May 2016 Motivation Thread

Just signed up for mywriteclub.com! Not sure what to do next...except write, I guess? :cool::cool:
You seem to be off to an excellent start. There's usually someone else on between 9-10 am EST. Other than that it's hit and miss. You can mention here if you have plans to be on at other times and someone may see it and join you. I've followed you. If you check out who I'm following you'll find links to others from the forum.
 
I have the day off, so I just spent the last two hours writing on the Changeling book. I thought I was going to be simply rewriting bits and pieces of Chapter 2 and completely change the ending. However, it has turned into more of a rewrite of everything but the first 1/3 of the chapter. I'm not done yet, but I'm closer and the quality is getting better. And I'm making some discoveries about my characters and their personalities, which was something I was worried about... :)
 
I generally don't like the idea of a first draft being bad or poor quality. I know that helps some and lets them get the words down on the page, but not me. However, I just realized that it may not be so bad to let the story control itself a bit, even if I think I may be cutting it back in edits and future drafts. (I haven't written since yesterday and I stopped because I thought the conversation I was writing needed to go a certain direction and then wrap up pretty quick, but my characters had different ideas.)

It's too late to write now, and I'm falling asleep, so I'll look at the story again tomorrow and try to remember this epiphany and let the characters do what they want.
 
Finally navigated my way back to being logged onto MWC and with the sprint. Did a little under 500 words, which has me thinking about the advisability and construction of action scenes where the protagonist isn't in the heart of it.

Now back to the SRS BSNS of editing.
 
Finally navigated my way back to being logged onto MWC and with the sprint. Did a little under 500 words, which has me thinking about the advisability and construction of action scenes where the protagonist isn't in the heart of it.

Now back to the SRS BSNS of editing.
It's likely to depend upon the strength of the character who IS at the heart of it. For the reader to care, something has to be at stake; otherwise, it 's just action for action' s sake. But with a valuable co-protagonist in the melee, the reader is with us.
 
It's likely to depend upon the strength of the character who IS at the heart of it. For the reader to care, something has to be at stake; otherwise, it 's just action for action' s sake. But with a valuable co-protagonist in the melee, the reader is with us.

Wise words - but why not just switch to the co-protagonist?

(question, not statement)
 
Wise words - but why not just switch to the co-protagonist?

(question, not statement)
I'm thinking of tales like LOTR, where circumstances will separate colleagues. Each overcomes obstacles, which (though separated) are part of the same tale. The outcome is dependent on each. Most family sagas function this way as well. It wouldn't be a family saga if only one character carried the story.
 
Well where are we.....
I completed 3 flash fictions last week, was hoping for 4 or 5 but hey, 3 is way better than my averages lately.

and I need more days like today I completed a draft of about 1700 words this morning (before my lunch walk) - woo-hoo! I have to admit that it was an existing story I've had in mind for a couple of months and had written a couple of paragraphs. I changed from first person to third person pervasive (what you never heard of that? :D ) well third person at least and re-wrote it from scratch after determining 4-5 scenes (because @JonLaidlow made me :p ..... Well he really didn't make me, but you all know how he is always harping on and on about scenes and sequels and all that ... oh wait that's Dwight Swain and Jack Bickham).

Will probably need a serious edit/revision in a few days but hey, that's more words than I wrote all last week!
 
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Just so we're clear.... 4-5 scenes does NOT mean 4-5 sentences, each one taking place in a different locale...
 
Last week was getting back from convention in time to get ready for a writer's conference. I pitched the story to my editor and she loves the idea but wants to make sure that my writing is up to the task (having never actually written long-form fiction before). Therefore, being the insane person I am, declared that I am going to write my 10.
You know the saying, "You need to write 10 books before you have anything worth publishing"
Challenge accepted. I am going to start writing 10 novels (roughly 25,000-40,000 words), each highlighting a different aspect of the craft of writing. I have a vague idea of the first book, in which I will highlight the use of outlining (even though I don't always outline) I'm just not sure if there is enough of an outline there to carry a story.
 

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