@elle
Active 6 years, 2 months ago-
Hilary replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 9 months ago
Tomorrow is the launch of the Bath Short Story Award anthology. Excited about reading a page or so from my story, and meeting other winners and shortlisters.
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Daedalus posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 9 months agoAll I did today was trim 500 words from a short story so I could submit it to Barren magazine, which has an upper limit of 4000 words. It was worth doing as it tightened the prose a bit, and I spotted a few mistakes as well, which was unsettling as I’d submitted that version a couple of times. I’m pleased I did that much tbh, as it’s been a diffi…[Read more]
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Well done Daeds and I hope you have a less disturbed day today.
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Thanks Jane. The main problem is that they get here early so I have to be up early, so my usual sleep patterns are ruined and I’m permanently exhausted
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I hate the getting up early and having to talk to strangers in my house!
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Me too.
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Me three
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Me a billion. I feel your pain. Great work on the short story though, and good luck for the submission
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Hilary posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 9 months agoSorry I’m late, but here now for mutual encouragement. I’m working on structural edit of novel, having done one and two-thirds drafts. Have been trying to hone and clarify main story arc and am now trying to work out how and where the subplots intersect/have an impact on the main plot. Like some of you, I am feeling the fear, mainly because it’s…[Read more]
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Oh good luck! I feel your pain! Are you doing the splendid post it notes!?
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Congrats on being a runner up, Hilary. I also feel I’m making progress then decide the opposite is true. It sounds as though you’re making v good headway. The structural stuff needs doing and you’re doing it. Congrats on that too, and pat yourself on the back.
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Thank you, Libby and Raine. Yes, post-its have played a part; also multi-coloured highlighting in Word. It all helps.
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I use a chapter plan in a separate word doc too. This can be changed as often as required but without it I’m lost.
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Well done @hilary on pushing on. I know what you mean about the false summits, but keep,faith. It does just take that long. If it’s any consolation I’m on draft, er, 20 with at least another round of edits to go! And trust me: the agent will wait, there’s no rush. I took a whole year between the request for the full and sending it, and it was fine.
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Squidge posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 9 months agoVery late to this – two days gone already! – but I blame it on an overnight visit to Germany to see friends and celebrate Advent.
SloMo… I jotted a few ideas down for Room with a View, then decided I didn’t like them and another idea popped into my head this morning. Not sure it’ll work, but might play around with it this afternoon. I shan’t…[Read more]
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Good work on the popping. Good luck for the playing too 🙂
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Philippa East posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 9 months agoOkay, well today has gone well, I think. I managed about two hours, working on balancing the various twists, climaxes and (false) resolutions in the book. I think I’ve managed to pin down the problem more clearly and sketch out a general solution.
I still have to work out the specific details I’ll need to add into the story MS itself to pull…[Read more]-
The turning up at the desk strategy works for me, Philippa.
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Sounds like excellent progress, good work
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Raine posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 9 months agoGoal of 1k words today have mutated into a goal of just getting through the day in one piece. And possibly printing out an MS. I’ve been told I need to trim it back by 10-15k. Which is a little daunting, and like @philippaeast with her more esoteric edits, I need to make sure I am doing this in short enough bursts that I am genuinely paying…[Read more]
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I have had to do major trimming in the past, Raine, and actually found it quite liberating once I had got into the right frame of mind.
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Hi @raine. I feel your pain! Is that comment about trimming one that you have only just received? If so, then it might need a little time to digest. Is it a change that you are, in principle, in accord with? Do you think it’s a case of losing some scenes / a subplot line, or more a case of just tightening everything and trimming words throughout?…[Read more]
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Philippa East posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 9 months agoI’ve been inspired by the goals your guys are setting yourselves. I think I’m going to set myself the SloMo goal of doing (up to) three hours’ editorial work a day (on the days I’m not at work). That, for me, is enough time to get some solid work done, but hopefully not so long that I panic myself with how much I should be achieving. And I plan to…[Read more]
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I think I often try to do too much of that really close editing in a sitting, so start out being really thoughtful and ending up just drifting. So yes, time limits are probably something I need to be better at. Feels funny to limit your own writing time, rather than RL limiting it for you!!
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Yes, good point! But I agree, I think there’s a danger that we over-tax the creative subconscious by hammering away at idea-generation for too long.
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Daedalus posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 9 months agoTrue to form I am late to the party with this. I had a very good start to NaNo and a terrible end – but the good start enabled me to finish the first draft of a novel I’d been working on since 2013. It’s currently a 178,000 word monster, but I will use SloMo to start the long editing process, and also to write a couple of shorts.
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Oh wow, @daedalus, that’s a HUGE achievement. Congratulations on getting that whole draft done. SlowMo editing. I like it. And the shorts too.
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Thanks @philippaeast – I don’t think I will set a target for the amount to edit, as I’ve no idea what’s realistic. I’ll just try to do some every day. Like yours, my editing will be pretty structural, looking at character arcs, in their own right and in relation to others. As well as seeing if it’s possible to lose about 50,000 words.
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Raine posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 9 months agoSo my aim for today was to post this month’s challenge and get the shopping done. And I have just done both. So now I am covered in cats and physically unable to get myself more tea. *weeps*
Tmrw, I am hoping for 1000 words…
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Good stuff, @raine! I sometimes refer to those kinds of tasks as “clearing the decks” work. Like, getting that pesky stuff done so that I have a clear run of time in which to get my head down. “Clearing the decks” work is important work, not procrastination, because it’s a means to the end of getting the creative work done successfully. AT least,…[Read more]
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Raine started the topic Monthly comp – December 2018 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 9 months ago
Ok, so I’m going all seasonal because how could I not? Below are two lists, one of seasonal events/moments, one of items/beings. Pick one from each and do what you like with them. 400 words. Have at it, my lovelies.
Events:
– Lighting the first menorah candle.
– a Christmas eve midnight church service.
– Longest night.
– the hour before dawn on…[Read more] -
John S Alty replied to the topic Monthly competition – Nov 2018 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 9 months ago
Well done, Raine.
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Raine replied to the topic Monthly competition – Nov 2018 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 9 months ago
Oh crikey, thank you so much jonathon! I wasn’t expecting that at all! There was so much to love in all the others. I actually, despite your concerns, absolutely loved your list of prompts!
I’m (still) on a train so will mull on a theme and kick off December tmrw. Thank you again. 🙂
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Philippa East posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 9 months agoHello Everyone, and thanks so much @raine for setting this group up.
Like Seagreen, I have editing work to do over the next month or so, so I am hoping I can make slow and gentle progress on that. I’m currently grappling The Fear / Resistance, so joining you all in this supportive place will be helpful, I hope.
My main panic is that these…[Read more]
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I know exactly what you mean about The Fear, both in general and in the specific form you mention. Encouragement: a few days ago I fixed a problem in my old revived MS that I’d been shrinking from for, literally, years, si if I can do it you certainly can.
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Thanks @richardB. “Shrinking from” – that’s exactly it!! I know I just need to take a deep breath, and step in. Quit worrying about the outcome and just engage with the process.
I have four clear hours tomorrow morning to work, so hopefully I will make some progress. Out of interest, Richard, what was the problem and what was your fix? (if you…[Read more]-
The problem was the one I mentioned a couple of days ago: the bloated chapter full of stuff the reader already knew. I was shrinking from it because there were several threads/issues involved and it was going to be hard work keeping track of them and figuring out what I could get away with losing. I solved it by being bloody ruthless – something…[Read more]
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Oh well done on the ruthlessness! And that sounds like such an important thing to have fixed. I wonder if part of our Fear can come from the sense that if we try to change tricky elements in the MS, the whole thing will fall apart….
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Daedalus replied to the topic Monthly competition – Nov 2018 in the forum Monthly Competition 7 years, 9 months ago
Well done Raine, fantastic competition Jonathan, many thanks for the feedback
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