Writer Check In

[EnchantedSoul]

How is everyone doing now that summer is coming to a close?

1. Are you participating in NaNoWriMo 2016?

2. On what are you currently working?

3. Any exciting news to share?

4. Can the board help you with anything (motivation, resources etc)?

Tagging those I can remember. Everyone feel free to join the discussion (or let me know if you don't want to be tagged).

anastasia517 @writererin mousemelon imobviouslystaying  fatamy Pom incogneato kangaroo11 c7 revjen midnightrae lilibet gardengal

[EnchantedSoul]

1. I don't do NaNo. I typically work on short articles and poems. I'm supposed to be working on a few picture books but I keep chickening out. For those of you who are, you're 3 months out!

2. I'm not actually working on anything at the moment. I just finished a very short story that I submitted. I'm trying to get better at stepping out of my comfort zone and submitting. Rejection hurts, yo!

3. I'm not sure if I should be excited about this or not. I did an online "assessment" for the Institute for Writers and was accepted into their program. I kind of feel like anyone who takes the aptitude test could get in though? I'm still undecided if I should take the course.

4. I could always use any extra motivation anyone has leftover :-p

[katfco]

I just noticed this board, can I play, too?
1. I've never done NaNo
2. I'm working on a historical fiction novel that I've been working on for quite some time in my (hahaha) spare time.
3. I added 1500 words over the weekend.
4. I need to find motivation to carve out time to do it on a regular basis. I'd also love feedback.

[midnightrae]

1. Are you participating in NaNoWriMo 2016? I hope so, but we will see.

2. On what are you currently working? A new poetry manuscript

3. Any exciting news to share? I'm almost to 575 poems

4. Can the board help you with anything (motivation, resources etc)? motivation

[midnightrae]

Aug 2, 2016 18:23:56 GMT -5 katfco said:

I just noticed this board, can I play, too?
1. I've never done NaNo
2. I'm working on a historical fiction novel that I've been working on for quite some time in my (hahaha) spare time.
3. I added 1500 words over the weekend.
4. I need to find motivation to carve out time to do it on a regular basis. I'd also love feedback.

Welcome! 1500 words over the weekend is great!
Save

[EnchantedSoul]

incogneato you are making remarkable progress! Entering the short story contest is impressive. It takes guts to put yourself (and your work) out there. Good luck!

katfco Welcome!

midnightrae I'm impressed with your collection of poems. Please let us know when you have completed your manuscript and are making your next steps! Good luck.

[imobviouslystaying]

1. Are you participating in NaNoWriMo 2016?
I'll definitely do NaNo. I had an idea for it and now that idea is gone. Welp lol. But I am likely to write a historical, probably the one I have brewing about in KY circa 1835.

2. On what are you currently working?
Still plugging away on Cate.

3. Any exciting news to share?
Nah

4. Can the board help you with anything (motivation, resources etc)?
Has anyone read anything about Cheyenne culture? It would be for a different story but I've got crap batting about.

And secondly but not related to the first, if you could imagine a small kingdom in Europe circa 1840, rather insular and yet influenced by culture and history around it, what kind of elements do you think would exist there? I created a fictional historical kingdom in the middle of a political upheaval but I'm still working on fleshing it out. So far, it is home to Europe's best producing precious metals mine (perhaps some gold as well) and weaves in Jewish, Arab, and Russian culture I think. It's the home of craftsmen. I need to suss out what from those various cultures would have taken root here.

[imobviouslystaying]

Aug 2, 2016 18:23:56 GMT -5 katfco said:

I just noticed this board, can I play, too?
1. I've never done NaNo
2. I'm working on a historical fiction novel that I've been working on for quite some time in my (hahaha) spare time.
3. I added 1500 words over the weekend.
4. I need to find motivation to carve out time to do it on a regular basis. I'd also love feedback.

I have an alarm set on my kindle.

it's not working exceptionally well but it's going better than before I had one.

[Pom]

1. Yes this will be my 3rd year for NaNoWriMo.
2. Nothing all summer. I suck. I did fiddle with some writing on vacation...I was in a poetry mood.
3. My computer crashed, so new lap top? I am picking it up this afternoon. Don't forget to back-up!!
4. I need to get my thoughts together, edit last years NaNo and prep for this years. Just having you all here is pretty groovy.

[anastasia517]

1. Are you participating in NaNoWriMo 2016?
I will be!  This will be year #9 for me.  I will probably be attempting a re-write of my political revolution/romance book that I did the first two years.

2. On what are you currently working?
I have started on the novel series I am co-writing with my sister this summer.  I have a lot of backstory for the world and the characters - I've probably done close to a quarter million words and my sister has done over 100k.  We have all of book one organized on index cards, colour coded by plot or sub-plot, have the entire mystery for this book plotted out, the overall antagonist's story has foreshadowing pre-planned, and there's even some symbols and themes ready to bring in.  This idea existed in some sense since 2010, so it's exciting and scary to finally be starting it.

I hope to get draft one done before NaNo.  After taking a break for NaNo, we'll come back to it with fresh eyes and start re-writing, edits, and the like.

3. Any exciting news to share?
Other than finally starting my big project, not really.  I got just about nothing done when I was off work for a couple weeks because of Pokemon Go and a really bad ankle sprain, so just getting writing again might count as exciting.

4. Can the board help you with anything (motivation, resources etc)?
I'm bad about writing consistently outside of NaNo, so I think I might have to start setting weekly goals (a chapter a week maybe?).  I feel a bit better seeing that this is a common theme though.

incogneato I would be interested in that sort of thing.  Have you written 70k since NaNo?

midnightrae 575 poems!?  That is insane!  I fight poetry so hard to write so I am having a hard time wrapping my head around that.  Great job.

Welcome to the new people.

[anastasia517]

Aug 11, 2016 9:25:18 GMT -5 incogneato said:

Aug 10, 2016 14:45:20 GMT -5 anastasia517 said:

incogneato I would be interested in that sort of thing.  Have you written 70k since NaNo?

Yeah, I actually started one book for Nano, wrote about 60k during nano, then "finished it" around 85k by March (needs a lot of editing/rewriting though) and then started my real pet project book in April's camp Nano and that books is almost 70k words now. 

So I'm prolific I guess, but can't seem to actually finish anything to actual seek publication. :-P

Well, if I remember correctly your first novel was the one you wrote in NaNo so I wouldn't worry about not finishing anything.  You certainly aren't the only one who has issues getting around to editing and revising (*cough*).  150k+ in a year is certainly prolific!  Which one would you like to rewrite and attempt to publish first?

[Deleted]

Wow. I just realized how long it's been since I've been on these boards (like...at all. Haven't been on any forums in a few weeks). I blame this entirely on the multitude of dance rehearsals I've had, then Dublin Irish Festival, then recovering from said festival this week.

1. Yup! I don't know what I'm going to write yet, but I always love participating in the full NaNo events in November.

2. I've been a huge slacker the last few weeks (see above about dance), so I've been working on nothing. But I'm trying to finish the first draft of a novel I'm trying to do about Jonestown, and maybe even trying my hand at a romance (we'll see how well that goes).

3. I survived my seventh time dancing in Dublin, Ohio's Dublin Irish Festival last weekend. Now if only I could get my energy back -- I've been exhausted all this week.

4. Not that I can think of right now!

[fatamy]

It's been a while, but I'm gonna check in
My daughter starts Kindergarten tomorrow, and I work M-Th so I'm dedicating 3-4 hours every Friday to writing. I'm going to continue editing a novel (re-writing the 2nd half completely) and thinking that will take me into NaNo. I'd love to write more... but outside of NaNo it just doesn't happen.

[Deleted]

Only slightly off-topic, but because it's September, I'm checking the NaNo site more often than I usually do "off season". And yesterday I noticed that the new merch for NaNo 2016 is now available in the store! I like the coffee mug: store.nanowrimo.org/merchandise/nanowrimo-2016-astro-novelist-mug

[Pom]

I thought I'd pop back in. Recently, I decided to sign on as a local volunteer for a group that supports kids aging out of the foster system and foster families/kinship foster of younger children. After talking with them, I learned the administrators desperately needed more assistance with grant writing and newsletters for the client families. So I have my first official "get to work" meeting this Monday. I am so pleased to get to participate with this amazing group, but also I get to write! It can only be a win-win right? I hope.

I've also been on a tear writing poems lately. I haven't written much poetry since my teen years. It makes me feel...more calm? Less bottled up? It's weird for me. Sort of my version of journaling. Anyway, random Saturday writing thoughts. I am anxiously waiting for November.

[fatamy]

I love the blast off t-shirt on the NaNo site! It's going on my Christmas list this year, they better not sell out.

I'm also starting to freak out that I have ZERO ideas for this year. I know we have 7 weeks... but I love to spend October brainstorming and jotting down notes and plot points. Right now I have NOTHING.

[midnightrae]

Pom,Yay for writing poetry again! It's a great outlet. I've been doing it for years. I'd like to read them sometime.

[EnchantedSoul]

Sept 14, 2016 15:49:22 GMT -5 midnightrae said:

Pom,Yay for writing poetry again! It's a great outlet. I've been doing it for years. I'd like to read them sometime.

I've decided to try my hand at a bit more poetry as well. I can tell it's going to be dark and rage-y but I think I need it. I even bought a separate journal specific for poems. Lol

[midnightrae]

Sept 15, 2016 8:22:47 GMT -5 EnchantedSoul said:

Sept 14, 2016 15:49:22 GMT -5 midnightrae said:

Pom ,Yay for writing poetry again! It's a great outlet. I've been doing it for years. I'd like to read them sometime.

I've decided to try my hand at a bit more poetry as well. I can tell it's going to be dark and rage-y but I think I need it. I even bought a separate journal specific for poems. Lol

Yay! And yay for new journals too! It'll be great.
Save

[Pom]

Well hey, I should checked the bottom of this post. I made a whole new post and here you guys already covered journals. LOL GBCN is always a step ahead of me.

[Gato]

I am going for it. This will be my 4th try, but I only won on my first try. This will be a dystopian fiction written in a diary form, which I think will make it a little easier for me to do in daily installments.

Honestly, the #1 thing I hope to get out of it this year is to keep my mind off the election. I'm checking 538 sometimes three times a day which is kind heading off the rails into crazytown. I just want to sit at my desk with no internet, sip tea, and write for 30 days.

[EnchantedSoul]

Oct 27, 2016 22:24:09 GMT -5 Gato said:

I am going for it. This will be my 4th try, but I only won on my first try. This will be a dystopian fiction written in a diary form, which I think will make it a little easier for me to do in daily installments.

Honestly, the #1 thing I hope to get out of it this year is to keep my mind off the election. I'm checking 538 sometimes three times a day which is kind heading off the rails into crazytown. I just want to sit at my desk with no internet, sip tea, and write for 30 days.

This sounds amazing! Keep us posted on your project.

Step away from the computer. Nothing good can come from it 😛