Thursday, April 12, 2012

How's The Journey?

He is able who thinks he is able. - Buddha

So this is the check-in for week two of our April Challenge. Are you still riding the high on how great last week felt, or did you lose a little steam? Surpass your expectations of yourself or in need of a pep talk?

Let's hear how your challenge is going and see how we can inspire our fellow pirates and offer help to those who might be having a tougher time this week.

I also want to present a challenge to all of you this week (totally optional) - spend 1 writing session in a different place than you normally write. If you normally write in your office area, try taking it outside or to another room. If you're like Chance and hit up Starbucks, maybe try the beach or somewhere there is solitude.

Then, next week tell us what happened. Did it annoy you or inspire you? Maybe consider other ways that shaking up your routine might help your flow and creativity.

For today - how's it going?

27 comments:

Marnee Bailey said...

I'm plotting! I finished up my edits and I've started querying. I've only got one response so far but it was a partial request, so I'll take it. LOL!

In between plotting and the discovery phase, I've been revising my synopsis. (UGH!!!! Oh, the horror! Oh the excruciating pain!!)

But, I do think I've got some ideas about this next story. When I think of my heroine, I keep getting Ellen Page. Which should be interesting when I add her to my hero.

I have their internal conflicts and motivations. But I'm working out the external kinks.

As to writing in different spots, I do this all the time as it is. Pretty much I move as the kids do. The ebb and flow of parenting. LOL! But I'll see if I can get out of this house. Writing in quiet without "Mooom! I need juice!" and "The baby took my transformer! and the baby's more succinct but almost more grating, "IIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Anyway, right on track! :) I hope I can start writing for real this weekend. Or early next week. I have two weeks to get 10K out. Should be okay.

Maureen said...

Well. I was up at the buttcrack of dawn for a CNBC camera crew who let us to believe we would be interviewed. HA! We all stood around chatting with each other as backdrop while they talked to two male covermodels. Then they thanked us and dismissed us. At 6 f*cking AM in the bloody morning.

After I was up past midnight with the fabulous Corrina Lawson, having the best bloody drink I've ever had which involves cake flavored vodka, pineapple juice and cherry flavored vodka. I already told Christine that I was stealing it for our bar. Though it's called a pineapple upside down cake...I think it should be a pineapple bomb. OMG, talk about divine!

Writing somewhere else... Well, I'm hoping I can play hookey on Friday and actually get into Chicago. I don't want to haul my computer around, but I can take a notebook and try writing.

As for progress? Nada. I mean, I did do a helicopter jump and have been working on the closing scene, but I'm not sure that was technically this week's progress or last week's.

I've lost control of the time continuum...

Terri Osburn said...

I like this idea of writing someplace else. Maybe I'll try that tomorrow evening. Spend an hour at Starbucks or Panera or something. I've actually had great productivity the few times I've written in places like this. Wrote my entire synopsis in a B&N while kiddo saw a movie with my cousin.

I worked on the playlist last night but I intended to get the storyboard going and didn't. Email got interesting and I was distracted. (These GH ladies are so fun, I can't complain about the distraction.)

I'd like to get some words on the page by next week. I have a tentative first line, so that's something. But it's serious. This books seems to be more serious than its predecessor. I need to lighten things up a bit.

Sin said...

Love the idea of going into a new area to write. I hope this inspires a lot of writing this week.

My progress slowed this week. I've been distracted mentally away from my writing. But I intended to get back on track. My word count is good. Gotta get my personal taxes done before I can focus back on writing. But this weekend I intend to go over my challenge word count. I'm about 3.5k from it now.

I do have a question for you ladies. I don't really write linear anymore. I tend to work on my scenes that are really vivid in my mind and piece it together. Do you guys write chapter by chapter in separate word documents, or do you lump them all together and work out of one document? I've always worked from document to document, keeping it all separated into small chunks.

Jill Shalvis said...

Sorry I missed check in last week, I was traveling. But I'm on track! 2000 words a day. Driven not by dedication and love for the craft but sheer terror that I'll miss my June 1 deadline. :)

I can vouch for changing up the venue where you write. I write on a laptop and move it around every day. It helps.

Onward. There's cookies and books at stake. Cracking the whip ... :)

Terri Osburn said...

*ducks the whip, snatches a cookie*

I keep mine in one document and when I first start, there are no chapter breaks. That has to come later. I'd go nuts with "Chapter 1 draft 1" and "Chapter 1 draft 2" loading up my computer. But that's just me!

I think Hellie keeps them all separate and the fact I don't drives her nuts. :)

Jill Shalvis said...

Oh and I meant to say Sin ... I write in one document, but it's a mess because I write out of order too. So there's lots of blank space between scenes sometimes. Or a lot of XXs ... which means: IDIOT AUTHOR TO FILL IN LATER WHEN SHE GETS HER ACT TOGETHER.

Terri Osburn said...

Jill - Have you ever tried one of those writing programs? I'm considering Scrivener because it sounds like I'd love it, but the idea of learning how to use it freaks me out.

Sin said...

I totally thought you're keeping on track of your word goal because we have a deal at the end as long as you do, Jill.

lol

Sin said...

Right now I keep all the *scenes* in separate documents simply to keep myself sane. Well, as sane as I can get. For the purpose of finding out how many words I've gotten so far I put them all in a document last night and it seemed to be a massive CF.

Terri Osburn said...

Sin - I think you'd love Scrivener then. And you're so good with software and computers, you'd be kicking its ass in no time. Check out what all this thing does.

http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php

Sin said...

Isn't this the software Hal uses?

Terri Osburn said...

Might be. There's another called Write Way Pro. I think that's what Hal has, but the two are very similar.

Sin said...

I knew she had one of these fancy writing programs. I dunno. Looks too intense for me. But it would be nice. And it has a ton of options. Those of you who love to board and outline would love it, I think.

haleigh said...

yeah, I use Write Way Pro, and I love it. Here's the specs:
http://www.writewaypro.com/product_info.php It's pretty cheap, compared to other writing software

and I made up a little screen-cast that shows off the various features, and I explain how I use them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hawgRDdzx4

Sin said...

Awesome Hal! Great screen cast, really informative. And really inexpensive.

I've got this saved. Thank you!

Terri Osburn said...

I knew she put that up somewhere. I actually have Write Way Pro. Paid full price. It's currently being held captive on my old HP that will not turn on. *sigh*

Anonymous said...

Ter, you can probably email their tech support, and get a new registration code to download it onto your new computer. They should let you transfer it between computers with no problem.

Terri Osburn said...

You think so? I'll try that. With you tutorial stuff, I could probably figure it out. (Was totally overwhelmed when I first got it years ago and not sure I even opened it.)

I'm starting a brand new WIP so this is the perfect time to give it a try.

Jill Shalvis said...

I am afraid to leave Word. I don't know why. I think I'd probably love Write Way Pro (Haleigh thanks for that link, and ps. I love your Babe stories!!!). Or Scriebner (or whatever it's called). I did try the sample of that once but it was going to take too much time to learn it and I was of course, as always, on deadline. Scratch that. I'm just too impatient. :)

And Sin, I had nearly forgotten our deal but you just made me totally smile. You can bet I will not go off track now!!!!!

Sin said...

Damn, you mean I could've gotten out of that if I'd kept my mouth shut?!

You bet your ass you're gonna keep on track. I'm going to crack your whip. I want to read this book you're working on. It's going to be incredible. As usual.

Terri Osburn said...

Jill - I'm thinking yours is a case of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Sabrina Shields (Scapegoat) said...

Sorry I've been MIA today ladies. Long story short at one point today at work I hid in the ladies bathroom crying I was ANGRY I wanted to scream at people. If I can't let it out, it always ends in tears. HATE IT.

What I wouldn't give to have just been able to walk out and not come back. Sigh.

Well - I'm admitting my writing is dead in the water this week so far. Only a 100 words or so a day. I've been working even later than usual and by the time I hit the gym and get home it's bed time.

But I'm glad to hear the rest of you are doing great!

Terri Osburn said...

HUGS, Scape. Don't let 'em get you down. Life happens and sometimes the writing has to take a back seat. You'll get back in the saddle. Sounds like you need to pamper yourself a bit and not worry about anything else for now.

Hellie Sinclair said...

Not been the best day...or week. I'm trying to regroup from the personal crises that have cropped up and press on. I DID write on Monday at the "PAM & FRAN MONDAY NIGHT CREATIVITY HOUR"--but only really wrote a couple pages.

My strategy now is to enter the pages I have now to refocus myself into the scene and figure out how I need to end it. (It's getting too long, too dialoguy--and losing its point. I need to plan what's next and have a hook.)

I did do an exercise that Terri found on Monday--it was about the 3 questions. What's the NEED? What's the FEAR? And what's the LIE? (It's better in the article and when I thought about it I was kinda able to come up with the answers for my characters so I think that's a good sign.)

So I'm not making the progress I need to meet the April challenge, but I am making progress.

Hellie Sinclair said...

And I've been with Dad at a Doc's appt and stuff today, which is why I've been gone--but his appointment was fine and he's fine.

Terri Osburn said...

Oh, that's right. Here's the article.

http://storyfix.com/

It's very good. I answered the questions for my characters and learned a ton I didn't know before.