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Aha, this is good. Using the senses is important - and all part of showing not telling. Unlike you I have been doing no writing since I went on tour but this is such a mad time it's hard to not be distracted. However, straight after Christmas I'll be powering. I'll find it hard though to crank up again. And that's a good lesson. If you leave writing for more than just a day or two it's hard to find the mindset you were in previously and continuity is important. You want the reading experience to feel seamless. Long breaks after a manuscript is written is a lovely reward (although I tend not to take them) but too long in between writing sessions can compromise your story and your commitment. You are all doing well - so long as each day it pushes forward. It is a tricky time of the year, I understand, but do your best to not take your eye off your work for any length of time. Good luck! F

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As we're in the process of getting the Avatars back up, I was thinking of asking the Zack-Meister to get a progress bar into profiles that want to keep track of their writing projects.

Would something like that help?

Let me know if anyone is interested.

Cheers,

Trent

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Hey Trent

I think that a progress bar could actually be really rather useful.  Good idea.

Md

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Hi, is everyone still using this forum?  And is it too late to join if you are?  I meet you last year Fiona at a half day session run by QWC on the Gold Coast, but have only just reached that point where I am ready and need to move forward.  The discussions previously sound extremely constructive, if not a little intimidating (how on earth am I going to really manage to write that many words!!!).

My main dilema at the moment is which one do I start with.  I have three ideas, have written copious notes about all of them, have even written the first couple of pages for two of them, but am feeling very disjointed and fear that allowing myself to be distracted by other ideas that have occurred to me will affect my ability to portray the stories that are already playing out in my head.

 

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HI Trosen

 

You are most welcome to join in....

I think one of the best decisions you can make at this juncture is to settle down to producing a single manuscript.  That's your aim.  You can have a dozen different ideas for stories on the go but get around to finishing none of them.  That's what happens to a lot of people I think.  They have such a torrent of great concepts to play with and want to play with them all at the same time.  A professional writer settles down to one project.  Don't be fooled, we'll all admit to having loads of ideas bombarding us but the more experienced ones know either to make a note of it or not fret too much over it because it won't disappear but whatever our system is, we don't stop working on the project that our editor is expecting next.

So take yourself seriously.  You are a writer and you want to succeed at this.  Pick one of those projects - and only one.  Set the others aside.  You'll come back to them in six to eight months.  They won't run away, no one will steal them and they can't be lost if you store them properly.  Settle down and get focused.  Write the story you pick as your first choice, for whatever reason that  might be.  And finish that manuscript.  Until you do, you'll continue to dabble and you'll keep excusing yourself that you're overwhelmed by all these great ideas.  Don't be overwhelmed.  Knuckle down, set yourself a word count - it doesn't have to be a huge amount - and write that amount each day.  Just 250 words might be your perfect level.  Or maybe it's 500...or 150?  Just focus on that project and little by little it will take shape and everything else will pale for a while until it forms itself fully.  Then you can put that away to cure for six weeks and pull out one of the others and get on with that one. 

Am I making this sound too simple?  It is simple but it just requires a lot of hard work and commitment ... and above all, discipline.  At the moment you are not disciplined.  You are allowing your ideas to control you.  So take control, banish them all to their corners and invite them into your headspace one at a time.

Good luck - I'm very pleased you've joined us and looking forward to hearing how you're getting on. 

F

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A day late and a dollar short am I but watch out, Fi.....I think I'm coming in.

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Slàinte!

 

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Hi Fiona

I'm a new member and I would like to join in.

Just a quick question, I've read a few comment of people saying that one should set a limit and write something every day etc. I find this approach not working in my favour. I've wrote just over a 1000 words in the bast hour and I've got nearly 12 000 words all up, all written in a bit over a week. I cant write every day. I need to be in the mood when my imagination and inspiration intercept each other and ideas just keep coming in. I already know the whole idea of my book from start to finish, its just putting it all down now and seeking some professional help/advice when it comes to technical side of writting. Ive had a few mature people have a look at my work and they all think that it is a very good idea with a lot of potential and they are all encouraging me to get started which made me decide to put it down. Do you have any suggestions for a write like me, with no writting experience whats so ever.   

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Welcome Dmso. Thought I'd pop in an offer my two cents. Having a daily word count has helped me immensely. It doesn't need to be high, if you can't set aside the time for 1000 a day perhaps 500 or 250 would suit better. That way it's costantly moving forward and on the days where you can spend a while longer and do 1000+ seem that little bit more exciting. I'm approaching the end of my first draft of my first ever serious novel attempt so I know I'm not an expert. What I have found is that there have been times when I just didn't feel like writing, I didn't particularly even like the story and I loathed all of my characters. The only thing keeping me pushing forward was having a DWC. Believing I had to be in the mood was what led to me having tons of notebooks and exercise books all no more than half-filled with what might have been a good story if only I'd put more time and effort into it.

Anyway, I hope that's helpful (and not too preachy).

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Thanks for that Marelle

Ive already gotten some good advice here. Im going to try few different sources just to make sure that im on the right track as far as the specific style im writting the book in, sometimes when im at work and my mind is relaxed I get all this ides rushing in and i can write heaps and other days theres nothing coming in at all and its those days that just make me confused and make me wonder if i should change certain things etc Its more like writting a good song, you can sit down and write for days and nothing comes out and the next day you might write something very good in 5 minutes.

Anyways thanks for adice, talk soon

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It looks like I came in a little bit late for this one!!!

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"I don't have your eyes...but I have your way of looking at things..."

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Thank you Merryd...

I have just started to write my actual story after a few months of forming the world it takes place in, I have a few maps drawn and cultures of several races. I have always had a few of the the main characters and a key few scenes. But they needed a world, and I like detail... I'm now about 10,000 words into the story itself- I know it will form more as I write and I'm enjoying the process so far.  I keep adding more plot as I go, I have a  thing about everything having a  link... like a  jig saw puzzle waiting to be put back together... 

I'm very new at writing, and the advice in these threads is fantastic.

I guess the law of attraction lead me to this forum...

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"I don't have your eyes...but I have your way of looking at things..."

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Hello

i have just recently signed up and i must say I am feeling VERY inspired after reading all of the posts of this topic. I have loved writing since I could write, and have loved fantasy for even longer. I have never really written anything seriously but last year I started a short coursein fantasy writing as I finally decided to take my writing seriously and finish a project, but like many of you, was having trouble getting started. I love the idea of a daily word count, it will definately help me to become more disciplined in my writing so I am going to start doing it. My DWC will be small though because I work full time and do a few extra-curricular activities and have 2 dogs and 2 cats to care for, but I'm going to do it!

Marelle - when i read your posts i felt as though I was reading about myself! Congratulations on your progress, in fact, congratulations to all!

I am almost finished reading the Trinity trilogy and I am now officially a Fiona McIntosh fan! I haven't loved a set of books so much for a long time.

Looking forward to keeping in touch!

Keep up the great work everyone and thank you for helping to inspire me.

piper xxx

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Hi and welcome both of you. Always nice to see new people.

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I have a question for anyone who might have some ideas;

How long should a chapter be? Do you divide it up as you go, or wait until you read over it again??

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"I don't have your eyes...but I have your way of looking at things..."

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EB, I'm taking this over to the new April 15 thread. Go check - everyone will talk to you about this in that post because it's a good question to kick off the Tuesday meet. Cheers, F

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Well while I didn't follow this model, I did start my novel around Late October/November, and I finished it at 11:20 pm on the 2nd of May, with a final wordcount of about 108,000 words.  I'm in Year 11 at school, so if I can write a novel in 6 and a bit months around homework (or insted of ...), I'm sure all of you can write a novel in 12.

As for an update, I edited it and sent it out to plenty of agents.  Out of the twenty or so I've sent out, I've got all rejections, but I'm still somewhat optomistic for the final five or so.

Though my book still doesn't have a spot in the publishing industry, I never not finish anything, and as all my friends love it (all except one who absolutely despises it) and so I'm about 40,000 words through book 2.