October 2019 Challenge - Write Every Day!

CindyT: Great, great word count. Also, your chart is nifty! I like!

April: Hey, thanks! Yeah, it's a crazy industry for sure. Still, I'm glad for all the recommendations and chorales are good too. I'll be sure to check them out in the coming week or so and I'll let you know which ones I like. Good work on your part today.

WGough: Thanks! It was a good session yesterday and I felt satisfied doing it. Yeah, if I haven't seen it before than usually I get caught up in the moment of it as well, but I'll try to check some out. Good job on the revisions!

Pterofan: Oooooo, sounds racy. Nice. Flash away!

Keithy: I hear you on the slog. Today wasn't a good writing day for me, but I still did it. Still, you're swimming! Keep at it, it'll all pay off. And I like your development of plot. Keeps me focused on making my own transient and flowing methinks.

Layla: Another great day for you too! Earning, writing, taking care of business- you've got the cat in the bag!

Robert: I read so much, but I'm trying to look at books with a more critical eye. I have a whole library worth, basically, that I'm going to reread to appreciate all the nuances of language, style, poise, etc. I like how you gave me the examples with movies and I'll give it a shot. There's a site called The Criterion Channel that has all sorts of acclaimed movies. I'll go for that. Thanks! Also, good work on what you've been doing. Your word counts are great and I find that your progressing with the overall conception of your work. Good stuff, matey!

Me: 400 words today. Slept a lot. I finished two books though including the psychology one, and The Poem of the Cid. I'll get way more done tomorrow- slow day for me. Still, I wrote! Also, no smoking!

WGough: Yay for chapter revisions. Wanna come and do mine too?

Pterofan: Yeah, that’s the one! I’ve never actually seen it, have you? The music is absolutely stunning. Oh yeah, Superman’s great too. One of my favourite cues of all time is the Krypton cue—especially when it plays for the first minute or so in ‘The Planet Krypton’. Gives me shivers, so it does. BTW I want your job.

Keithy: I’m failing as a HP fan here but which book is the rogue bludger from again? Horntail is Goblet, right?

Layla: Nice work!

Robert: Ah, try not to let the agent stuff get into your head. If you keep at it, your writing will find its place. I truly believe that all successful writers are simply the writers who didn’t give up.

Daniel: Woo for 400 and allowing yourself to rest and still no smoking!

*crawls to keyboard* Chapter 12 is done. Ugh. About 2869 drafted. Now it’s onto Chap 13, which is semi-planned, and then I need to look at the gaping void that is Chapter 14.

Day 16: Decent bit; 5 miles; Still Alive

Day 16

Driveby

DAY 16:

8 pages, therefore finishing up editing chapter one.

Daniel--Slept a lot pretty much sums up my procrastination too.

April--There are chapters that are just like that. Tough and just don't behave.

Day 16 - 167 words. Still flashing.

I think I've figured out a way to write Dwayne Johnson into my series. His ethnic background includes Samoan, so he could be related in some way to Hawaiian Girl. Sometimes writing is a pain in the butt, but I love the "casting" process.

Keithy - I watched a ton of SFF movies in the '70s and '80s, but somehow I missed Krull. I've never heard the soundtrack. Wish I could find a recording of the soundtrack from The Mummy Returns. It's got just the right blend of rousing adventure/romance to it.

April - you don't want my job. The sex gets repetitious after a while and it doesn't pay as much as I'll bet everyone thinks it does. It's good for paying the bills, though.

I think the rogue bludger may have been from Chamber of Secrets. Didn't it break Harry's arm and Kenneth Branaugh messed up the healing spell?

Day 17
Revised Chapter 31.

Pterofan: Nice word count. Way to flash!

Keithy: Love a good invisible flying demon. Feel better!

Layla: Congrats on the half page.

K Robert Donovan: Brainstorming and revising! Nice work!

DanielSTJ: Good day!

April: Congrats on getting through it! Funny enough, I used to edit manuscripts for an academic press. So much easier than revising my own work. Argh.

Cindyt: Toot-toot!

starrystorm: Congrats on that chapter!

Congrats on the 1109, RK (& I'll share the general wisdom I've learned. Finish your story first, get it ready to sub -- THEN research agents. Like, while you're writing your query & synopese)
Daniel - 400 sounds good. It sounds like you needed to take a slow day. & way to keep Not Smoking!!
April! Ch 12 is done! & with 2869 words to boot
Good to see you Cindy
Hello Starry, congrats on that editing
Congrats on that flashy 167 Ptero
Steady as you go, Gough


Day 17

WIP - 1 page
R/SC - whew. Ate cookies and chips when I got home, but managed to make toast & egg, & do a wee bit of washing, then on to a bit of reading on the Cozy Couch*. I'm going to have to organize my evening meals a bit better, because I come home hungry, but too tired to cook.
BP/$$ -- earning service

*it's a loveseat, actually. & it's old, so it floops down & you get kind of sucked into it. It's good at making you sleepy.

Daniel - 400 words is good for a slow day (says me, who has done 17 words on a slow day before)
April - Horntail is Goblet. Bludger is Stone. High fives for the 2869! Woo!
Starrystorm - first chapter is the hardest. Well done for getting it done (mine's still a mess)
Pterofan - you'd be surprised what you can find on Youtube etc for soundtracks.

Well done to everyone else here. Even those who did nothing. Writers write, writers rest.

My effort is 1305. Shana does some digging at the, er, dig site. She meets a friend (Adam). They're packing up these artifacts and... that's it for today. Invisible winged demon comes tomorrow.

Non-writing.

More laundry.
More sleeping.
Watched Bumblebee and Godzilla King of Monsters. I liked the former better.



You can do it!

Just a drive by. Not feeling well but edited 3 more chapters. I find I enjoy line editing and could have done more if I hadn’t been interrupted a gazillion times. How do you train the people you live with to leave you alone? I love ‘em but sheesh!

starry: Great job with 8 pages.

Pterofan: Ah, yeah I think you’re right—I couldn’t remember who cast it … ah I’ve just remembered! The Mummy Returns is on Spotify. The album for the original is my fav in that series.

WGough: Woo Chap 31! You’re fairly getting through it.

Layla: 1 page and cookies and crisps and cosy reading sounds like a crackin’ day to me.

Keithy: 1305! Have your snooze in the 1k club.

sandree: A water gun? Feel better soon.

K, Chap 13 is in the bag. It was mostly editing old stuff—only 1862 added—but now I’ve got a massive hole coming up. I’m nearly at the end so I know Chap 14 has to be EXCITING! but I’m struggling to think of something juicy. Send dramatic vibes please.

Day 17: Decent bit; 5.5 miles; beer hunt

Day 17 - 310 words

Not exactly flash...I was fiddling with a character sketch of the heroine for Book 2. I knew she'd be half witch and half wolf shapeshifter, but the Creole part surprised me, as did the bit about her wanting to headline her own act in Vegas. The two men she ends up with are going to have their hands full, not to mention the vampires who target her. Pity this is Book 2. I really should write Book 1.

Keithy - thanks, I'll check that out. I have to be careful because I get my Internet at the library, so I need to keep the sound down so people don't complain (they have desks in the lobby for laptop users).

So I wrote two critiques on Critters amounting to about 700 words and read another chapter in Erikson's Toll the Hounds. I was also in a cleaning mood and since I worked from home today I did up all the dishes, all the laundry (washed, folded, and put away), and tidied up the house.

I actually didn't touch my book today. I think I did cleaning today so that I can spend most of the day tomorrow focusing on my book.

EDIT - WooHoo! I didn't realize that I surpassed 100 posts here on AW!

Pterofan - nice job with the 310.

April - what's your story about? I'm sure you know that drama can come in many forms. In my book I have altercations, arguments, a trial, a duel, a battle, romantic tension, betrayal, disappearance, investigation, intimidation, two executions, an explosion, a pursuit (horses), and an antagonist who finds new ways to be hated - just to name a few of the methods. I even find humor to be a means.

Sandree - thanks for the drive by. Editing 3 chapters is good progress.

Keithy - fist bump on the laundry.

Layla - 1 page - awesome!

WGough - I feel ya on the revising stuff - I've taken a new mindset when revising that when I review a chapter I take the attitude that the whole story hangs on the success of the chapter. I try to make it the very best possible. Hard part for me is it takes a lot of time and energy and I have 54 chapters.

Starry - great job with the 8 pages

Cindy - glad you passed through

Daniel - I've been meaning to tell you that I am really proud of your efforts to kick the smoking habit. Keep at it man, you'll thank yourself during the days to come if you can completely walk away from it. There is just nothing good that comes with it. I have family history and know of the health problems it creates. So keep at it. And keep writing!

April - 1862 is a big effort (I don't usually get that much done). For exciting, perhaps watch the mine cart scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Pterofan - I like your witch/shapeshifter.
Robert Donovan - Hmm, Malazan. What an odd series.

OK, I managed 745 words today, which is 744 words more than I expected to get done. Shana helped pack the artifacts on the wagon and the invisible flying demon came to pick it up. Shana jumped up to hang on to the axle while in flight... and more to come tomorrow. I expect the "pilot" to try to bash her off or fly into treetops to dislodge her. Hang on Shana! (She can't fly yet)

non-writing
swimming
shopping
trying to avoid laundry

keep swimming everyone... it can be done.

Day 18
Revised Chapter 32.

Layla: Whew is right! I'm with you on the hungry but too tired to cook front. Had Butter Toffee Pretzels for dinner last night. Cereal and freezer soup are my mains. And chips and cookies.

Keithy: Nice word count! Dig, dig, dig.

sandree: Congrats on the three chapters. Feel better soon. You're probably too nice to lock the door and say, "If it's not an emergency, write it on a post-it." I like the water gun idea. Like getting cats off the counter.

April: You genius you! Sending all the dramatic vibes.

Pterofan: Brainstorming surprises are the best!

K Robert Donovan: Great advice. Thanks!

Have a great weekend!

Keithy, congrats on tat 745
Nice work Gough - 32 chapters done! (Thanks for reminding me about cereal)



Day 18

WIP -- 1 page
R/SC -- met my friend and got a riding lesson, I have't done that since last fall.
BP/$$ -- emailed a friend about help with a project

Drive by. Thank you all for your dramatic vibes I think I’ve got the ending figured out … fingers crossed!

Anyway, finished Chap 14 (about 2312 drafted) and realised I need a bonus chapter. Onwards!

Day 18 - 487 words. The flash should end by Tuesday because that's my assignment deadline.

Keithy - congrats on inventing the wagonhanger! (Like a cliffhanger, but with more action.) Sounds like this version is progressing nicely.

Such a wild night a couple days ago. Didn't smoke, but I kind of messed up. I wrote 500 words that night, before coming over to buddy's house, but nothing yesterday. I'll try for a low word count today to bring me back up to speed. Good efforts everyone!

Day 19
Revised chapters 33, 34, and 35. Whew!

Layla: Another full page day! Whatever you're doing, it's working for you!

April: Beep-beep! Congrats on Chapter 14!

Pterofan: Nice word count!

Daniel: Way to be social!

Wgough - good revising.
layla - one page at a time gets the job done.
April - a mighty effort there!
Pterofan - keep flashing!!
Daniel - don't worry, every writer deserves a night off

OK I was aiming at ~500 words, then the 1k+ club... and did 2095 words today. I completed the Shana hanging from the flying wagon scene - the invisible demon's master tried to knock her off by flying through treetops. Then came the fight on the citadel courtyard, Shana vs about 40 guards. Of course she lost, but she took out at least a dozen of them. It then took six of them to subdue her and throw her off the battlements; she became impaled on a spike then fell and broke some bones. Ouch.

I feel quite energized about this now. Next scene is her healing and going to see the temple with the old man.

research: medieval slang for male genitalia. Having been mistaken for a boy, Shana giggles when someone threatens to cut off her...


non-writing

losing weight, I hope, despite the liqueur chocolates I was given.
more laundry (does it ever end?)
reading Dune books.
watching the expanse... when I get time.

Stay on target... pew pew pew

or keep swimming!

Jumping the drive-by train - took a skip the WIP day, did some of the other things.

Soooo tired. G'nite yall

DAY 19: 8 more pages edited of my sci-fi. It was really hard to just BIC, but I finally did it. I think it's because my headphones break and I usually listen to music when I write/edit.

Keithy- Doesn't it feel great, passing your word count goal and you still feel energized to keep going?

Layla- You deserve a skip break, me on the other hand, I take way too many.

Drive by! Been on a holiday this past week, and am about to sit down to write. Feel refreshed

Day 20 - woo hoo! I finished my second editing pass and sent my manuscript off to two paid beta readers! it is still shorter than I would like but I think I need a break from it to get new material. Or - 60,000 words is just where it wants to end. I am very stuck on my title. I’ve gone from Finding Sunshine (or about 30 synonyms for Finding) to Destrier Station to Inside Out or Outside In. So far, I don’t love any of them. Actually like Destrier Station but I don’t want to indicate that it is a space battle type sci fi story. It is much softer and more female oriented.

I have to thank you all for helping me get through this. I know I didn’t check in every day, but knowing you were all plugging away was somehow a comfort and an impetus.

Now I can play with my cover - and clean my refrigerator.

Pia - so nice to have a break and return refreshed.
Starrystorm - you’re gettin’ there!
Layla - it’s good to re-energize and re-vitalize.
Keithy - whew - that’s prodigious!
WGough - you must be almost done!
April and WGough - I love the water pistol idea for interrupting family members. It worked on my cats!

starry, congrats on the BIC and the 8 chapters!
Hi Pia, good to see you
sandree, congrats on getting a finished MS of to the betas!



Day 20

WIP - 1 1/3 page
R/SC - groceries, cooking, got everything ready for tomorrow
BP/$$ - earning service