. How are those working out now you've (hopefully) started writing them? And if you were already writing, how has today been?

Poll #6489

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 11

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How are you doing on your chosen fic(s) for the month so far?

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On track for my goals
4 (36.4%)

Ahead of schedule
0 (0.0%)

Behind schedule
5 (45.5%)

Too early to tell!
2 (18.2%)

And what did you do today, fic-wise?

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Write
5 (45.5%)

Research
1 (9.1%)

Edit
1 (9.1%)

Procrastinate
3 (27.3%)

Send to beta
0 (0.0%)

Post the finished fic
0 (0.0%)

Something else I will clarify in comments
4 (36.4%)

If you wrote any words today, how many did you write?

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1-249
3 (50.0%)

250-499
1 (16.7%)

500-749
0 (0.0%)

750-999
0 (0.0%)

1000 or more
2 (33.3%)

In three words or less, how are you feeling about the fic(s) right now?

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Comments

[charamei]

Lately, I've given up on wordcounts and instituted an 'I will write for at least half an hour a day' rule, complete with timer. It seems to be working; it's much less stressful than coming home and feeling I have to write X words before I can relax.

So, I wrote for 45 minutes (which seems to be my comfort zone) and although I didn't get many words done - about 450 - they're good words and I will hopefully not have to edit them as much as the rest of the chapter, which is good, because I'll be editing them soon.

Also, I have a sudden desperate need to know what an elephant's breath smells like. Writing truly is the weirdest hobby in the world.

[littlebutfierce]

Oooh, that's interesting about the time vs. word count feeling differently for you! For me I think the time requirement would stress me out, b/c if I'm in a hurry I can usually churn out 750 words of total drek (but fic drek!) fairly quickly, but feeling like I had to sit at the computer & write for a certain period of time every day would feel onerous.

It's good to figure out what works!!

Also, hahaha re: the elephant's breath!

[charamei]

Yeah, I hate writing dreck for the sake of writing dreck (this is largely why I'm calling this NaNo 2010 a loss, despite having technically won). And for some reason it's easier for me to get into what I'm writing when I'm on a timer than on a wordcount? IDK, but I feel less detached from the process now.

[littlebutfierce]

Heh, I'm the opposite--I think I really, really need to just write TONS OF WORDS in order to get anywhere. Like it warms up my brain. Out of all the drek I might just get an idea or an image or a paragraph, but thank goodness for them!

But yay for feeling more connected to the process of writing, no matter how you get there! (which will obviously be different for everyone)

& hee, I just noticed your icon is from your Sims!

[charamei]

Yes, it is! XD I've been stealthing Baby Braxiatel for ages now. I do love him. He's so earnestly interested in that tribal toy he's just pulled out of a crappy old toybox.

[dbskyler]

A rule like that is one of those things that I keep saying I should do, but somehow never actually do. Setting a timer is a great idea, though. I could see how that would make you feel that you should indeed be spending that time writing, as opposed to "preparing to write" (which can take me all day).

[charamei]

Preparing to write is one of the greatest timesucks in the universe, isn't it? (As evidenced by my 45-minute stint setting up Compiz to automatically resize my windows yesterday.)

The timer absolutely helps; it gives you a definite start point and a definite end point. I'm using one for the GNOME panel in Linux, but there are plenty of online ones you could try if you want to give it a go :)

[littlebutfierce]

Not much writing today; only a bit of editing. I haven't gotten to the click moment w/this fic yet, where I know I'm on the right path as far as the shape of the story (no matter how much writing or editing I have then to do in order to get that shape in postable condition). I'm still kind of waffling. I have some good bits, & a tiny bit of an idea for something else to add in.

But mostly I'm at that stage where I worry that somehow these characters end up doing the same thing every time I write them, & oh yeah, since my stories tend to be more emo/character studies & less actual PLOT, I just... feel v. unanchored w/it at the moment! No click to make me feel like I'm capturing the right emotional tone or the right psychological revelation, no plot, augh!

[charamei]

Aw! I know that feeling well: it's where I've been with the novel for the last mumbletyhundred words.

I find that sometimes that's an indication that something's wrong somewhere else: wrong POV or wrong starting point, usually. You could try switching some things around? If nothing else it might give you a fresh perspective on your writing.

[littlebutfierce]

Thank you for the suggestion! Yeah, there's definitely something off. I think if I'm afraid to do something (switch the POV or whatever), that means I probably need to do it. The POV feels right, but something else doesn't. I'll have to push myself to be a little tougher w/it.

[lacygrey]

Well I had a lot of work stuff on, and happliy kept at it and got things done.
A less-than-good point is that just as much arrived ready to take up tommorrow.

Fic-wise, I guess I did the bare minimum but I think Ive seen a way around the remix rule issue. And as long as I think about the original author, and doing something for that person, then I worry less about the guidelines (which weren't visible today anyway with the LJ downtime).

[charamei]

Haha, I know that feeling!

And yay for getting around the rules!

[linaewen]

I'm away from home yesterday and today, and even though my writing is in my bag with me, I've been too busy to get it out. I sure wish I could just sit quietly and work on it -- which is why I miss my fic! *sigh* Can't wait until things (hopefully) settle down so I can get back on track with writing!

[charamei]

I hope you find some quiet time soon!

[lullabymoon]

I managed to consolidate in my head what I wanted to write for one of my fics but by the time I was free to get my notebook out I was too tired to write. I'm now on holiday now so I have hope for the rest of the week.

[dbskyler]

Crossing my fingers for you that the rest of the week goes well!

[charamei]

Consolidation is good, and it sounds like you've got plenty of chance to get into the fic coming up next week.

Writing or no, I hope you enjoy your holiday!

[pebblerocker]

Augh! I haven't been at the computer for a while and didn't realise I was supposed to be writing already! So far this month I've spent some time rushing around and some time feeling unwell and sleeping. I hope to get started on my writing soon.

[charamei]

I hope everything lets up soon and you get a chance to write :)

[raletha]

Writing was awesome this morning! I really didn't feel like doing it, but once I sat down and got going, the floodgates opened. I wrote ~1500 words before I had to leave the house. Then I daydreamed about another 2000 words on my walk. Hope I can get it all down tonight (or tomorrow morning), but yay for hearing the muse. It's been a long time!

[dbskyler]

Yay!

[charamei]

Whoo!

[lacerta]

The last few days were not so good for writing, but I finally got back to it today. In the end, I've mostly spent time choosing pictures to arrange around the document and finding more music. Also, the little bit of editing has now left me with less words than before. But at least I'm confident about what I've got so far.

[insertcode11]

YAY! Stay confident! You've got this!!! :D :D :D *\o/*

[charamei]

Hey, pictures and music are important ;) And so's editing, so as long as you're confident and getting back into it, I'd call that a win!

[insertcode11]

Wellll. I was on vacation last week and now I'm not and IDK. Just... didn't do much today. Still hope to get some writing down in the next hour or two.

I did plan out two scenes and jot down the opening dialogue for the second scene. If I could write these two things I planned tonight then I wouldn't feel like such a failure.

Also, 750Words isn't working for me today. D: Whhhaaaat?!

[dbskyler]

*hugs* Hope tomorrow goes better for you!

[charamei]

Aww. Everyone has days like those, don't worry - and you did at least do something.

I hope tomorrow goes better.

[dbskyler]

I'm fulfilling a help_japan request, and it feels a little bit like Yuletide in that I'm writing for a recipient, so I need to write something they will like. (The advantage is, unlike Yuletide, I get to just ask whatever questions I want!) I haven't written this fandom before, but I'm getting really excited about it. So far I've just been immersing myself in episodes, and I probably won't be ready to start writing until next week. However, today I got my first idea for the fic, and I feel like things are starting to percolate. : )

[charamei]

Good! Writing for a fandom the first time is always scary, so if you're getting ideas (and asking questions), that's a brilliant first step :)

[snowynight]

Finally I finish the first draft of my bang. This mean it can free me from it for awhile, to prepare for the next bang I may join by reviewing canon and writing outline. I'm very glad. Then I only need to wait for my prompt to arrive.

[charamei]

Congratulations on finishing! And I'm not sure I'd want to jump straight into another bang from doing one, so well done on that, too. Is it a different fandom or the same one?

[snowynight]

Different fandom. It's also the first time I write in this, so... (nervous laugh.)