Check In - Tuesday - Day 19

[enemytosleep]

Hello, writers! What have you been able to accomplish today toward your February goal?

— I wrote today!
— I planned and/or researched something.
— I sat down and did some editing.
— I sent things to my beta.
— I posted!
— I focused on something else today.

Writing question time: You’re halfway through writing a story when you’re struck by an idea for another one – how do you keep yourself motivated to continue on the first? Or do you cave and write the second story?

Comments

[frogfarm]

Today was irritating so far. Decompressing right now, then will see what can be banged out.

Halfway through can have different senses, depending on the length of the story. But even if it's a short piece that I fully intend to finish that same day, if I get a new idea I'll always make at least enough of a detour to record the basic idea and any details that occur to me.

[enemytosleep]

I've also had a Not Great Day and I'm not sure whether I'll get to fanfic later or not. I hope you can make some headway on projects!

[doranwen]

It's only halfway through my Tuesday, but last night I did get a few edits made on the Rookie Blue WIP, including adding a couple sentences to start building references to the char's acute stress disorder. I'm hoping to have some time to write the last mini-scene of this chapter tonight, but we'll see. My worksheets, unfortunately, take higher priority, as they contribute to my income and also are used with my tutoring students and as one student's math class. So I have to make reasonable progress on them each day, and then whatever time I have left I can write a little. Also hoping I can do a tiny bit of plotting, but that's not so much time-dependent as ability-dependent. Plotting is so hard for me, coming up with specific things to put in there…

I won't write the new story immediately, but I'll jot down the main idea and whatever came to mind, just not flesh it out until the first story's done. I actually have 11 different Rookie Blue canon divergence AU ideas that I haven't started writing (I have a one-line summary of each in a txt file of story ideas), because I started the AU beginnings, got it to 11k before it stalled, started the 2x04 AU, got that to about 3.6k and it got stalled, and then started the post-4x01 AU, which is the current one, and it stalled but I got it going again. We'll see how long I can get it to before I have to give up and pick up another one. (Most of the stalling I can't get back going again without canon alpha reader help, either for characterization or plotting, so since I don't have one yet, this might multiply my WIPs considerably over the long run, lol.)

[enemytosleep]

I hope you're able to keep making some progress on fun projects tonight in addition to the paying ones. :)

[linaewen]

This is the first time I've had to sit down by myself today, so needless to say, no writing has happened as yet today. If I can coax my brain to get in gear, I should be able to manage some planning or research, if nothing else!

When struck by a new idea, I immediately create a folder for it on my computer and write the idea down and do a bit of research to see if it's viable. Once I have it down in writing with notes, I feel like I can let it go for a bit while I finish the first one. I am notorious, however, for working on multiple lengthy tales at the same time, so once I get something written up and in my story folder, it's fair game to be worked on. I am currently actively working on two multi-chapter WIPs, and another is in progress but dormant. I also have at least 2 ideas that have been researched and notes taken that are exceedingly appealing and are calling to me to be written, but I'm determined not to work on them much until the others get closer to being finished.

[enemytosleep]

Good luck with your projects!

[enemytosleep]

I got 500 more words down and am much closer to finishing this chapter I need to finish.

[voodoosgirl]

I posted on Sunday, about 5500 words so Monday was a day of rest. Today full of work and dog stress so just settling down to work on an outline getting ready for the next chapter.

My main story is long and complicated, so I've allowed myself to dive into a couple of short fun stories which actually helps my focus but it certainly put me behind on posting so I am currently trying to stick with only the main story and writing a sentence or two for other things. I think about the readers who are following and remind myself I should keep in mind that they might be waiting for updates.

[samuraiter]

Too many work-related things to do today, unfortunately, and that is going to be a running theme this week. -_- One day at a time, one day at a time.

If I am writing a short, I finish the short before taking up the new idea. If I am writing a long work, the new idea tends to interrupt me.