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So… about my goal for 500,000 words this year. I just found out that War and Peace alone has 590,233 words.
XD
Har har har. That’s amusing to think about, no offense.
I’ve finished almost 4000 words on a story for school in 3 days. Added to the ~500 I previously had, I feel fairly accomplished right now. :D
I have to agree with SWQ, Puppet.
Go Northmark! At least somebody’s getting something done!
My score: three in-class essays.
no actual writing done.
EDIT: Sorry, posted in the wrong tab. I thought this was Absolutely Random.
I didn’t have anything to occupy myself in the class I was subbing for today, so I managed to knock out just over 1k words worth of new stuff for the chapter I’ve been putting off revising for what must be weeks now. I’m actually really pleased with it, since it does quite a bit to explain some of the confusion in the subsequent scenes, and I also found opportunities to foreshadow stuff that happens way down the road. On top of that, I got some ideas while I was writing it to greatly expand on one character’s goals and motivation beyond what was an initially oversimple one.
My fingers are sore, though, since I really haven’t written any appreciable amount in pencil or pen since I got out of college.
New story idea (hmm, I wonder how many times I’ve said that in this thread) and I’m going to write it differently than I’ve done anything before. Should be fun :D
The Bey of Fundy: It is 1530. The Ottoman empire, while beginning to show signs of weakness in eastern Europe after the death of Suleiman I from pneumonia and a disappointing stalemate at Mohacs, sets its sights on the New World in an effort to strengthen the state’s standing amongst the powers that be.
A small, coastal strip- between Bangor, ME and Saint John, NB- falls under Ottoman control and remains so until the first world war, when Canadian forces occupy it and expel it of over half its residents in the aftermath of the war. Some return to the vastly shrunken empire; now just an almost-landlocked state jammed between Greater Armenia, Constantinople and Greece remains. Others flee to Boston, where a sizable Muslim minority already dwells.
The Bey abdicates and a former garrison commander, Mustafa Kemal, begins to rally support for a Turkish state in North America. With rebellions partly inspired by his rhetoric sparking up in Acadia, Utah, Quebec, Vermont and the Southern states, can the Entente survive its own victory?
Historical thriller! <3
Bey of Fundy
I see what you did there.
The Bey of Fundy: It is 1530. The Ottoman empire, while beginning to show signs of weakness in eastern Europe after the death of Suleiman I from pneumonia and a disappointing stalemate at Mohacs, sets its sights on the New World in an effort to strengthen the state’s standing amongst the powers that be.
With their dated fleet, enmity with the greatest naval powers of the day, and the massive distance between Istanbul and the Americas, how do they found and maintain colonies?
Got just shy of 600 words of a rewrite of a story in about an hour and a half.
Trying to make a fight scene brutal without turning it into gorn x_x
I don’t know what gorn is, but I’ve decided to overhaul my extremely boring and realistic to the point of gagging story and turn it into an urban fantasy, which is far more up my alley.
This is going to be so much fun!
I’m going to guess that gorn is gore porn.
Ditched story I last posted about because I have serious issues with writing in third person and I hate what it’s shaping up to be. I’m going to either work on this new plot I have, or go back to an old reliable one I’ve had for over a year.
After months of not writing, I’ve got an idea for a short story/novella type thing. I honestly can’t figure out if I’m hanging the lampshade on other stereotypical urban fantasies or if I’m just writing cliches; either way, I think it’s going to be pretty crazy. Rough summary:
Katie Wacker is that girl you’ve seen at school every day since kindergarten and you still can’t remember her name. This all changes when her grandma tells her the Wacker family secret, passed down through the generations- the Wackers are magical. Well, not magical, exactly. The family knows one important fact that the rest of the world has forgotten- how to use your appendix. “Pfooey,” says Grandma Wacker when Katie tells her the appendix is a vestigial organ and has no purpose. “The appendix is the most important appendage of all.” Soon, Katie starts to believe it as she learns how to do unbelievable, magical things by training under her grandma. And soon, you and everyone else at school can’t take your eyes off of Katie Wacker, who has had a sudden growth spurt, bought a ton of new clothes, and has apparently been hiding her talent for cheer-leading for years. Katie quickly finds herself enjoying life with the added benefit of a magical appendix, and indeed, depending on it quite a bit- maybe more than she should. Even though Grandma warns her against spectacles, Katie pulls a stunt that lands her in prime-time news- and her father in hot water with a group he’s been secretly dodging for decades. When the group came to town and they’re not exactly friendly, can Katie use her appendix to get her family out of trouble?
I’m going to guess that gorn is gore porn.
Yes. That, and an alien on the original Star Trek.
@ SRB:
That is cool.
Katie Wacker is that girl you’ve seen at school every day since kindergarten and you still can’t remember her name. This all changes when her grandma tells her the Wacker family secret, passed down through the generations- the Wackers are magical. Well, not magical, exactly. The family knows one important fact that the rest of the world has forgotten- how to use your appendix. “Pfooey,” says Grandma Wacker when Katie tells her the appendix is a vestigial organ and has no purpose. “The appendix is the most important appendage of all.” Soon, Katie starts to believe it as she learns how to do unbelievable, magical things by training under her grandma. And soon, you and everyone else at school can’t take your eyes off of Katie Wacker, who has had a sudden growth spurt, bought a ton of new clothes, and has apparently been hiding her talent for cheer-leading for years. Katie quickly finds herself enjoying life with the added benefit of a magical appendix, and indeed, depending on it quite a bit- maybe more than she should. Even though Grandma warns her against spectacles, Katie pulls a stunt that lands her in prime-time news- and her father in hot water with a group he’s been secretly dodging for decades. When the group came to town and they’re not exactly friendly, can Katie use her appendix to get her family out of trouble?
So very, very stereotypical. It’s been used over and over, a normal everyday girl is one day told by her magical grandma that magic runs in the family. The girl suddenly becomes good at everything, popular, etc. and then some magical secret bad guy group gets involved. She has to save her family, but will her magic powers stay safe?
Don’t get me wrong, SRB. You could pull it off and all, but it’s been done so many times before, and done badly many of those times.
Execution is job one, regardless of what other people say, SRB. It lacks the intellectual glamor, but it’s the truth. I’ve spent quite a bit of time listening to allegedly creative types trying to come up with ideas for works of fiction, and they frequently labor under the assumption that everything will just fall into place if they can think up the GRAND NEW IDEA that nobody’s ever thought of before. Original premises are great, but they’re pretty thin on the ground, and it doesn’t inherently make your story better simply by using one.
I know we’ve all ripped Eragon in the past for how derivative it is, but when you look at it, hewing closest to the Star Wars model produced the best of those three books. When he starts trying to switch to his own GRAND NEW IDEAS to show off his alleged creativity, the whole endeavor sinks.
Don’t read this as me saying people should just ape classics, since assuming execution of equal quality, I’d probably rather read a book with a premise I hadn’t seen yet. Just make sure, if you decide to write on the idea you posted, that you try and treat it as a unique story and go after it honestly, rather than allow yourself to go through the genre motions.
....but, but… now we know what the appendix is for!
plus:
I honestly can’t figure out if I’m hanging the lampshade on other stereotypical urban fantasies or if I’m just writing cliches; either way, I think it’s going to be pretty crazy.
I think she knows what she’s doing.
I honestly can’t figure out if I’m hanging the lampshade on other stereotypical urban fantasies or if I’m just writing cliches; either way, I think it’s going to be pretty crazy.
I only posted because all you said is: “That is cool.”
I’m going through another this-story-is-so-dumb-why-do-I-keep-wasting-time-on-it phase right now regarding my years-long WIP, so I dug out an old project and found it in me to do some editing on it and add a few thousand words this week. Yesss. At least I can still get something done.
So, writing related question: I am returning to my WIP idea, which as most of you know has been stewing about for a while. The problem is, I’m having yet another itch to start over. Either that, or ditch the draft I’m currently working on for an older one that got further into the story so something can actually happen plotwise. In addition, I have been reading a book about good writing, and now I’m convinced that my own writing thus far has been utter crap, hence the impetus to start over. Should I
a) stay with my crappy current draft
b) return to an older, more complete crappy draft
c) start over
?
I have these dilemmas way too often.
I just killed off the best character I ever created. and now I feel like crying…
Doesn’t that mean you did it right?
Keep going, SWQ. While it may seem like all you’re writing is crap, I guarantee you that if you just finish a draft, everything else will be much easier. Reach the end before you start over.
If you take option c, you will always take option c and nothing will happen.
Doesn’t that mean you did it right?
Yes, but it was painful. I mean, I’ve been writing about him for a long time now…..it’s so weird with him being good.
sigh
Okay…I will keep on trucking, I suppose.
I’m stuck in my story. I’m writing a few scenes where the main characters are plotting out their strategy, but I feel bored by what’s going on, and I feel like that means the reader will be bored too. How can I spice up this area of the story?
I think I’m going to just plug on and finish this draft, then go back and write it from another person’s point of view to make it a little more interesting. Then add some more conflict in between the leaders.
Not sure where to stick this, so go and win money for words.
I’m doing that, just for fun and stuff. >.>
I only posted because all you said is: “That is cool.”
I’m allowed to think it’s cool.
@ Dia: Show don’t tell. Like they do in the movies. Most of the time they show the plot, not the plotting process. When they do show the plotting process, they often have intercuts of the gang actually doing it. Since you don’t have that luxury, I suggest you just move on.
Failing that, your conflict idea is good.
I’m allowed to think it’s cool.
...I know that. It’s perfectly fine for you to post that, but it didn’t really help SRB who said:
I honestly can’t figure out if I’m hanging the lampshade on other stereotypical urban fantasies or if I’m just writing cliches;
Nobody had told her. It’s fine for you to post “That is cool”, I have no problem with it. All I did was confirm that it is quite stereotypical and cliched. It’s like critiquing somebody’s writing and only saying “That is cool.” Sure, it’s fine for you to say it, but you aren’t offering any critique.
(Again, I’m not saying it’s a bad idea to write it, you just have to pull it off right where so many other authors have failed.)
Thanks for the idea, Steph. I felt like it was something that I needed to show, because one of the main characters would immediately be repulsed by the plan [it’s a murder]. But I’m trying to instead just hop into the action and see what happens, since it seems that I’d really have to work to keep my interest in the planning stuff.
I feel like I always loose interest in my writing once I pass the first act or so, even when the conflict remains engaging. I think I’m really going to have to work to spice up what’s going on. Maybe use some of the more minor characters as viewpoint characters [right now I’m using 3 people] or keep the chapters shorter. Urgh. I don’t know. I always seem to face personal ‘loss of interest’, then I just go back and restart – I always end up making the beginning better, but the latter parts always drag.
/mini rant.
loose interest
Not okay, Dia. Not okay.
Not okay, Dia. Not okay.
You might say that she has a lose understanding of the word.
I always make a typo with lose/loose. I’m not sure why. I know the difference, I swear!
I have made terrible progress lately, but I have decided to write at least 776 words per day for the month of June. Then at the end of the month, I’ll be at 50,000. I would like to finish the whole story by the end of June as well, so that I can do JulNo if that’s going on this year without having some other project going at the same time.
Showing up to defend myself… Well, not really. To explain myself. I was away for the weekend and didn’t have much internet access.
Anyway, @ Puppet and Sansa and Steph-
I do know it’s stereotypical. It’s kind of a parody. (Like, an appendix? I think most people would have a hard time taking that book seriously if I were to see it at the library.) So the formulaic plotline is… purposeful. After reading your comments, I might take out the school popularity sub-plot. My only issue would be that, since I have a young, upper-elementary MC, taking out school issues would be a little unrealistic. What I really want to focus on in this story is the family aspect- magic through the generations, how it has affected different people differently, etc. In the end, MC will either 1) Have an appendicitis because of the classic overuse, or, 2) decide not to use her magical appendix powers. I think I have a strong MC and she can handle some powa without the annoying traits of the stereoptypical Average-Turned-Magical protaganist. And now that I think about it, being overly worried about popularity at school wouldn’t be something a strong protaganist would do anyway.
Thanks for all the critique.
Precisely. Focus more on the effect of the magic on the family, rather then how special the main character suddenly is and you’ll be fine.
I wrote 1,736 words in my novel today, which is more productive than I’ve been in a really long time. I also wrote 638 words of a completely unrelated thing.
Congrats, lookingforme. :D
Congrats!
Chapters. Right.
I’ve just found out that my avatar narrative – which has a couple of glaring flaws yet overlooked – is going to be added to the school’s library.
Now I can edit it even further, making it as perfect as I can for a seventh grader but I’m feeling a tad bit apprehensive about that.
Oh, and I have to divide the story up into chapters. How the hell am I gonna do that!? It’s only a short narrative! Certainly not made to be published as a book. That aside, I also have to throw in a couple of illustration or so.
Can anyone give me tips as to how to divide the story up into chapters?
For curiosity’s sake, how many words/pages does an author have to write before the story can be recognized as a novella or novel?
And novellas aren’t divided into chapters.
I finnished my first draft!!!!!
Now I just need to edit. :/
I agree with lookingforme on the waiting to edit, except I would say wait for a month rather than a week or two. Also, congratulations! hugs
That’s what I was going to do. I might not get around to editing for a good while, and when I do, it’ll probably take another year or so until I let anyone read it. And then another few years until it’s publishable.
@Dia: Gee, thanks! However, that wasn’t the main question. Still need chapters, even if it’s just a shortish story.
I hit the 50,000-word mark on my WIP last month and now I can safely say that I’m going to end up with at least 100k by the end of the first draft. It’s more than I thought it would be, but now that I’m nearing the end of the actual story, I’ve realised how much I’m going to have to add throughout to make the plot legible and (ack!) plausible. Fun’s over, now it’s time to work. D:
Just deleted about a page and a half of dialog because it wasn’t going anywhere. Now I get to rewrite it… XP
Way to go Spanman, half-way done is pretty awesome. When do you think you’ll finish?
Well in the month of May, I didn’t write anything because of exams, but in the last few days over in France I’ve written about 15,000 words. So far I’m 25,000 words or so into my current novel, Earldust. It looks like I’ll make it to 70,000 for my first draft (simple estimation going by the pace so far), then I hope to expand that for the redraft.
As I failed to do with previous novels, I’ll probably redraft this several times. As much as this is my best writing so far, it’s got a hell of a way to go.
So I’m having trouble getting through my plot and as a result, am ending up with a whole lot of pointlessness and frustration because I’m not going anywhere.
Solution: I’m outlining my ideas a little more thoroughly so I’m not iron-clad, but at least I have a bit of structure, allowing me to have a life preserver while I’m treading out in the open ocean. (Metaphorically, of course)
Let’s see how this goes.
Good luck. I hope that works for you.
I was running into some problems with my current plot (I felt like I was losing too much of the tension and the climax was going to suffer for it), and I ended up re-evaluating my whole story. So now the ending to this story is going to 100% change. And I can’t wait. It will be so much better and less cliche this way. :D Change is good.
I can’t decide between two ways of having my main characters meet. XP This is a good problem, I guess, but I hate making decisions.
Under request and personal inspiration, I’m writing a story about a couple of grades at my school.
I decided on mythical creatures and now that everyone knows about it, it’s too late to turn back. I’ve tried searching for creatures specific to each student’s own country of family origins, however I can’t find enough creatures for 20 Italian heritage.
Can someone point me to a website or book that allows me to find mythical creatures and which country they come from?
Encyclopedia Mythica to the rescue!
TakuGifian, I am greatly in your debt. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Starting on a new project tonight. I wonder how many times I’ve said that in this thread.
Either way, this is definitely short story material, which is good. I refuse to let it grow to massive proportions like nearly every other piece of writing I start.
I have a small issue. For an additional detail about my fictional kingdom, I am thinking about what its crest might be. It has always been connected in my mind with trees, so that is a natural choice for the crest, but I am worried that it will look too similar to the Tree of Gondor and seem like copying. Thoughts?
Does it need a crest?
also, trees are a big and long-lived tradition in heraldry, I don’t think it would be too much of a problem. There are loyts of arms out there that feature a tree in silhouette, the White Tree of Gondor was just Tolkien’s nose-tap to heraldric tradition.
Does it need a crest?
Well, not really, but I thought it would be a cool little detail to add.
I think such a crest would be fine, as long as you’ve got the rationale for it.
I needed a fresh look on my WIP so last week I sat down and wrote about twenty pages of first-person narrative (as opposed to my customary third-person) from the POV of several minor characters. It was super good for my morale. I don’t think I’ll include any of it in the next draft, but it helped me out immensely and I recommend it wholeheartedly. Yep.
That’s cool. Maybe I should try it out?
I’m going to start on my narrative tonight. Or that girl, my teachers, a few adult and 44 students will kill me. XP
Good: I wrote 25,000 words so far in my draft.
Bad: I talk about eyes way too much in my writing.
Talking constantly about eyes isn’t that bad until you start using words like “orbs” to describe them.
Well, I’m orbs-free currently. But I’ve noticed that people look/gaze/stare at stuff a lot, sometimes each other.
Lol.
@ Puppet:
Sorry. bows
...?
LET IT BE NOTED THAT ON AUGUST 1ST, 10:10 PM PARIS TIME, I OFFICIALLY FINISHED MY ROUGH DRAFT OF MY NOVEL. 157 PAGES, 81,870 WORDS, AND A YEAR’S WORTH OF (sporadic) WORK, BABY!!!!!!
I IZ SO HAPPPPYYYY!!! (Hence the caps rape :) :) :))
But now I am also sad…how can I leave my precious characters now?
feels happy, dazed and lost
YAY!!!
I was going to ask you whether you’d finished it, but you beat me to the punch.
YAY!!!
But you will not be leaving your precious characters, because they will now be put through the vigorous torture of editing. SEND ME YOUR DRAFT, WOMAN!
CONGRATULATIONS! :D
Hit a creative dry spot. WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?
When all else fails, have ninjas break in and start a fight. Or at least make something explode.
Or have people randomly make out.
Otherwise known as the Eclipse method?
So on my JulNo, I just randomly changed style, tense, and tone for no apparent reason. It’s late and I’m tired and I need to meet quota. That will be my explanation.
I finally finished a scene (take three) which has been hanging in limbo since March. And I love it. And it broke my weird “I really wanna write this story but I just can’t“ writing block. Maybe I’ll actually finish the first draft by the end of the year…?
Added almost 1000 words to my current WIP.
Wrote 4000 words today. YEAH
Still haven’t seen the film, hopefully never will have to. But I’ve heard there was a ridiculously large amount of people making out.
Yeah, it was great >:D
I have officially written 52 741 words this yeah. Oh YEAH.
this yeah? Steph, just what part of the Deep South did you say you lived in, again?
Anyway, congrats on your excellent wordcount!
I’m so Deep South I’m not even in North American anymore.
Ta. And congrats to Spanner!!!
Congrats, Steph! (Does this mean you have more for me to critique? shifty eyes)
My general progress note of the day is that I am just 2 days away from 50,000 words if I keep up the current pace. I am not anywhere near the end of my story but that’s okay. :)
Merits a double-post: 50,000 words! I am very proud of myself, though it will need substantial editing to even resemble anything good.
Congratulations, Queen.
Thank you, thank you. bows
@ SWQ: Um. No it doesn’t, actually :) And congrats!
Thank you. :)
I’m at 18,100 words for The Lady in the Blue Hat . That is the most I have ever written on any topic, ever.
Happy dance
This sums up my progress lately.
Ah, I know that feeling well.
Actually managed to write more of my fanfiction (read: get it out of the way). Readers clamouring for updates have now got three different stories to choose from. They better be happy :)
I wrote a short story (2 pages) but I’m not sure whether it’s too angsty. The narrative character is pretty unlikable. Also, I used a lot of one word sentences/ one line paragraphs. Is that always a bad thing? I wanted to create a broken-up kind of flow of words, but now I’m worried that it’s too much. XP