@raine
Active 3 years, 3 months ago-
Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 4 months ago
Well done on moving forward with the editing, @libby. Each word edited, is a word closer to the end! (My midwife told me that about contractions, and I decided it made a good life mantra!!!)
Also – my neighbours have a big whitebeam over hanging out garden. When the leaves are first coming out in spring, that silvery white is just so lovely!…[Read more]
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Raine replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 4 months ago
Well done @stevie! That’s great news, and now get that thing out to magazines – it’s clearly ready to be out in the world!!
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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 4 months ago
I have cats. My teapot spends most of its time getting knocked to the floor…
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Oh God, this analogy is all too apt….
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Ah yes. So true.
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BLLM here. Sounds like what I say when I really want to swear but we have company.
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Raine replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 5 months ago
Just spotted this – well done both @elle and @hilary! How was the launch? I’ve only read out to my writing group, so you are very brave!
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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 5 months ago
Yay for finishing the edit, @richardb! That’s fantastic. Hope the read through goes ok. HOw do you do this bit? On paper or screen? My final read is on my kindle as it looks totally different compared to paper or laptop – so I spot things I didn’t before. But earlier not-strictly-editing reads are mostly from laptop.
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I do it on my kindle, for exactly the reasons you state, @raine . But I like to do it sitting by my computer, so I can make the changes as soon as I spot the need to. Speaking of which, I still stick with a desktop for the actual writing because I like to have a ‘proper’ full-size keyboard. My daughter gave me a rather upmarket keyboard…[Read more]
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@richardb, I used to sit on the sofa with my laptop and lots of cushions, but I finally set up a desk, so now have the laptop on one of those stands that lift the screen, and a proper keyboard attached. Best of both worlds, and I’ve been surprised (horrified) by how much it’s improved my concentration. :-O I read my wip-on-kindle in bed! Just…[Read more]
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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 5 months ago
Not surprised you can’t focus after work! But well done for moving through the panic and getting into things again. Hope the weekend lets you keep the momentum up…
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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 5 months ago
Ta. x. Edit is a general tighten up to try to shrink the total. But I’ve also decided to cut out a character who just wasn’t quite pulling his weight. I’m hoping that helps the whole thing streamline, but it makes the whole thing very line-edit level. Tempting, like you say above, to just keep going when there’s time. But I don’t think that would…[Read more]
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Oof that does sound hard. I know what you mean about changing one thing affecting everything. Sounds like you,are making brave decisions though with the tightening. I hope it is starting to feel more streamlined (streamlined is such a good word. That’s how we want stories to feel, I think. You know, a sort of organic elegance).
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Sorry – been out of sight for a few days. Writing went well – the group of mainly older ladies (70+yrs) seemed to enjoy the exercises I set, and convinced quite a few that they could write after all. Yet to try it on the NIBsers…
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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 5 months ago
I love that analogy – I will think of that as I plough through each slow chapter!! I’m driving in pretty dense fog at the moment, but there are cats’ eyes. And actual cats on my desk, obv. Well dones for sticking to your targets – that’s bolstering & will hopefully keep you moving.
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Raine posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 5 months agoI’ve decided, in light of switching to editing, that I’m to spend 1-2 hours a (writing) day editing, and the rest working on short stories or transcribing. Should help me keep my editing focus, fingers crossed. Did my first two chapters yesterday…
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I like the plan, @raine. Slow (SloMo) and steady. I’m also switching it up – spending a couple of hours mentally revising elements of book one and then an hour or so sketching ideas for book 2. I switch sides of the table in between!
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Ps well done on the two chapters. What kind of editing are you doing?
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Ta. x. Edit is a general tighten up to try to shrink the total. But I’ve also decided to cut out a character who just wasn’t quite pulling his weight. I’m hoping that helps the whole thing streamline, but it makes the whole thing very line-edit level. Tempting, like you say above, to just keep going when there’s time. But I don’t think that would…[Read more]
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Oof that does sound hard. I know what you mean about changing one thing affecting everything. Sounds like you,are making brave decisions though with the tightening. I hope it is starting to feel more streamlined (streamlined is such a good word. That’s how we want stories to feel, I think. You know, a sort of organic elegance).
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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 5 months ago
Are you editing atm? If so, join the slightly panic stricken club!!
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Yes, though my deadlines are self-imposed thank goodness. I’m behind at the moment. The 2016 SE group is very patiently waiting to critique my next instalment.
Actually I think I’m always editing atm. If it’s not one thing it’s another 🙂
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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 5 months ago
Oh good luck! I feel your pain! Are you doing the splendid post it notes!?
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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 5 months ago
Ha ha! My SloMo is mutating into ReallyQuiteSloMoActually! Fingers crossed for more words today.
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203 > 0.
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🙂 Indeed!
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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 5 months ago
Good going! Starting new wip is definitely something to be pleased with.
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Oh well done! Any words on a new WIP is great. And that research all counts too.
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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 5 months ago
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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Raine posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 5 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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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 5 months ago
Also, music festival sounds amazing! I spent the weekend on trains and hosting family, so slightly less rejuvenating!
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It was BRILLIANT. such a good vibe, amazing range of music, lovely people, food and coffee 🙂
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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 5 months ago
I didn’t realise you could keep using the nano site like that – oh YAY for the chart – That lovely thing gace me such a geeky glow of pleasure!
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Also, music festival sounds amazing! I spent the weekend on trains and hosting family, so slightly less rejuvenating!
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It was BRILLIANT. such a good vibe, amazing range of music, lovely people, food and coffee 🙂
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I didn’t know that either, I’ll have to go check it out
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Yes, it’s a bit different to the normal graph in that you have to add your TOTAL every day, not just what you did that day and then it updates it for you (unless there’s a setting I’ve missed somewhere). I learnt that the hard way today, but luckily the grand sum of 203 (yesterday’s achievement) wasn’t hard to remember, so I just add that to…[Read more]
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Raine posted a new activity comment 7 years, 5 months ago
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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Yes, and the leaves drop early so you’re stuck with them quite a long time @raine 🙁
Agree that contractions are good mantra for a lot of things!
I think we should all cheer on ANY forward motion, painful and incremental included, especially at this time of year! And 1000 a day is high energy by my current standards, so well done @libby. And I too love your leaf pic.
PS I also agree that the @daedalus signature style is a particular talent for making the (what I would find by default) boring, fascinating.