@squidge
Active 1 month ago-
Squidge posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoMy slomo so far has been to draft a Christmas newsletter (rather a Marmite thing, I’ve found, for the recipients), planned a few writing exercises for a group I’m talking to tonight (which I will also be using for NIBS next week), and about 150 words of something I like for Room with a View (although I have no idea where it’s heading or why I’ve…[Read more]
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Raine posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 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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JaneShuff posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoGot my 500 words done. The first 500 words of a new WIP. Had to remind myself several time – Don’t get it right, get it written! Suspect it might show that I loved doing my research a bit much! Tomorrow’s target is the same – 500 words. Then I’m off to London for a big weekend so won’t get anything written until I get back. Hope you’re all doing…[Read more]
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Good stuff. Every 500 words adds up
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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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Daedalus posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 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 Iâd submitted that version a couple of times. Iâm pleased I did that much tbh, as itâs 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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KazG posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoSo I managed 203 words yesterday. That’s a little too Slo Mo for my liking. I think I need to embrace the theme of this group a little less enthusiastically.
In my defence, it was the day after said music festival, kids had music performance of their own AND husband back in the house after a month away. So not a normal day…
Have to get…[Read more]
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Good luck Kaz. I am off to bed now after a fabulous evening learning about search and rescue dog training.
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Ha ha! My SloMo is mutating into ReallyQuiteSloMoActually! Fingers crossed for more words today.
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203 > 0.
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đ Indeed!
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Hilary posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 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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Libby posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoThanks for setting up this group @raine. A great idea.
I work slowly most of the time so every month is a SloMo. Printing out is definitely required for serious editing, as is reading aloud though that comes nearer the end of whatever section I’m working on. Until the reading out, I live with lots of clunky connections and sentences. And…[Read more]
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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 đ
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JaneShuff posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoI didn’t have a lot of time today but I think I have got the planning to the stage where I need to start writing. So that’s the plan for tomorrow. Although I won’t have a lot of time, so I’m going to do the background research for it tonight and set myself a gentle target of 500 words.
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Squidge posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 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 đ
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Philippa East posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 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, 4 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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KazG posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoThanks for setting this up @raine, great idea, and inspiring to read about all the gentle but still moving forward targets in here.
I’m in dire need of SloMo December, especially after coming back from a brain-and-soul-rejuvenating music festival in the beautiful middle of nowhere. Which was fabulous on every level but very lacking in sleep…[Read more]
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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 đ
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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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JaneShuff posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoI am loving redaing what you’re all planning to do in December.
Having spent yesterday and today running and manning the local twinning committee’s ‘sell English products to the French’ Christmas stall in between dodging the Gilets Jaunes to take my OH to the airport, my aim tonight is to do enough RL work to free up tomorrow morning for a bit…[Read more]
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*reading
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That would be a very good end of year @janeshuff. I hope you are all ok over there. Awful to read about all the anger and destruction x
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Thanks @kazg. Luckily we are far from the mayhem of Paris and the gilets jaunes here were peacable enough. However they’ve started blockading the Port du Commerce which means no petrol deliveries and there was a spate of panic buying over the weekend which means the pumps have run dry!
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Oh yikes! Hope the blockade lifts soon, although I have to admire their protest power! Good luck for the writing today – and without the OH to interrupt!
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Oh no, hope you don’t get stuck! yes, the French know how to get protesting, don’t they? Phlegmatic they are not. Good luck with the writing @janeshuff
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RichardB posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoA good last few days. This weekend I have sorted two probs with my revived MS, the ghost story A Record of Sin.
The first was the paragraph formatting. which was in a mess inherited from the days when I didn’t know how to do it properly. I’ve been through the whole MS and put it right.
The second was a last, rather tricky POV change. Tricky…[Read more]
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Well deserved G&T, I reckon!
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Philippa East posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 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, 4 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 donât think I will set a target for the amount to edit, as Iâve no idea whatâs realistic. Iâll 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 itâs possible to lose about 50,000 words.
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Raine posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 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 âclearing the decksâ work. Like, getting that pesky stuff done so that I have a clear run of time in which to get my head down. âClearing the decksâ work is important work, not procrastination, because itâs a means to the end of getting the creative work done successfully. AT least,…[Read more]
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Well, that’s progress then! Nice work on the Room With a. It’s story. Hope it collaguates soon.
*Room With A View
I love it when something insists on being written even if you donât have a clue where itâs going.
How did the writing group go @squidge?
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…