November 2020 Challenge - Write Every Day!

Pterofan: I rewatched into the Spider-verse recently too. I agree—it is absolutely brilliant. Never seen American Graffiti but know about it cos of GL.

Chase: Shopping for pens sounds like an awesome reward for editing

Magnus: I’m so chuffed you’re back in the swing of things. Definitely a lesson to us all to keep at it, and hold off the pressure.

Layla: Have you tried toasting pine nuts and putting them on top of BNS soup? Nice work with the multi-WIPing!

Cindyt: Awesome job getting words on top of formatting and editing. Meeting different specifications for different vendors can be a real pain in the bum.

Daniel: So do you have an electronic typewriter? I like the idea of a typewriter because there are no distractions, but I don’t think my RSI-riddled hands could take it.

I stared Chapter 9 in the face and then walked away, and then felt guilty about it. Sigh! Need to sit down and figure more stuff out today.

Day 29- 750 words written today.

April- Good luck with chapter 9.

Ptero- I really enjoyed Into the Spider verse. It comes out on Netflix her in a couple of weeks and I can't wait.

Chase- Wow! 5 chapters of editing, way to go!

Magnus- I'm happy to hear you feel the joy of writing again.

Layla- That soup sounds delicious. If I ever find butternut squash, I'll have to make it.

Cindyt- Congrats on the 131 and editing.

Daniel- Interesting type written replies. It really makes me miss my grandparents old typewriter. I was never allowed to use it, but oh did I ever want to. Also, welcome back and let's finish this together.

We had a ball key electric typewriter in high school typing class that I so envied. I don't even think I was allowed to use it. Decades later I found one like it in a doublewide trailer we moved into. Be still my heart. But, alas, it didn't work. I don't miss liquid paper or correction tape at all, thank you very much. I manage to escape electronic distraction by taking breaks during writing sessions--as long as I don't wander off to Youtube. The last time I binge-watched old-timey TV commercials.

Day 28 - 327 words. I also made an entry in another short story contest.

Kara - congrats on the words!

April - Sometimes I too feel guilty about not writing.

Cindyt - I also like funny table of contents with humorous chapter.

CHaseJxyz - A chill day is also good.

Patty waves in a general show of support: keep up the good work, everyone!

Made it through chapter 11. Whew. I have now read about half--58,077 words down and 58,155 to go.

But next on the list is prepping an excerpt for critique group (chapter 15), due in the morning. Also, incorporating their feedback on the last thwack of excerpts which is roughly chapters 12-13-14. So that'll all happen before any more hard-copy editing.

Day 28 - 172 words
Day 29 - 128 words (more to come?)

Maybe I'll stop counting words too. I think for December I'll just see how many I get, then maybe see if I can push myself a little further...and a little further after that...maybe. I think I've been putting too much pressure on myself and it's causing Brain to push back, and everything I try to write ends up stalling. This is supposed to be fun.

I'm going to carve out time first thing in the morning to guarantee I get at least some words down. Then I won't feel guilty at the end of the day if I don't/can't get back to the writing.

Cindy - congrats on the 131, and that table of contents thing would make me a little crazy
Keep typing, Daniel!
April, hope you got a new perspective on Ch 9, at least a bit (and ooooh toasted pine nuts...)
Moon - 327 & another sub! You're smoking!
Hi Woolly - keep up the good work
Ptero - congrats on the added words. ("If it isn't fun, it won't get done." )


Day 29


WIP 1 - read & added notes WIP 2 -added words
R/SC - a little bit of moon watching
BP/$$ - job 7 hours

Magnus: Great job keeping it up!
Layla: Congrats on words + notes
Cindy: Nice job on 131 words
April: I hope you can crack it soon!
Kara: Nice work on 750 words
Second Moon: I wish you all the luck with the contests!
Woolly: Awesome job at hitting the halfway point!
Ptero: Changing stuff up sounds like a good plan. I hope it works out well for you

28th: Edited ch 21
29th: Edited ch 22. 2 pages of rewrites over those two days

Would have done more but brain got Bad on Saturday and I spent the first half of today working on models (finally decaled + top coated one, did a smaller pokemon one start to finish and started another big one). Also work again tomorrow booo. I really enjoyed my time off, I'll be sure to do it again for the holiday.

Day 29

Word Count 107

Dress Her in Chameleon - LBL editing. Finished 3 chapters with 11 to go. Combined Chapters 43 and 44 and skipped ahead to update the Epilogue heading. YaY. I updated my table of contents, which ends my formatting. Double YaY!

A Deadly Spill of Scarlet - Copied the almost 17-chapter second draft and clicked on Normal, then pasted it onto Notepad. Why? To get rid of manual indentions and words that might appear odd on the ebook. Then, I copied and pasted it back to it’s word file. Copied it again, updated the fonts back to their original pts, added first line indents from the paragraph box, and justified the right margin, formatted the headings. Deleted an image and added another, and will add another to each of the two part pages. Whew! As it is, I don’t think the chapter count justifies more than two parts and an epilogue.

Moon - Like first lines, a catchy TOC has the power to lure the readers in.

Patty -

Chase - Everybody needs a relaxing hobby. I used to sketch still life and made a bit of money at it, but my eyesight isn’t as good as it was back in those long gone days. I play lame computer games to relax, but writing is my nirvana.

Layla - Grats on the notes and added words. The table of contents thingy isn’t as complicated as it seems once you google the instructions.


Decided to put the quits to prologues. Everybody say Amen.

Day 30- Congratulations everyone!

I got in 1100 words today so I'm feeling good. Another day and I should be able to rap that thread up and start editing it. I am not looking for to that part.

Cindyt- I like to let myself take little internet breaks too. Normally, that just leads to some research, other times I fall down a wikipedia hole. Congrats on the editing and Amen to the poor prologues.

Second- congrats on the 37.

Woolly- Way to go on the editing! Good luck with the critique group feedback.

Ptero- Nicely done on the 300 and I hope you got some more in.

Chase- Good job on the editing and rewrites.

karasunoyashi: Way to end the month on a high note!

Second: Woo, you’re a submitting machine!

Woolly: You’re doin’ awesome!

Pterofan: Yeah, that sounds like a plan to me. Whenever I pressure myself it backfires horribly.

Layla: Ooo moon! What was it like?

Chase: Great job editing!

Cindyt: Amen!

I figured out Chapter 9 yesterday, which means big rewrites for a lot of other chapters (inc Chap 9!). Can’t face it today, so I’m working on the other project and watching a few Brandon Sanderson lectures. It’ll be haggis and whisky tonight for St Andrew's Day

See you all in December!

https://ibb.co/Bq54d09

YOU ALL did great and I really enjoyed reading all of your replies. Steady the storm, (Eagle!) and we'll finish this and meet in December! My favourite month!

Day 29 - 0 words. I was out all day.

Does anyone worry that their published books are too short? I mean, I write MG short story collections, but still. The first book in my series was 200 pages while the second book is around 150 pages. That's a huge difference! I think.... Is it?

April - For the second contest I entered all contestants get feedback if they win or not, so I'm looking forward to that.

Cindyt - It took a while to figure out what TOC meant, but I realized it means "Table of contents".

ChaseJxyz - Ooh models! What Pokémon was it?

I haven't written anything this month. I was just tired of the maximum. For me, creativity is more like leisure and relaxation for the soul. After work, I just collapse without strength, and there are still a lot of routine things. I think January should add strength and inspiration after the holidays.

Day 30 - 247 words, plus the two-three sentences I wrote this morning but didn't get back to.

And that's November. Here's to making it to the end of another month:

See you tomorrow/next month!

Final check in:

1. More CP weekly workshopping on excerpts...YES and this continues
2. Print out 'paperback style' formatted copy and edit hardcopy ... made it through half the manuscript
3. Approach a few beta readers by the end of the month, woohoo! ... yes, found two such friendly folks who will find the howlers for me without dissolving me into a total mess

More minor (harder to quantify) goals: Continue accentuating emotions and descriptions throughout. Examine the agency of the main characters throughout and try to tweak that upward.

^^Sort of did some of that too, but it's ongoing.

Day 30

Word Count 441

Dress Her in Chameleon - LBL editing. Three chapters with 9 to go.

Kara - Youtube is a good source of research, but I have to keep my eyes off the videos listed on the righthand side or I’m gone. Besides, research, I mostly check out FB and make sure everybody is behaving on the forum I administer.

Moon - Sorry

April - Grats on figuring out chapter 9!

https://ibb.co/0VcbPQq

My typewritten replies. Here's the end! Hail forth!

Final check in: Chs 23-25! Dunno how but it was pretty easy to go through them today. Though I know there's gonna be some difficult chapters up ahead that will need reworking.

Second Moon: It was Ho-oh!

See you all in the next thread