Author Topic: Drifting into Spring Fast Drafting! (Read 32834 times)

MegM · « **Reply #1470 on:** September 26, 2012, 06:38 PM »

Well, I have to admit I didn't get through my scene yesterday. Stuff happened, as stuff is wont to do. But you know what was great? While I was wringing my hands, saying to myself, Oh no, I haven't finished my scene. And I've only done 1500 words!, I realised how ridiculous it was that I was saying 'only' and '1500 words', and that even a week earlier I would have been beyond thrilled to have written that much in a morning. And I stopped beating myself up and just got on with the other stuff.

I feel like my word counts are flying but my narrative progress is still slow. But I reckon that will work itself out in rewrites.

I also love the word 'critter'. Pat, I keep imagining you with an army of small furry beasts, clamouring hungrily after pages.

Melissa K · « **Reply #1471 on:** September 28, 2012, 03:09 PM »

I always imagine critters as little chipmunk-like creatures that chew on the pages. You know, making actual holes where the plot holes are, removing extraneous words, stuff like that.

Busy day yesterday with only a half-hour opportunity to work on the ms. But I got 1,700 new words today.

MysteryRobin · « **Reply #1472 on:** September 28, 2012, 08:58 PM »

Great job, Melissa!
I did 1000 words today...

MegM · « **Reply #1473 on:** September 29, 2012, 12:11 AM »

Fantastic work, Melissa and Robin!

I did another 1000 yesterday but have to rewrite much of the last two days' work as I've thought of a much better way to put those scenes together. But easier to rewrite something than start from scratch, so I'm happy. I think I have another week's work, then I'm going to stop, several chapters from the end, and go back and rewrite the whole thing. It needs major work and there's no point writing the end until I've revised, I think. Curiously enough, I'm looking forward to it!

Melissa, I love that image of the critters!

PatEsden · « **Reply #1474 on:** October 01, 2012, 08:08 AM »

I did 1,500 on my new ms. Which puts me to just over 8,500 words.

Man, had I forgotten how hard the first chapters are.

But I'm forcing myself to keep going and not linger (too much).

I think this story not only has plot hole critters, it also has some character issues waiting to surface

Susan · « **Reply #1475 on:** October 01, 2012, 08:53 AM »

I shouldn't chuckle to see the coffin, since it represents character issues (and I recently spent a hard week burying a coffin properly in my own MS). But for one who's been riding this thread since the beginning, it's a pleasant memory of those long-ago days when I was still fast-drafting, and everybody suddenly decided to wedge literal coffins into our plots.

Anyhoo, just stopped by to note that I'm just plugging through the last chapters, taking inches in here, re-focusing the lights there, and hopefully not mixing as many metaphors as I've done in this post.

Melissa K · « **Reply #1476 on:** October 01, 2012, 11:38 PM »

Coffins!

I'm starting to hone in on my final stretch, so I stopped some today to make notes and think about how it's going to go. I have a gut sense that my climax is going to be pretty insane, but as for what's actually going to happen...um...?

500 new words today, plus the notes.

Susan · « **Reply #1477 on:** October 04, 2012, 01:04 PM »

Those 500 words you wrote?

That's how many I cut today!

Melissa K · « **Reply #1478 on:** October 04, 2012, 02:53 PM »

Susan--I believe you've just provided evidence to support a new scientific law, the Law of Conservation of Words: every word written must be matched, somewhere, by a word that gets unwritten. I'm sorry the unwriter had to be you this time.

PatEsden · « **Reply #1479 on:** October 04, 2012, 03:00 PM »

Going by that theory, someone must have had a fantastic word count today. I've done some rethinking and a lot of

Well, actually I cut and stashed

the words since I may be able to use them later.

ruecole · « **Reply #1480 on:** October 05, 2012, 07:51 PM »

Y'know, this thread may need a new title again soon. It's now Drifting into Fall Fast Drafting and will soon be Drifting into Winter Fast Drafting.

Rue

ruecole · « **Reply #1481 on:** October 05, 2012, 07:52 PM »

Maybe it should just be renamed Drifting Into Fast Drafting? Or: The Sometimes Fast and Sometimes Slow Drafting Thread?

Rue

Susan · « **Reply #1482 on:** October 05, 2012, 09:38 PM »

Quote from: Melissa K on October 04, 2012, 02:53 PM

Susan--I believe you've just provided evidence to support a new scientific law, the Law of Conservation of Words: every word written must be matched, somewhere, by a word that gets unwritten. I'm sorry the unwriter had to be you this time.

Oh, but I was thrilled to cut them! (I'm revising, remember, and these were obviously not needed.)

Quote from: ruecole on October 05, 2012, 07:52 PM

Maybe it should just be renamed Drifting Into Fast Drafting? Or: The Sometimes Fast and Sometimes Slow Drafting Thread?

How about "Still Drafting After All These Years"?

PatEsden · « **Reply #1483 on:** October 09, 2012, 08:21 AM »

"Still Drafting After All These Years" pretty much sound like my life

I haven't made much forward progress, but I've accepted that I need to get a better handle on my main character's voices before I start zinging ahead. I did about 600 words last night, then realized both of the characters in the scene swore the same way. I need to change that. BUT there was lusty almost kissing and some creepy, scary stuff before page 30 ,so I'm happy. Actually, I think I'm getting pretty excited about this.

I woke up this morning with a sequel in my mind. I just wish I'd written this ms last year.

SarahE · « **Reply #1484 on:** October 09, 2012, 08:40 AM »

Hey BBers. Jumping into this thread because I'm at 57K on my current MS and I want to fast-draft the remaining chapters, so what better way to do it than with a cheer squad!

I'm secretly hoping to get these final chapters written before November so I can jump on board NaNo with something brand new, but that sounds kind of insane when I say it out loud. Either way, I'd still like to wrap up this first draft by the end of October.

I wrote 1500 words today (I'm in Aussie-town like MegM, just so you don't think I'm some crazeee writing person who gets 1500 down before breakfast). Hoping I can add to that chapter tomorrow afternoon when I get some kid-free time.

Happy writing everyone!

Melissa K · « **Reply #1485 on:** October 09, 2012, 09:32 AM »

Sarah--Welcome!

Quote

Oh, but I was thrilled to cut them! (I'm revising, remember, and these were obviously not needed.)

Susan--Excellent. I'm glad you cut them, too, then.

As for names, I like "The Sometimes Fast and Sometimes Slow Drafting Thread" or "Still Drafting After All These Years." I'm all for honesty in thread name advertising.

I'm kind of stuck on the lead-up to my climax. At the end of last week, I kept jotting down notes but feeling unsatisfied with my plans. I took the weekend off and then tried to jump back in yesterday, but couldn't seem to go forward. Ended up revising a couple of previous scenes, but I'm still not sure what happens next. Or rather, I'm sure that what I think happens next isn't what happens next.

Off to give it another try. Maybe inspiration will arrive. (Or maybe my internal editor will show up and make me miserable.)

MegM · « **Reply #1486 on:** October 09, 2012, 09:19 PM »

"Still Drafting After All These Years" sounds perfect, especially given that I started so-called 'fast drafting' this ms about a year ago. Though we are coming into Spring here, so for me, the current thread title is back to making sense.

I'm glad you guys are still here. I dropped off the map because i) I decided to take the weekend off; ii) I then realised it was a long weekend; iii) I then realised it was the start of school holidays.

Don't ask me how I failed to notice them approaching. I'm in my head altogether too much and sometimes forget to look around me. Anyway. I have been stalled and may be mostly so until school goes back next week. But then I will be back on the wagon (there was a wagon in the very beginning of this thread, right?).

Until then ...

SarahE · « **Reply #1487 on:** October 10, 2012, 01:51 AM »

Another 1200 words this morning for me and I'm mid-way through a chapter. Hoping to finish it up tonight and get myself over the 2000-word mark for the day.

I can already think of big parts of the MS I have to go back and

from the beginning and I have so much fleshing out to do, but right now I'll just keep barrelling through and get it written!

Thanks for the welcome Melissa K.

PatEsden · « **Reply #1488 on:** October 10, 2012, 08:07 AM »

I love how it's spring in the trench for several of you guys.

Welcome, Sarah. You're doing fantastic!

I'm

like always. A little over 500 words last night, but I've got to go back and make a character go around a house in a different direction and change one kind of

for a smaller one. Unfortunately, I can't wait for the next draft to fix this stuff. It will mess up too many threads.

olmue · « **Reply #1489 on:** October 12, 2012, 10:36 AM »

Okay, I'm stuck. I have two WIPs going at the same time because they have a very different tone (MG lighthearted magical realism and much more serious YA contemporary), and sometimes I need to take a break from one or the other one. I have a pretty detailed outline (for me) for the YA. I have much stronger voice for the MG, but while I know that the MC needs to discover something that will effectively create *this* in the plot, I haven't figured out a lot of specifics yet. I'm at 30K on the YA and 18K on the MG, and I feel like I've been staring at both of them so long that every word looks identical to every other word. I know, it's the Dreaded Middle. Plus, I'm trying very hard to distract myself from The Fate of Other, Currently Completed Works. Because you need to ALWAYS be writing while you're waiting, right?

HELP. How do you get the magic back when you've been staring at pixels too long?

SarahE · « **Reply #1490 on:** October 12, 2012, 09:06 PM »

Quote from: olmue on October 12, 2012, 10:36 AM

HELP. How do you get the magic back when you've been staring at pixels too long?

Olmue - when this happens to me, I tend to jump forward and pick out a nice juicy scene to write (the climax, a kissing scene, an action scene, an argument) and just get stuck into it. I know it will have to be revised later once I've written the Dreaded Middle (or not), but it really helps me find the fun in my manuscript again and the passion I have for my characters. Since you have the YA outlined, it sounds like this could be a good one to do that with since you know what scenes need to happen later on. Pick one and go for it! It could also really help you work out exactly what you need to write in The Middle to get your characters there. Good luck!

Well, I got another 1000 words done yesterday, so I'm just a few hundred words shy of 60K now. Around 6-7 chapters away from the end (I think....according to my outline which has a habit of changing). Not thinking about the parts I have to revise yet...I just want to get to The End.

Raynbow Gignilliat · « **Reply #1491 on:** October 15, 2012, 06:39 AM »

Hey all! I'm jumping in. I haven't written in several weeks and I need to get back to my WIP. Hoping for at least 500 words today, though I'd rather hit 1000. Will check in after I write.

*waves to all the familiar faces*

PatEsden · « **Reply #1492 on:** October 15, 2012, 08:26 AM »

Welcome, Raynbow.

I'm having awful head monkey issues. I know it's from querying freakouts combined with entering contests, but it's making working on my WIP feel like

Which makes me angry with myself because I feel like the plot of this new story is spot on and I like my characters, even the creepy ones.

Still, I did 1,500 words yesterday and got over the 10,000-words mark. Just don't ask me how many hours of BIC it took me to get there.

olmue · « **Reply #1493 on:** October 15, 2012, 11:12 AM »

My draft is turning into an extended outline. Bits of actual scenage interspersed with, and then this happens, and then this happens... And now I'm stuck again. I've been alternating chapters between two characters, only if I'm going to get the main one to deal with the climax of her story with a real choice, I'm going to have to pull back on the other character. (Ie if I make the final threat a big one to them both, it will be a no-brainer for the girl to choose the way she does, because saving the boy will be her top logical choice, and I need her to make that choice without much of a guarantee of a good ending.) Which is giving me fits, because I thought I had it all worked out. Also, whatever happens, she's got to provide proof of someone's innocence, and so far I have no idea how to do that.

Also, I've spent all weekend thinking up ways that kids can be horrible to each other. It scares me what kind of things come out of my head... And if my kids EVER do these things, they'd better watch it!

Iris · « **Reply #1494 on:** October 17, 2012, 10:52 AM »

Quote from: olmue on October 15, 2012, 11:12 AM

Also, I've spent all weekend thinking up ways that kids can be horrible to each other. It scares me what kind of things come out of my head... And if my kids EVER do these things, they'd better watch it!

My sister believed that she was adopted until she was fifteen, because when I was six and she was four, I apparently pulled her aside and told her that she was really our cousin's baby, who had fallen accidentally pregnant at thirteen. My parents didn't really want another baby but out of the kindness of their hearts, they took her in. And then I forgot about it. My poor, devastated little sister never mentioned it again until fighting viciously with our mother eleven years later.

"I know you're not my real mother! Sarah is!"
"... What?!"

Being a fairly ghastly family anyway, we all found it hilarious - but thinking back on it now as an adult, I feel so bad for that poor tiny little girl.

You're welcome to borrow it as a horrible thing that siblings can do to each other, if you'd like.

I'm torn today. I've written all of a sentence, which is bad, but I really LOVE this sentence.

Melissa K · « **Reply #1495 on:** October 17, 2012, 08:58 PM »

Quote

My sister believed that she was adopted until she was fifteen, because when I was six and she was four, I apparently pulled her aside and told her that she was really our cousin's baby, who had fallen accidentally pregnant at thirteen. My parents didn't really want another baby but out of the kindness of their hearts, they took her in. And then I forgot about it. My poor, devastated little sister never mentioned it again until fighting viciously with our mother eleven years later.

"I know you're not my real mother! Sarah is!"
"... What?!"

This reminds me of the time my brother told me about our (completely fictional) elder brother who had supposedly died in the Vietnam War before I was born. For years I half-believed that I had a dead older brother my parents had never told me about. I think I even searched for pictures a couple of times.

I haven't been posting here lately, mainly because I'm still figuring out what comes next in my story. I'm trying to give myself space to get it figured out, and meanwhile I'm playing with other projects.

Iris · « **Reply #1496 on:** October 18, 2012, 04:37 AM »

Quote from: Melissa K on October 17, 2012, 08:58 PM

This reminds me of the time my brother told me about our (completely fictional) elder brother who had supposedly died in the Vietnam War before I was born. For years I half-believed that I had a dead older brother my parents had never told me about. I think I even searched for pictures a couple of times.

I shouldn't laugh because really, that's awful, but I am giggling at the sheer naughtiness of it. Aren't children horrid?

PatEsden · « **Reply #1497 on:** October 18, 2012, 07:01 AM »

Iris and Melissa, you guys made me laugh. Then again, I'm the youngest of four girls so I totally relate to those stories.

Melissa, I'm not making a lot of forward motion this week either. I've set up a scene with tons of potential. There's a party at a swimming hole and the one person who shouldn't see what's going on has innocently arrived. The question is how does he react? Too many choices

I guess I should be thinking about how he reacts to things later in the story and that may help me figure this one out.

Melissa K · « **Reply #1498 on:** October 18, 2012, 02:40 PM »

Quote

I shouldn't laugh because really, that's awful, but I am giggling at the sheer naughtiness of it. Aren't children horrid?

Agreed. I laugh every time I think about it, too. Plus it produces these strange and wonderful bonding moments: "Hey, remember when you convinced me I had a dead brother...?" Seriously, the whole experience was worth it just to be able to speak a sentence like that out loud.

And I need to get my antagonist to create chaos at his school. But everything I think of for him to do isn't mean enough, or it isn't spectacular enough, or it's too dangerous to fit the book, or I can't think of a good way for my MCs to fight back, or or or...

olmue · « **Reply #1499 on:** October 18, 2012, 03:42 PM »

Wow, great stories! (Well, for me to hear. To live through--maybe not so much, lol.)

My crit group is looking at my most recent two chapters right now. Feeling inspired to come up with the next two!

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Author Topic: Drifting into Spring Fast Drafting! (Read 32834 times)