"Old" People Writing for Teens V

Sage said:

Ugh, just totally screwed up at work in a stupid way, and almost cried over it.

Click to expand...

Work screw ups have some sort of special chemical property that just makes them worse to think about than other screw ups. It's some combination of having to deal with other people because of it, and the fact that you knew better and it still happened. (When I started at my current job way back when, every dumb mistake was part of your public record, because we had to pass a vote to stay on. It was the worst)

Upside, it happens to everyone. Sage, new job, screw ups happen!

triceretops said:

CoffeeBeans: This is pretty good advice. Can you manage that without losing anything? The best of luck.

Click to expand...

Could probably delete the whole thing without losing anything . It's fine... just the opposite of my usual situation, since my average scene is ~1k, I rarely need a second one attached.

So, I'm getting closer to being ready for the Beta Project. Any OPWFT interested in a little hook+750 swap to work the bugs out?

Sage said:

Ugh, just totally screwed up at work in a stupid way, and almost cried over it. It's an easy fix (except for the paperwork), but there've been a lot of mistakes lately not by me, so mine's adding to them, and this was a combo of not paying attention, new methods that I hate, and someone "helping" me out in a way that confused me.

Click to expand...

We've all been there... this too shall pass. I once f'ed up a client-facing system in a way to took three days to iron out, and I'm still employed...

I'm trying my hardest not to think about work (despite having worked the past three nights and "getting" to go again tonight and tomorrow). I need to hurry and get a job elsewhere so I can quit and move. I should've quit months ago, but no; I had to give in to the fact that while I wasn't necessarily happy, I was comfortable. Now I'm paying for it.

I screw up at my day job all the time. It seems they never tell me when I do anything right, just when something goes wrong.

It happens. We learn from our mistakes and move on, to make other mistakes, in my case.

Or life. I made a lot of mistakes. Still moving forward, wiser, but still making mistakes.

Something stinks in my office tonight. My desk is in the mudroom/laundry room, which can be a major stink zone. I washed all laundry in the room, removed all the shoes, and turned on the fan for the last two hours. It still stinks. Damn!

The only things left are a couple of sweatshirts, backpacks, and the rug under my desk.

JKRowley said:

I screw up at my day job all the time. It seems they never tell me when I do anything right, just when something goes wrong.

Click to expand...

I seem to have the opposite problem. People never tell me if there's an issue, until it's at a point where my boss calls me in to tell me I'm on probation. Again. After over six months with no negative feedback until one stupid incident--and that's still the only time I've gotten negative feedback since like August. I'm so over this job.

(((Bookgirl))) Sorry about the probation and silence on the job, etc.

(((Sage))) We all screw up, esp. at new places and at new jobs. Don't beat yourself up.

JKR, ugh sorry about the smelly room. Could it be the rug? Did you spill anything on it?

I finished a round of revisions and am now waiting for another round of notes. Hoping this is the last one. I just want to write something NEW. I've been at the same book since 2014!

CoffeeBeans said:

So, I'm getting closer to being ready for the Beta Project. Any OPWFT interested in a little hook+750 swap to work the bugs out?

Click to expand...

I've already submitted mine, but you can send me yours if you like? (Then I'll just have to hope Sage doesn't allocate it to me later to crit again.)

JKRowley said:

Something stinks in my office tonight. My desk is in the mudroom/laundry room, which can be a major stink zone. I washed all laundry in the room, removed all the shoes, and turned on the fan for the last two hours. It still stinks. Damn!

The only things left are a couple of sweatshirts, backpacks, and the rug under my desk.

Click to expand...

When I first read the BIB, I was aghast that your workplace had allocated you a desk there and thought you should complain to your manager (especially washing all the laundry - surely that's not in your job description, I thought, if you worked in an office). Then I realised you meant your office at home, lol! (Sage's post earlier in the thread had me in the mindset of thinking about company offices, so I blame Sage. )

for all those with job woes.

Go, Smiley - you're nearly there!

Bookgirl2021 said:

I seem to have the opposite problem. People never tell me if there's an issue, until it's at a point where my boss calls me in to tell me I'm on probation.

Click to expand...

This is really really bad management. It's the sort of thing that if you wanted to stay, you could in the future ask for monthly progress meetings or something, so these don't become nasty surprises. I wish you tons of luck finding a better spot.

Netz said:

I've already submitted mine, but you can send me yours if you like? (Then I'll just have to hope Sage doesn't allocate it to me later to crit again.)

Click to expand...

Appreciated. Since you'll be in the pool, I'll try to keep your eyes fresh instead, just in case.

Sage said:

I make no promises. Depends on how many people enter, how many entries CB enters with, & who wants to read what genres/ages.

Click to expand...

Shhhh, you're blowing my spot I still have a pitch to write... I'll send something your way soon!

The agent who had the tweet I was obsessing over mentioned she signed one of the two writers with the MS she mentioned. That person was not me. Ah, well, there's the risk of raising hopes. Congrats to that person out there though!

CoffeeBeans said:

This is really really bad management. It's the sort of thing that if you wanted to stay, you could in the future ask for monthly progress meetings or something, so these don't become nasty surprises. I wish you tons of luck finding a better spot.

Click to expand...

It's actually the second time something like this has happened. The first time was worse, though. At least this time I knew there had been the one issue. Last time it had seemed to me like things were getting better, and then I got called in to talk with my boss's boss. I've been at this place for over a year now, and I have some pretty major issues with the company in general, and more so with my boss and admin. My boss is a master manipulator, and... I hate talking to him. I saw one of those "Maybe he doesn't hit you" tweets that struck a chord, because it's exactly what happens almost every time I talk to him.

ETA

Sage said:

BG's work problem is very reminiscent of problems at my old job. By the time a problem was brought up to me (usually stemming, as far as I could tell, from Supe focusing on a tiny incident and months later telling the bosses that it was a huge, continuing problem), I usually had no clue what they were talking about, or if I did, there was no way for me to respond to it because I couldn't remember the details involved.

Click to expand...

This. So much so. The incident that was brought up this time happened like a month, month and a half ago. I'd gotten a total of about seven hours of sleep over the course of 48 when I had to meet with my boss, so not only had it been a while, I was also ridiculously exhausted. How was I supposed to stand up for myself under those conditions?

Netz, LOL, no, this is just how my family treats me with a tiny office in the mudroom/laundry room. My day job is at home as well. I edit business reports (yawn).

Actually, this tiny office was my idea and a reason we bought the house. There is a full office in the basement, but I don't want to be in the basement. The hubs gets that, along with the community computer for the kids. I'd have to share a great big office on the main level. I can work with laundry going on and people coming in to kick off their shoes and throw down a backpack, but someone sitting at a computer, probably playing a game is NOT going to work for me. I even have a door with a lock, since this space used to house a half bathroom

Bookgirl, you make me thankful they tell me about all my mistakes, all the time. I'd hate to be blindsided like that.

Do you all read books about craft? I recently went to a conference where Lisa Cron did some inspirational lectures about craft, and my critique group bought her book, "Wired for Story." It is very interesting, and something I am applying to my stories and that I think was lacking in some that didn't sell or get anywhere with my agent queries. I recommend it!

JKRowley said:

Do you all read books about craft? I recently went to a conference where Lisa Cron did some inspirational lectures about craft, and my critique group bought her book, "Wired for Story." It is very interesting, and something I am applying to my stories and that I think was lacking in some that didn't sell or get anywhere with my agent queries. I recommend it!

Click to expand...

I do sometimes, although not anything like as much as I used to... I picked up a copy of The Maeve Binchy Writers' Club just yesterday, as it happens. It looks interesting.

I still love Theodore A. Rees-Cheney's book on editing, Getting the Words Right: How to Rewrite, Edit and Revise*, and Stephen Fry's FUN poetry book, The Ode Less Travelled.

*In earlier editions, the subtitle was "How to Revise, Edit and Rewrite." The fact that he rewrote that subtitle has cracked me up for twenty years. This probably says a lot about me.

JKRowley said:

Do you all read books about craft?

Click to expand...

I've probably read waaaaaaay too many books about craft. Like even the free/cheap ones on Amazon that are just collections of someone's blog posts. I have a craft book problem.

And it all started because my one professor gave me her worn copy of Bird by Bird as a graduation gift.

The BP sounds awesome and I so want to enter, but I'm not sure when my unfinished mess of a rewrite will be finished.

Sorry to all those having job woes.

No writing got done this weekend. Too busy and my hand started hurting again. Still is actually, so this is short.

JKRowley said:

Do you all read books about craft?

Click to expand...

I sort of hate writing books. That's probably weird, right? I love grammar books, but beyond that, I'm all "You don't know me!" when I read writing books.

Kaylinn57 said:

No writing got done this weekend. Too busy and my hand started hurting again. Still is actually, so this is short.

Click to expand...

You have a lot going on! Writing will be there when life settles down!

That tweet I was all excited about last week? Follow up today, the agent introduced the new writer she'd signed, who has a great book in my subgenre. This is what I get for getting my hopes up.

Craft Books: Yes, but not so much anymore. I have several and they all seem to say the same thing. I find I learn as much from reading really good writers and noticing their craft. Maybe it's the whole "show don't tell" thing. it applies to learning writing too.

Beta Project: Won't have anything ready, but can I offer to crit? I'm guessing it would mess things up for me to crit someone's entry when I don't have one, but I assume I can offer to beta read MS's later . . .

Jobs: Sorry about everyone's job woes. I miss working, but sometimes I don't.

Smelly Office: I feel you on the smell thing. I am super sensitive to smells and they drive me batty. I'll spend hours tracking down the offending item and cleaning everything in my path because I just can't stand to smell anything gross.

Smiley: I totally understand the need to write something new, and I've only been on this book since February of 2015! Though I'm guessing revisions will be in my near future. Which is totally okay, but I am interested in writing new words soon.

I'm not sure when I'll be ready to start writing a new WIP. I have this weird need to feel "ready" though I never really feel ready. I need to research and plot and character sketch myself into oblivion until I finally say, "Enough! Just write the damn thing!" But since RL has been getting in the way of writing, I don't feel prepared. Today is 2nd grade picnic, and the washing machine broke so I'll be spending tonight at the laundromat, then tomorrow I have an appointment with a seamstress to get clothing fitted. I am so tired of pants that fit my momma hips and but not my waist. Friday is hair appointment. Ahhh! Somewhere in there I should be able to get to the library and get a stack of books for research. Which is another problem. My library is tiny and limited so a lot of my research is done on the internet. And if it's on the internet, it must be true . . .

jtrylch13 said:

Beta Project: Won't have anything ready, but can I offer to crit? I'm guessing it would mess things up for me to crit someone's entry when I don't have one, but I assume I can offer to beta read MS's later . . .

Click to expand...

You don't have to be a participant to submit critiques and/or offer to beta entries in the Beta Project. It actually might be a big help, since I seem to remember from previous years that sometimes people didn't turn in their assigned critiques, resulting in some entries not getting the full number of critiques - so having more critiquers on the bench would help in emergencies.

jtrylch13 said:

Beta Project: Won't have anything ready, but can I offer to crit? I'm guessing it would mess things up for me to crit someone's entry when I don't have one, but I assume I can offer to beta read MS's later . . .

Click to expand...

(Is staring at AW so I beat Sage to the answer) You can! There are a few people who do this, and it doesn't screw anything up. I've critted more than my assigned entries every time I've done it, just because there's something else I want to crit. It just means someone will get extra feedback. There are some participants who can't complete their own in time too, and the pieces they are reading need another crit to reach the three promised, so extras are a good thing!

ETA-- Para is way quicker than I am. I have to step up my refresh-game.

CoffeeBeans said:

That tweet I was all excited about last week? Follow up today, the agent introduced the new writer she'd signed, who has a great book in my subgenre. This is what I get for getting my hopes up.

Click to expand...

Sorry...

Sorry, Coffeebeans. But don't despair. (though to be fair, I think we all read so much into vague tweets. sigh.) ...I just realized that all rhymed *hides*

JTR, when do you get to announce your agenty news? I'm dyyying over here.

Smiley: Waiting to receive, read and sign contract, then I'll be all announcey over here.

Beta Project: Great! I'll do some critting once the entries are posted.

JKRowley said:

Do you all read books about craft?

Click to expand...

I've read a few books about craft including On Writing by Stephen King and Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain (which contains some excellent advice but also has some very outdated views of women and gender roles). Both were quite good, and I felt I came away a slightly better writer after reading them.

I really need to read more. I could probably stand to mix in the occasional craft book to help me shore up on some of my weaknesses.