The Big Bumper Friday Check-In Thread

paddismac

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:roll::ROFL::roll:Oh my Gosh... I saw this thread had been bumped and I performed an embarrassingly long display of arm flailing and teeth gnashing before I realized that, no, it really isn't Friday yet!

Anyway, thanks Laurie for the well-wishes!
 

DanielaTorre

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There's a new thread?! I usually go to the settings for the subscribed threads and saw no new posts so I imagined everyone skipped a Friday. Now I see that a new thread was started. I'm behind on the times.

Nothing new on my end. I've been putting off second rounds of edits on my finished ms for a couple of weeks now. Just don't feel like writing. I haven't felt like this in a long time. As I've mentioned, I've taken up miniature clay sculpting and it's been so much fun that all I do in my free time is make clay charms and figurines. I might start selling them on Etsy if I make enough of them, but I like them too much to part ways. Maybe in the future. I'm tempted to say that I'm addicted. I've replaced my internet addiction with a crafting addiction. Haha.

I don't remember the last time that I was indifferent to writing. I think it may have something to do with the fact that I've finished the two stories that I was most attached to and I'm not feeling the emotional attachment with my new stories as I've felt with the finished ones. I've decided to keep my finished MS polished and tucked away until the time comes that I want to try to sell it.

This weekend for sure I'm putting my foot down and getting some writing done. Either second rounds of edits on my finished ms or continuing on with either the thriller or the CB. Don't care which.
 

CheG

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Happy Friday Check-In!! 2/26/16

I couldn't wait for some one else to start the thread!! Sorry!

I finally made a break though on a high concept idea that I've been trying to plot for 2-3 years now! And next week I go to the Rainforest Writer's retreat and start working on it!! Or possibly before... It depends. Anyway, I'm very excited to have finally come up with something and things seem to be falling into place.
 

Samsonet

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Congrats!!

I finally finished the scene from last time and got started on the next one. And thought of a cool format to try out for another story.

Great week, isn't it??
 

paddismac

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Sounds like progress is being made this week. Good on ya! :Thumbs:

As for me, I'm having a bit of a hard time getting back into the MG groove after spending almost two months with that "adult" short story. Never realized there would be a "warming up" and "cooling off" process involved (for me, anyway).
Was stopped dead in the middle of a scene today when I realized I had used the word "loquacious" to describe a particular character... and any other "more accessible" word was just a pale imitation.

I have the utmost respect for any writer who can switch off between age categories and genres without missing a beat. I will never be one of them.
 

paddismac

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Also, why can't I write a synopsis?? :Headbang:

I can't manage to put two normal sentences together before my pushy, loud-mouthed (omni) narrator from the novel shoves his way in yelling "Here, let me show you how it's done!" And so begins the snark and the asides and the inside jokes (that even I didn't know about), and I have to start all over again.

I know there's room for "voicy" in a query, but, a synopsis... not so much.
 

CheG

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For synopsis I find it easier to just write it all out then cut, cut, cut! Because then at least you have something TO cut down to size.
 

Supergirlofnc

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Congrats, Che!!! And Happy Friday to everyone :) I'm working on a new idea and I'm excited about it.

Paddismac - Ugh - synopses - are rough. I like Che's idea, though. Write it all, then cut, cut, cut. I may try that as well.

:TheWave:
 

paddismac

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Friday check-in time! 3/4/16

Another Friday! I'm sure someone has been messing with the calendars. The last Friday was only like a day or so ago...

Spent the past week shaving and polishing and tightening my "Goats" prologue. Managed to cut it down to 1,800 words from... a lot more.

<sigh> The whole prologue debate drives me insane sometimes. Folks who haven't read it (or any other part of my novel) telling me emphatically that it must be CUT because reasons! Grrrr... It's NOT an info dump. It's NOT something that can be fed into the main story. It's NOT something that can be called Chapter One. I am NOT a "lazy" writer. I have explored every angle and possibility, and this book NEEDS a prologue.

Meh, sorry, just venting. So, what's everybody else up to?? Hope everybody has a great weekend. Spring is here/right around the corner!! Rejoice!
 

Supergirlofnc

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Happy Friday check-in! I feel you, paddismac, on the prologue thing. Many people have strong feelings about them, but I think it depends on the story, and I've picked up many books with prologues. FWIW - my editor asked me to add a prologue to my first book. It ended up turning into a new first chapter but obviously she wasn't averse to them.

And, yay, spring! My magnolias are blooming and I'm pretty sure my daffodils will be flowering soon too.

:Sun::Sun::Sun::Sun::Sun::Sun::Sun:
 

paddismac

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Oooh, magnolias and daffodils! I'm in Florida, so other than slightly warmer temps, we don't have much to distinguish one season from the next. But we do have a lot of singing, nesting birds! I've been putting out clumps of "collie undercoat" in the yard, and it's hilarious watching the birds fight over who's going to get it. There will be a ton of fur-lined nests in the neighborhood this spring!
 

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Hi guys! I woke up to snow! Perfect snow, actually - beautiful on the grass and trees, but it helpfully melted on all of the sidewalks and roads.

Paddismac, I support you in your use of prologue. If you've really considered it and know you're right, stick to your guns.

Supergirl, I'm glad to hear spring has arrived there, just to the south, which means it'll be here soon. Enjoy those magnolias!

I'm going into the editing cave all day tomorrow. So close! Oh, and my online crit group started a blog this week. It's www.wingedpen.com, if anyone is interested.

That's it for now. Happy Friday! Sending daffodils to all!:Sun:
 

paddismac

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Oh gosh! I didn't know there was going to be a quiz! I'm not prepared!

Does a thousand or so words of notes that are destined to be a scene count? If it does, then what I've got is a group of people assembled at their designated rendezvous point, bemoaning the fact that their search has turned up nothing... when out of the shadows appears —

And that's all I got... (and, no, what appears is not exactly the thing being searched for. It's a HUGE complication)

<sigh> It feels so good to get back to writing about my goats!! Now, if I could just finish the darned thing so I can move on to the next one... which involves lutefisk (and if you don't know, don't ask! :tongue Why don't we have a gagging smiley???)

Happy hour of sleep losing weekend to all of us who observe daylight savings time! And a happy regular weekend to all you sensible people who don't mess with the clocks!
 

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I'm working on my book!! That writing retreat was wonderful! I'm on chapter 4 already! Currently my characters are working on a big group project and just got into a big fight!
 

Supergirlofnc

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I'm a little late this week but happy belated Friday check-in! Losing an hour of sleep is always rough.

Last thing that happened to my characters...checking for monsters while pie is baking...
 

JeniferTidwell

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I finished Book 2! Whoo-hoo!!!!

(Well, I got to the end. No, not even that -- I'd already written the end, and I circled back and finished all the stuff in between. And retconned the beginning so that it all makes some kind of sense.)

It's funny how a story can take on a life of its own. A character that I'd intended to be very minor turned out to be the most important character in the book, second only to the two 11-year old protagonists. That just sort of... happened. I'm glad it did, though, because his story ended up bringing home a theme I hadn't yet realized was important to the whole three-book series. (And he's a good-guy Secret Service agent. I think current events influenced my thinking.)
 

Supergirlofnc

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Congrats on finishing book two Jennifer!!! Yes - it's cool how characters take on lives of their own. It's like they decide how they want the story to go.

:hooray::hooray::hooray:
 

DanielaTorre

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Congrats Jennifer! Hi everyone. Been missing for quite some time now. I have nothing new to report. Only that I actually finished the second round of edits on my MG Historical Fantasy Adventure. I was very surprised and elated that there wasn't much work to be done plot-wise. I tightened it up, removed filter words, and chopped off roughly 2K in the process. The positive reaction to this ms was way better than the one on my last. I might need to tweak the first couple of paragraphs, but it's essentially polished to a brilliant shine at this point. Alas, I will have to keep it tucked away for a while until my book on sub either sells, or doesn't.

In any event, I'm procrastinating on the query/summary on this ms, and also the synopsis. Blech. Have no desire to write them. I'm kind of turned off with writing at the moment. Going on two months without really writing anything (if you don't count edits). My CB is still on hold, and my supernatural thriller is at a standstill on the second chapter.

Hope everyone was a nice week. :hi:
 

Supergirlofnc

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Happy Friday Check-in 3-18

Happy Friday! How is everyone doing this week? I've been outlining. It's so nice outside I'm planning to work in my yard this afternoon. Actually, it was a pretty stressful week, so I think working in the garden might be just what I need.

:Sun::Sun::Sun:
 

Supergirlofnc

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I should get out doors more! I'm working away on my book. I'm almost done with chapter 5. So that's pretty good.

Working away on a book, though, is good, rewarding work. You should finish Chapter five then emerge into the sun to celebrate
:e2cheer::e2cheer::e2cheer:
 

paddismac

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Friday check-in: Easter Weekend!

Ah, Friday again! Happy Easter weekend to those who celebrate!

Been tearing my hair out. As you can see from my signature, I've been doing a little experimenting with my upper-MG manuscript.

The whole goat story started in a little fit of foolishness that began "Wouldn't it be funny if...", but as I wrote, my more sensible self kept telling me that no adult could be remotely interested in reading low fantasy involving a kid entering the livestock exhibition at the county fair. So, with a huge amount of struggle and tinkering, it all morphed into MG.

But recently, a helpful and well-meaning fellow forumer (with the help of some weird alien mind control) suggested that maybe writing MG was stifling my "natural" writer's voice; that I really should be writing for an adult demographic. And she has a point. I'm basically a sarcastic, mean, nihilistic <insert noun of choice here>, and it's ridiculously difficult to disguise all that when writing for kids. I mean, I've learned to do it, but it makes writing a lot less fun for me...

So... I'm releasing the Kraken, and A Gamble With Goats is getting a second treatment (recognizing that it will be about as niche as niche can get!) For now, just the first few chapters to see if the premise holds up for an adult readership. I know I should probably be experimenting with a totally different story and characters, but Goats is pure gold, and I gotta see where I can take it. (Yeah, Dunning-Kruger set in a long time ago!) Wish me luck!

Sorry for the ramble... I'm discombobulated... So, is anyone else up to anything remarkably stupid that they'd like to admit to??
 

Supergirlofnc

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Good luck, Paddismac! And Happy Easter to you as well (if you celebrate it) and Happy Friday to all. I say go for the goat! (I never could resist being a little punny.) I think if the R-version grabs you, you need to write it and get it out. After you do that, you'll probably know better which version you really want to go with. That's one thing in writing that sometimes gets me - having too many directions I want to take my story toward.

Hmm. Remarkably stupid? I planted like thirty plants in my garden today. It's just a small box. That's might not be stupid but may be a touch too much. My mind is consumed with plants. All I want to do now is go to the garden shop and buy more! More!!!!! More!!!!!!!!!

I'm also waiting to hear back from my agent about my new story idea. Kinda nervous about that. I like it so I really want him to like it, too.

:chair:chair:chair:chair:chair
 
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