What's On Your Mind About Your Writing?

Taylor Harbin · Jun 13, 2019

I've gotten some great feedback on a recent short story. Next time I edit it will be with a mind towards submitting soon.

On my non-fiction book, I discovered that what I thought was a transcript of a criminal trial was, in fact, depositions taken in preparation for said trial. I hope I find the transcript (if it exists) or else the book will be lopsided: a detailed examination of the preliminary trial followed by a lackluster section on the criminal trial might annoy the reader.

starrystorm · Jun 13, 2019

While I was on vacation, I was trying to find a marionette to buy for my current WIP that is based around puppets. Unfortunately, the antique store that sold them had gone out of business and was instead replaced with a organic dog treat store. At least that wasn't as bad the place trying to sell vegan leather. What is that even?
Anyway, the closest I got to finding a marionette were stuffed animals that you could pull around on a leash. Sigh. I'm going on another month-long vacation with more antique stores. Maybe I'll get lucky there.

indianroads · Jun 13, 2019

Vegan leather...

The Second Moon · Jun 14, 2019

I've decided to make my YA short story collection (That's still in the planning stage) into an adult short story collection. I mean no offense to YA writers, but writing YA just isn't for me. Reminds me of my not too-long-ago teens years. *shudder*

WriteMinded · Jun 14, 2019

Vegan leather is the leather made from the hide of a vegan animal. You know, a cow, a steer, a deer.

CalRazor · Jun 14, 2019

Trying to come up with title.

Tepelus · Jun 15, 2019

Slowly chiseling away at the comments I left in the manuscript of things I need to address, but then finding myself adding more. lol! In other news, I'm finding myself liking the winter months over the summer months. Just too much to do on top of a full time job that's exhausting at the end of the day. With all of this rain, the weeds are out of control and I've lost my passion for gardening. It's become a chore rather than something I do to escape the world. I go to the cemetery to clean headstones for that now, but the rain....At least in the winter I have time to work on my creative endeavors, like writing and drawing. I have to squeeze in time for writing, and drawing, well, that gets put on the back burner until winter.

Ellis Clover · Jun 17, 2019

I just finished a short story I've been tinkering with for months, so thinking about markets for it now.

Also pondering chapter openings. I was a little concerned that all the chapters in my WIP were sounding 'samey' out of the gate, so now I'm keeping a list of first sentences (last ones too) to help keep things fresh. Anyone else do this?

MaeZe · Jun 17, 2019

Finishing the last of the edits. Damn, I love this story but how the hell do I describe it in a query?

My critique group suggestions for my query were so far off base. I didn't bring the chapters in in order and the group members have changed multiple times over the years. Only the group leader has been consistently there, six and a half years. Applying the usual tropes, group leader thinks my story is something completely different than it is. And from random chapters the current group has no clue. It's not an action hero story. The action scenes are not central parts in the story. Important, yes, but not central to the story.

But it's a really good story.

We have a query SYW forum. Anyone interested in a query workshop for those of us that need help figuring the basics out when the story is 'different'?

MaeZe · Jun 17, 2019

Ellis Clover said:
I just finished a short story I've been tinkering with for months, so thinking about markets for it now.

Also pondering chapter openings. I was a little concerned that all the chapters in my WIP were sounding 'samey' out of the gate, so now I'm keeping a list of first sentences (last ones too) to help keep things fresh. Anyone else do this?

Control-F (search) is good for that. I open the whole piece and control-F to find repeating phrases. It works great.

Ruby Road · Jun 17, 2019

Hmmm...what's on my mind at 1am?

I'm attempting to finish my first novel this summer, at about 20K words, goal is 50K... *shudder*. Probably have to scrap and rewrite most of it, it's been awhile since I worked on it. Changed the title for the third time. But at least I have a clearer idea of what I want to do with it now.

1st title- Shadows and Substance- Found out this is already a title for something else.
2nd- The Necessity of the Lie- Lies are an important theme. But this seemed too pretentious.
3rd- Essential Lies- Hopefully won't have to change it again.

As for other projects, at about 5K with a short story about a girl and a robot man, told through their diaries. Started out as your average post apocalypse scenario, with characters attempting to restore order. Took an unexpected turn and seems to be turning into a weird scifi romance thing now...I don't really regret this, but I seem to lose control of the story after a certain point. Maybe I should map out plots more often.

Also been writing poetry. Used to write some really crappy poems that I loathe to look at now. Been writing poetry again and it's closer to what I actually want it to be. Still afraid to put it out there and get laughed at though.

Kat M · Jun 17, 2019

I knew that crutch words were a thing.
I did not know that "that" is my crutch word.
Now I know that.
I should probably fix that.
That's all.

Ellis Clover · Jun 17, 2019

MaeZe said:
Control-F (search) is good for that. I open the whole piece and control-F to find repeating phrases. It works great.

It's been more a matter of repeating constructions and rhythms than phrases. Much harder to weed out with a find search, unfortunately!

The Second Moon · Jun 18, 2019

I'm doing a character journal for my 4 main characters. It is funny how they can see a question totally different then the others. One question was "What keeps you up at night" The first two I interviewed said things like bad thoughts, but one woman said something like, "eating bad food". :roll:

That gave me a great look into how she sees things.

edutton · Jun 18, 2019

Kat M said:
I knew that crutch words were a thing.
I did not know that "that" is my crutch word.
Now I know that.
I should probably fix that.
That's all.

starrystorm · Jun 18, 2019

The Second Moon said:
I'm doing a character journal for my 4 main characters. It is funny how they can see a question totally different then the others. One question was "What keeps you up at night" The first two I interviewed said things like bad thoughts, but one woman said something like, "eating bad food". That gave me a great look into how she sees things.

I've been trying to find a good character journal. I'm afraid I'm just not clicking with my main character.

starrystorm · Jun 18, 2019

Sigh. I can't write people dying. I had this huge plan for my character to kick start her adventure out of guilt when three people died when she could have saved them...but it was too sad, and I made the three injured instead. I just don't like sad books.

indianroads · Jun 18, 2019

Just finished the first draft of my next novel - Damnation. It came in at 103K, which is right where I wanted it. I'm pleased with the work - and love the ending in particular because it plays right into the next 2 books of the series.

So, I'm going to take a couple days off to do some yard work, motorcycle maintenance, then take a ride up to Steamboat Springs to relax and empty my mind.

Then I'll start editing.

Yay!

indianroads · Jun 18, 2019

starrystorm said:
Sigh. I can't write people dying. I had this huge plan for my character to kick start her adventure out of guilt when three people died when she could have saved them...but it was too sad, and I made the three injured instead. I just don't like sad books.

My last novel ended with a downer - and one of the reviewers on Amazon remarked about that (but still gave me 5 stars). Sometimes bad things must happen as motive for what will happen next.

WriteMinded · Jun 19, 2019

Can't seem to finish last little bit of editing. I'm distracting myself, doing everything but tapping keys. So, I guess my writing is only on my mind. It sure isn't filling up the pages.

ap123 · Jun 19, 2019

starrystorm said:
Sigh. I can't write people dying. I had this huge plan for my character to kick start her adventure out of guilt when three people died when she could have saved them...but it was too sad, and I made the three injured instead. I just don't like sad books.

I'm the opposite, it's always a surprise if there's anyone left standing at the end. :e2brows:

Wondering why I'm still not at the end of this mss I fully expected to be finished with by now.

Kat M · Jun 19, 2019

ap123 said:
I'm the opposite, it's always a surprise if there's anyone left standing at the end.

Wondering why I'm still not at the end of this mss I fully expected to be finished with by now.

Easy. Not everyone is dead yet. Here, I'll help. :e2chain:

(In all seriousness, good luck!)

Ruby Road · Jun 19, 2019

Congrats Indianroads!

Lcarver · Jun 19, 2019

I'm trying to figure out how to get better. I still don't know how much I don't know, you know?

lilyWhite · Jun 20, 2019

That moment when you realize you might have to change the name of one of your WiPs...

...because the name you gave the magical-girl protagonist of that story would be better for the magical-girl protagonist of another of your story ideas.

:greenie

What's On Your Mind About Your Writing?

Taylor Harbin

Power to the pen!

starrystorm

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.

The Second Moon

WriteMinded

Derailed

CalRazor

Tepelus

And so...

Ellis Clover

watching The Office again

MaeZe

MaeZe

Ruby Road

Kat M

Ooh, look! String!

Ellis Clover

watching The Office again

The Second Moon

edutton

Ni. Peng. Neee-Wom.

starrystorm

starrystorm

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.

indianroads

Wherever I go, there I am.

WriteMinded

Derailed

ap123

Twitching

Kat M

Ooh, look! String!

Ruby Road

Lcarver

lilyWhite

Love and Excitement