Post your Progress Thread

**juzzza** · June 3rd, 2004, 03:39 AM

edit edit edit edit...

I should finish some short stories that have been left in limbo...

I should finish a novel that has been left in limbo...

I tell you what, Limbo must get pissed off with everyone leaving stuff there, the place must be Chocka with unfinished stuff...

I wonder if there is a way of getting to Limbo and stealing all the unfinished 'stuff'?

Hmmm... Maybe I need a break.

**Jamza1986** · June 3rd, 2004, 04:19 AM

Its done! Its finished! The first book is complete. Now I have mountain of editing to pound down. Also I must dig out my 'master synopsis' and create a synopsis for book 2.

My short stories are another matter. Very little progress.

**Jacquin** · June 5th, 2004, 10:33 AM

I have forgotten how to write!

I have however moved across the country to a new place and set up a forge/workshop.

Now hopefully I can get writing again...

J

P.S. I'm back, did you miss me?

**Rocket Sheep** · June 5th, 2004, 06:18 PM

Ohhhh, so that's why it was so quiet...

I mean, of course, the place just isn't the same without our little sword toting penguin wadling about.

**JRMurdock** · June 5th, 2004, 10:19 PM

JACQ's BACK! WOO~HOO! Hot Diggity! Glad to see you made it!

**Jacquin** · June 7th, 2004, 09:12 AM

Awww, you made me blush...

Anyhow, back on topic, I have had a new lease of life with my novel length project. I have set aside the main plot as I was begining to feel a little directionless and am currently working on the sub plot. I even have an end in mind now. Currently approx 10000 words.

Oh, had another rejection. It would appear that my story was soooooo bad they closed down the publisher!

J

**Murkal** · June 7th, 2004, 11:55 AM

62,700 words, and 8 1/2 chapters into the first book of my "The Coming of the Blessed." series. Was going to call the darn thing 'The Eternal Road', but then read about the biblical production play, and decided to use the first book's title for the name of the series.

The 'Untitled' first book will get a new name pretty soon, i hope. Trilogy? Maybe, not. Perhaps a long standing series like Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time. Can't say much yet until I get the first novel finished. Estimated now to be at about 130,000 words.

**JRMurdock** · June 9th, 2004, 05:09 PM

I wrote The Dead Lizard in My Path. Interesting one I'd thought. I'm having fun with some stories.

I decided that several of my stories weren't strong enough to persue publication anymore and have posted those on my web stie for any that care to read/critique. Most have at least 2 rejections or just aren't strong enough to deserve a re-write. There's a total of 9 stories you can read on my bibliography. Some suffer from serious writing flaws, others have plot issues or poor endings. Some of them were dreams and I've discovered that dreams are best left in your head.

Feel free to bash/critique/tear apart all you like. As I said, these aren't my best works. They're good ideas, but I didn't execute them as well as I have with other stories.

**Jamza1986** · June 10th, 2004, 03:23 PM

Work proceeding steadily on Arden's Call book 1 and 2, (three if the series is reorganised.)

Sent off a couple of poems to an anthlogy being compiled, it'll be a while before I hear anything.

Still awaiting word from my publisher about Arden's Call publishing can be slow.

A short story I sent off got rejected, but only just. You can read it just on this site now, if you like. Its not amazing to be honest. I just thought I'd have a go while i had it.

Couple of other short stories coming on nicely too.

**JRMurdock** · June 10th, 2004, 09:41 PM

Something clicked this week. Not like anything normal, but my stories have a different feel. The Dead Lizard in My Path creeped out a couple of my test readers, but today I wrote Downstairs and my test readers are uncertain if they like the path I've trod upon. I've been listening to a lot of Poe and Lovecraft on audio lately and just started a Stephen King audio book. They're not too comfortable with horror and creepy topics. I think I found a nerve and I'm enjoying it.

I'm going to start on a Werewolf story entitled Wear Wolf and see if I can't get that one done tonight as well. It should be fun.

I also submitted a couple stories last night (after a bit of spit-n-polish from their rejection). Hope to hear work back on those.

**Holbrook** · June 11th, 2004, 01:34 AM

Not done much, save for editing for a while. Major period of self doubt, not helped by the death of a good friend some 5 years younger than me. He was a good sounding block. Made me laugh and I am missing our weekly "bitches" about the world, life and sword like objects.

Also frustrated by the fact that I have to work for a liiving. It I didn't I would have back my afternoons for writing. Evenings I am usually too tired to do anything but surf the net and spend time with my family...

**bryce** · June 14th, 2004, 02:08 PM

Oh well....
1st Novel, 'Heaven Help Us' completed July of last year.
2nd in the trilogy 25,000 words in.
No interest by any agent or publisher who were all very complimentary but all very full ( of what I dare only guess).
Perhaps it's the humour ( too near Mr.P...although I was born with it!! ). Perhaps it's the fantasy ( lots of God, Devil, Priest, Nun, and various angels ). Perhaps it's the religion ( see last comment ). Perhaps it's timing, luck, beer or even age (52). Got nice compliments from Mr P's agent ( so it can't be the writing...haha ).
BUT......I don't give a fig....because I ain't givin' up!!!
So I'll keep you all posted.....and good luck to you all.
Oh...by the way...I didn't give up my day job. I'm a writer!!

**JRMurdock** · June 15th, 2004, 12:10 AM

Spent a good deal of time finding homes for 6 different works that had been rejected at least once before. I did a read through of each and did spot clean up as I saw fit. It was more work finding a place to submit it than to actually do the clean up work. Currently have 2 works that need cleaning and sending. Have 16 submitted and waiting to hear word back. 5 to Date have been accepted (I'm shooting for 12 this year). 9 works are available on my site for reading and reviewing.

I will update my bibliography tomorrow as I'm a wee bit tired.

**Rocket Sheep** · June 18th, 2004, 09:18 AM

Er... anyone recognise this little beastie?

Antipodean SF

**JRMurdock** · June 19th, 2004, 02:47 PM

Sorry RS, didn't recognize it. Read it. Thought it was quite odd indeed. Great dialogue. Made me shiver.

This week was a good week. Espically when I get comments like this

I really liked your story...It was sincere, compassionate, very well written...We had over 75 excellent stories submitted and yours was among the final ten considered.

I had submitted a short story entitled Don't Use the Phone to a contest. I didn't win. But the competition was fierce. Oh, the contest was at Jerry Jazz Muscian.

The interesting thing about this story, and that I submitted to this contest. It was Fiction. Not Horror, not Fantasy, not Sci-Fi. It was Fiction. It also creeped me out that I of all people wrote it. I've never read anything what I'd written in this one and it came out much different than I'd intended. I will be attempting to write another story for this contest in the future.

I redid my bibliography so it'll update from a database that I'm using to keep track of my submissions. Now you'll be able to watch me rack up rejections and see the 'history' of a story.

This week I did Dragon Flight and Balloons. I did about 1000 words on both Mike vs. the Building and The Bana Tree. I also pushed all edited work out the door and into the world again. I've only got 4 pieces in the editing room. I hope to get all four out next week. I may not submit Balloons as it's more of an andecdote than a story.