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I thought I'd jump in early in case I can't get back here tonight.

Although I have bugger all to report because I haven't touched my writing for a few weeks whilst I've not been well.  But, I'm back on track now and hoping to put in a solid bit of writing tonight.

Hope you all have had a wonderful writing week.

Mdx

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I'm glad to hear (well, see) you're feeling better Merryd. Good luck with the writing tonight!

My own writing week has gone better than I expected. I don't know whether it's being past the halfway point or if it has something to do with matters unrelated but my word count has shot up over the past few days. I just hope that trend continues. I did learn one very hard lesson early on in the week though. I swapped baking for housework a week or two ago (for which my behind thanked me) and somehow got it into my head that I should hand wash our lovely, thick, padded woolen underlay. Any guesses as to how heavy a queen sized one of those is when it's fully saturated? Anyway, it's taken several days to get the smell of deep heat out of everything, and I don't think the clothes line will ever be the same again. Next time I'm taking it to the dry cleaners and scrubbing floors or something.

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Hi Everyone

Well, so much for my well intentioned start.  Moving house tends to put everything on hold!

I have however taken the extremely important step of talking to my husband about my writing and booking hard core computer time (and that's a challenge in itself!).  We have worked out a time that works for the whole family for me to do my writing, so now I just have to commit.

I have set a daily work minimum of 500 per day, so hopefully by this time next week I'll have over 3,500 words to report.  Hopefully, I'll write more, but until I get going I don't want to set unrealistic targets.

One question: -

How do you all write?  i.e. Do you write, or do you type?  And do you find any difference?

I find that I can get more done and it flows better if I write, which also makes the process a lot more transportable, however this then means I have the tedious task of typing it up afterwards.  Not that it really matters in the long run, I just basically wanted to know if I'm the only hopelessly old fashioned one here.

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How I write tends to depend on what's going on at the time. I try to make myself do it on the computer mostly because I'm inherently lazy and when faced with pages of writing to type out I tend to go "meh" and find something else to do. That said, I have the same issue. I think for me it comes from a mostly computer-less childhood. How deprived! If I'm having problems getting started on a scene I invariably reach for a pen. For some reason being faced with a blank piece of paper just doesn't intimidate me the way a blank screen does. The same goes for very hot days, since our air conditioner doesn't cool all the way down to where my computer lives, and also if I'm trapped far away from the computer with nothing else to do. I also print everything out so I can do my eventual edit on paper. I just don't notice mistakes on the computer screen the way I do when I see things in print.

There's no right or wrong answer though, at least as far as I'm aware. Just remember, the more you hand write, the more you're going to have to type out later. Hope this was at least vaguely helpful.

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Now I am a confirmed notebook addict so I use to always do my writing with pen and paper, especially because I loved to sit out on the back pergola early in the morning to write. Then came the torture task of transferring it onto the computer. After several months of that and whinging and whining and trying to con my sons into doing a bit for me. The family took pity on me (or more than likely wanted some peace) so they all pitched in and got me a laptop. Which I have to admit is now my best friend and goes everywhere with me. The only thing I did discover the hard way is the benefits of backing up. After you lose a fair whack of what you've done, just because the computer decides it has had enough and packs it in as a form of protest you learn about CD's, memory sticks and auto back up files. .  Mind you if I get to the point where I have a mental block (which can be a regular occurrence) out comes the trusty pen and notebook, just to give things a kick start again.

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I use a notebook all the time - partly because it's less confronting than a computer screen, but also because I love writing in bed just before I go to sleep (which is generally when I'm at my most relaxed).  The biggest problem with a notebook is that not only do you eventually have to transcribe to computer, but you rarely have an accurate word count.  But, being in front of a computer screen just doesn't seem to do it for me in quite the way a blank sheet of paper does.

Mdx

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It's nice to know that I'm not the only one.  I must admit that I find the notebook more flexible than the PC, and I try to use it as much as possible.  I do like the notepad and pen for whenever inspiration strikes and actually have a couple of different journals for my different story ideas,  Any time something occurs to me about one of the stories I'm not writing, I make a note in my journal for that idea so that I don't forget when I come to write that one.

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I used to prefer to hand write, but now my touch typing is as fast as my handwriting I do all my writing on the computer. I managed to persuade dh to get me a laptop a couple of years ago and I've not looked back .

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Well, it's Tuesday so here I am checking in. Not a great deal to report if I'm to be honest though. With the heat here in Adelaide over the past few days the computer room has been well and truly off-limits for me. I've done pen-and-paper writing but the word count has dropped because I just don't write as quickly as I type.

On the bright side being past the halfway mark (and approaching the three-quarters) is definitely heartening. The characters are rebelling against me less, they're more or less where I want them to be and there hasn't been an untimely death for a while now. Even the troublesome one is on her best behavior. Perhaps when I killed Dead Character Walking it let her know how serious I was.

Hope everyone else has had a good week.

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Hi Marelle

It has been hot hasn't it.  I managed a fair chunk of writing over the weekend - transcribed about 5,000 words with some backfilling of the story.  Was a bit sidetracked with research into the use of some chemicals to get my hero out of a tricky situation.  I went to Cibos for a while and moved forward in the story as well - probably around 2,000 words.  For some reason, I find writing in cafes to be helpful in getting the story moving forward.  Felt pretty good about the amount I got done.

Mdx

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I'm the exact opposite with cafes. Well, not the exact opposite. I find caffeine helps me progress. But I can't write with people around me. I don't know why that is. It's why I get a room for my computer though and the man of the house gets to have his in a corner of the living room. Perhaps I'm just too set in my ways. After only a few months too. Oh well.

In any case glad you're still feeling well. Sounds like you're fair rocketing along too. Good for you.

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Hi, Looking at the weather I think things may be cooler up here than down south for a change, we are in our wet season, so its rain, rain and for something different more rain (it would be good if there was a way to share it around with areas that are getting none). Though there is a definite advantage it is great for writing, the weekend was perfect for me nothing much else to do so I got heaps done. I can't really say what the word count  was but I only have 3 chapters to go in my re-write, then I guess it is start over again.  I will probably do it several times before I'm happy with it or should I say until I work out where to go from there (bit scary).  I'm like Marelle I would be no good in a cafe, I'm too much of a have-a-chat to get anything done so I have to find somewhere off by myself.

 The other half probably thinks that a blessing as well mean he has some peace and quiet too.

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I could sit for hours and write in a cafe.  The problem is finding one that will let me do that without buying endless cups of coffee and cake.

I think it's something to do with the buzz.  I used to do marking in a cafe as well.  Often, I just use it to get started on something or work my way through a tricky patch of writing.

Mdx

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Oh, you mean they don't just let people sit around and do nothing for hours at a time? They expect you to buy stuff? Damn you Friends, you damaged my already fragile connection to the real world!  My problem in cafes is twofold. The first is that I'm easily distracted by passersby. Okay not just passersby, anything colourful, shiny or just there. It doesn't even matter whether I talk to the passersby. In fact it's best that I don't, otherwise I'd forver be known as the crazy coffee lady or something. The other is that I have this thing where I don't like having people anywhere near me while I'm "creating". It's just one of those weird little me-things. It's all good though because having stripped my computer room of all major distractions it means that only a really really hot day stops me now and everything I write is backed up and safe from a well-meaning man of the house thinking he's disposing of some scrap pieces of paper for me.

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I must be super contrary. Again I find I'm the opposite. The sounds of the neighbours' dogs, the neighbours' doof-doof, the neighbours' dogs' doof-doof are all so familiar to me I just kind of switch them off. I can't do that with crowd noises though which is probably why I find cafes and the like so full of distractions. Although today is a different story. We didn't realise how close our place is to the Clipsal track when we moved in. Every so often I hear these zooming cars which isn't a normal noise for here. Oh well, it's only four days, right?

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Hi

My writing week has been hampered by not having internet access at home (I'm at work at the moment shhh! don't tell anyone!).  I have a lovely character, who is integral to the story, but I just haven't found a name for him yet.  I usually jump on the internet and surf until something hits me that feels right.  This means that my word count is OK (3,000 for the first week's ok isn't it?), but part of this is because I am typing three words to describe this character instead of a name.  Unfortunately, I just can't go with zsfgasdf or something similar.

As for writing in cafe's, I swing a bit both ways possibly because I work in a coffee shop chain's head office and we have one downstairs.  The noise of the coffee shop is one of those familiar noises that can just be tuned out.  I've got to sympathise with you though Marelle.  I don't even live near the Indy track, but when it's on in October, there are so many engine noises that you just can't switch them off.

Happy scribbling everyone.

TR

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So I'm guessing "Bob" is out too. It's a shame. There's not enough Bobs.

Sorry. When the wind picked up today all I could smell was exhaust fumes. I think it's having an effect. Ah well, there's people that pay for that kind of thing.