Fic Talk > General Discussion
The Writing Thread: Orlando Passaggio (aka The Writing Thread 3)
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 04:24:18 PM ---Yay, I'm glad you've been able to focus just on PNecklace! It's nice to have options for different places to write within that story so you can still jump around if you want to. If you can stay focused and resist the temptation to open up other things, do!
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I do like my options. My current routine is starting from the one where I think I'll have some inspiration to keep writing, then if that doesn't work, I move on to the next one and so on until one sticks. I usually reread a little of the last stuff I wrote in the scene before I commit to continuing on it or not. I did edit up what I wrote during our word sprints yesterday to flow a little better and am back into it, but had to eat something, haha.
I even closed all my OF PBox tabs for the time being, so I think this will all stick for a bit. I still have five PNecklace tabs open, but five is better than however many I had open before and I'm almost to the point where nothing in my "scenes written ahead" document is a PNecklace scene! I already moved the later ones into the two little divergent path documents I created since I still haven't decided what order to put them in yet. I'm very excited to close that one soon as well! Maybe not having it will curb some temptation to write that far ahead, lol.
How's your chapter finishing plan going?
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 04:24:18 PM ---That's a good idea. All I have researched today is cuts of steak LOL. I guess that means I have been pretty focused on actually writing and not just googling.
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I haven't researched anything at all! At least not yet. I don't think these parts I'm at will require any research that I don't already have, but I also didn't think I'd be researching camels on accident due to a quick horse question yesterday, so... :shrug:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 04:24:18 PM ---Google's voice typing feature is actually pretty decent! I use it from time to time when I'm multitasking, trying to write while doing hair or makeup usually. I once tried to use it while I was in the shower; I had my Chromebook sitting on the toilet seat next to the tub with the voice typing feature on, and I was dictating this whole dramatic speech Brian gives in the last chapter of AHTIM, practically shouting so my voice could be heard over the sound of the water. It worked okay at first, but I must have been quiet for too long thinking of what to say next because the thing turned off in the middle. I got out of the shower to find it only captured part of my glorious speech. Then I had to hurriedly type as much as I could remember before I forgot the rest LOL.
I don't use predictive typing either. That would drive me nuts!
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Oh no!!!! That's dedication to your craft, but that really sucks that it cut off because you were quiet! I wonder if that's a setting you could change so it doesn't happen the next time. I always hate when I have those moments of "I know exactly what to type" and then can't type right then or have something come up in the middle, only to hurriedly type as much as I can later and it's never quite the same.
But I do love that you were shout dictating while showering, lol.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 04:24:18 PM ---I hate moving too! I bought a house in 2014, and I may just live here until I die so I never have to worry about selling it and moving again LOL.
I don't think Nick has a place in Florida anymore. I think he's down to just the house in Vegas, which he seems to love. I'm glad he's finally settled and happy. It does seem like a better place to raise his family than LA.
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We've discussed that for the same reason, but it's just a little too small for the hoards of children hubs is planning on (::)) and lacks the true yard he is adamant about having. We've talked about just renting it out, though, so that we could quickly downsize if we wanted to down the road. Or buying a boat and living in Florida half the year. Whatever seems more reasonable, lol.
I'm glad he's settled and happy too! I don't think LA is all bad, but the suburbs would be better places to raise kids than the actual city, like Orange Country somewhere.
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: nicksgal on April 25, 2021, 04:51:26 PM ---I do like my options. My current routine is starting from the one where I think I'll have some inspiration to keep writing, then if that doesn't work, I move on to the next one and so on until one sticks. I usually reread a little of the last stuff I wrote in the scene before I commit to continuing on it or not. I did edit up what I wrote during our word sprints yesterday to flow a little better and am back into it, but had to eat something, haha.
I even closed all my OF PBox tabs for the time being, so I think this will all stick for a bit. I still have five PNecklace tabs open, but five is better than however many I had open before and I'm almost to the point where nothing in my "scenes written ahead" document is a PNecklace scene! I already moved the later ones into the two little divergent path documents I created since I still haven't decided what order to put them in yet. I'm very excited to close that one soon as well! Maybe not having it will curb some temptation to write that far ahead, lol.
How's your chapter finishing plan going?
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That sounds like a good plan, although the thought of having that many tabs open at the same time makes me twitch LOL. I'm kidding; I have been there before too, though mine is usually because of researching and not having different parts of the same story open.
I've made pretty good progress on my chapter today. I started by revising what I wrote during the sprint last night and then went from there. It's long enough to be a whole chapter, but I'm not done with the scene yet, so on I go. I probably won't finish tonight unless I'm super focused and productive in the next two hours or write during the Oscars. We'll see! I always want to finish chapters over the weekend, but it usually works out better for weeknight writing if I have an in-progress chapter to finish instead of a new chapter to start. So if I don't finish it tonight, it's fine.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on April 25, 2021, 04:51:26 PM ---Oh no!!!! That's dedication to your craft, but that really sucks that it cut off because you were quiet! I wonder if that's a setting you could change so it doesn't happen the next time. I always hate when I have those moments of "I know exactly what to type" and then can't type right then or have something come up in the middle, only to hurriedly type as much as I can later and it's never quite the same.
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That was during my end-of-story streak for AHTIM when I was super inspired all the time and started writing before school, after school, whenever I could, just trying to finish that story. It was a fun experiment, but I will not try shout-dictating during a shower again unless I figure out how to change that setting so it won't shut off on me in the middle. Next time I'll just use my shower crayons instead LOL.
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 05:12:11 PM ---That sounds like a good plan, although the thought of having that many tabs open at the same time makes me twitch LOL. I'm kidding; I have been there before too, though mine is usually because of researching and not having different parts of the same story open.
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It's not that bad. Just five little tabs, lol. I usually research on my phone and not the computer. I don't know why.
I thought I was making awesome progress, then I reached a little stopping point in my scene and checked my word count out of curiosity. I only wrote 400 words! I thought it was so much more than that! When you thought that about MBK the other day, was yours also a really dramatic and awe-inspiring moment? If so, I wonder if the gravity of whatever we're writing makes us think we've written more than we actually have.
I'm still happy with it and it's still really cool and dramatic, but I really thought I'd written more, lol.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 05:12:11 PM ---I've made pretty good progress on my chapter today. I started by revising what I wrote during the sprint last night and then went from there. It's long enough to be a whole chapter, but I'm not done with the scene yet, so on I go. I probably won't finish tonight unless I'm super focused and productive in the next two hours or write during the Oscars. We'll see! I always want to finish chapters over the weekend, but it usually works out better for weeknight writing if I have an in-progress chapter to finish instead of a new chapter to start. So if I don't finish it tonight, it's fine.
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I like that we both decided revising our sprint was a good first step today, lol. I think a sprint is really good for forcing ourselves to get the words on paper without worrying about what exactly the words are. Glad you're close to finishing the chapter when the ending is right, even if that's later this week! We only have five more days after today to keep the streak alive! You've got this!
I have not paid attention to any movies this year, so I am totally fine skipping the Oscars. Maybe you'll have a writing during commercials desire like on Wednesday. :)
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 05:12:11 PM ---That was during my end-of-story streak for AHTIM when I was super inspired all the time and started writing before school, after school, whenever I could, just trying to finish that story. It was a fun experiment, but I will not try shout-dictating during a shower again unless I figure out how to change that setting so it won't shut off on me in the middle. Next time I'll just use my shower crayons instead LOL.
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About how far into the story did that end-of-story-streak of inspiration hit? Does that happen for all your stories or was AHTIM a special case?
I feel like your hand would cramp up if you were handwriting a dramatic Brian speech with shower crayons, lol.
RokofAges75:
--- Quote from: nicksgal on April 25, 2021, 06:01:33 PM ---It's not that bad. Just five little tabs, lol. I usually research on my phone and not the computer. I don't know why.
I thought I was making awesome progress, then I reached a little stopping point in my scene and checked my word count out of curiosity. I only wrote 400 words! I thought it was so much more than that! When you thought that about MBK the other day, was yours also a really dramatic and awe-inspiring moment? If so, I wonder if the gravity of whatever we're writing makes us think we've written more than we actually have.
I'm still happy with it and it's still really cool and dramatic, but I really thought I'd written more, lol.
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I very rarely research on my phone... only if I need to look up something quickly when I'm not on my computer and have my phone handy. I don't want it showing up in my search history on my phone or influencing my Facebook ads.
I hate when that happens with the word count! I felt like I had a decent writing day again today, but I was under 1000 words. The chapter I'm writing is not dramatic or awe-inspiring, but I finally got to a point this weekend where I at least felt like it was flowing well. But I could see that happening with big, important moments, where the gravity makes them feel longer than they actually are. Just remember, quality over quantity. If we're happy with the writing, it means the quality is there, even if the quantity is not.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on April 25, 2021, 06:01:33 PM ---I like that we both decided revising our sprint was a good first step today, lol. I think a sprint is really good for forcing ourselves to get the words on paper without worrying about what exactly the words are. Glad you're close to finishing the chapter when the ending is right, even if that's later this week! We only have five more days after today to keep the streak alive! You've got this!
I have not paid attention to any movies this year, so I am totally fine skipping the Oscars. Maybe you'll have a writing during commercials desire like on Wednesday. :)
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Definitely! I knew mine needed revising because it was pretty bare bones, mostly dialogue without as much description as I usually include. I went back and added all that in between the dialogue I wrote last night. But I agree - the sprint forces you to do a true first draft, where you're not focusing on much except getting words on the page. I typically edit as I go, so I never really follow the process of writing a first draft, then a second draft. The changes I make when I go back and reread my first draft are usually pretty minimal, but that's because I put so much time and thought into the first draft.
I think the longer a streak goes, the easier it is to keep it going. I was already at 20 days on April 1, so I'm at 44 days now. I should get to 50 days on May 1. It's become a routine now; I write at least a sentence every morning while I'm getting ready for work and then at least open the story and look at it at some point when I get home from work. Even if I don't write much more in the evening, at least I can say I wrote something that day. But I need to write like 3000 more words between now and Friday to make my Camp Nano goal, which seems unlikely. If only I had the week off LOL.
I did not write during the Oscars and should have because they were extra boring and weird this year. I haven't seen any of the movies either, but I usually still enjoy watching the awards shows. This year there was no sense of humor or fun whatsoever; it was very serious. I probably could have finished my chapter instead LOL.
--- Quote from: nicksgal on April 25, 2021, 06:01:33 PM ---About how far into the story did that end-of-story-streak of inspiration hit? Does that happen for all your stories or was AHTIM a special case?
I feel like your hand would cramp up if you were handwriting a dramatic Brian speech with shower crayons, lol.
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I think the end-of-story streak started extra early for AHTIM. I was originally planning for it to be 40 chapters, and what I thought was my end-of-story streak started around Chapter 30. Then it ended up being 50 chapters long. So I was on an "end-of-story streak" for the last 20 chapters and probably like four months LOL. I always have a streak like that on the final stretch of a story, but it doesn't always start that early or last that long. AHTIM was the kind of story that, once I got going on it, I was inspired the whole way through. I love when that happens.
Yes, my hand would have cramped up, and the words would have started to run so much, I wouldn't have been able to decipher them all by the end of my shower anyway LOL. But sometimes just writing it down helps me remember it better later, and I think saying it out loud worked the same way.
nicksgal:
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 11:19:01 PM ---I very rarely research on my phone... only if I need to look up something quickly when I'm not on my computer and have my phone handy. I don't want it showing up in my search history on my phone or influencing my Facebook ads.
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I honestly don't know if I get weird social media ads because I don't check mine often enough to notice, but you're right, looking up medical stuff would probably give you some pretty weird facebook ads, lol. I hope I have facebook ads about camels. I would actually love that, lol.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 11:19:01 PM ---I hate when that happens with the word count! I felt like I had a decent writing day again today, but I was under 1000 words. The chapter I'm writing is not dramatic or awe-inspiring, but I finally got to a point this weekend where I at least felt like it was flowing well. But I could see that happening with big, important moments, where the gravity makes them feel longer than they actually are. Just remember, quality over quantity. If we're happy with the writing, it means the quality is there, even if the quantity is not.
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I agree with you, quality over quantity for sure. I was still super happy with it all and ended up eventually finishing the chapter (and getting more of the word count I was expecting for the work, lol) and starting the next one. I'm glad you've gotten into a good flowing place. Have you hit the montage yet or is this all still pre-montage stuff?
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 11:19:01 PM ---Definitely! I knew mine needed revising because it was pretty bare bones, mostly dialogue without as much description as I usually include. I went back and added all that in between the dialogue I wrote last night. But I agree - the sprint forces you to do a true first draft, where you're not focusing on much except getting words on the page. I typically edit as I go, so I never really follow the process of writing a first draft, then a second draft. The changes I make when I go back and reread my first draft are usually pretty minimal, but that's because I put so much time and thought into the first draft.
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I knew mine needed revising because one of the lines I wrote in the sprint was "what about x?" and I went huh... what about x? And it didn't make sense that x would be an after the fact thing that needed to be mentioned, so I went back and put it into description where it made more sense and didn't need to be asked about.
It's definitely easier to sprint dialogue than description, so I can see why you would want to go back and fix that.
I'm kind of a mixed bag. Sometimes I edit as I go. Sometimes I finish a scene and then reread over it and edit it. Sometimes I call it good and let it sit until I'm getting ready to post and then edit it. Sometimes when it takes me several days to write one chapter, I'll reread it several times and edit it each time. Regardless, I always let them percolate and edit before I post. I don't know if this is having a first draft or not, lol.
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 11:19:01 PM ---I think the longer a streak goes, the easier it is to keep it going. I was already at 20 days on April 1, so I'm at 44 days now. I should get to 50 days on May 1. It's become a routine now; I write at least a sentence every morning while I'm getting ready for work and then at least open the story and look at it at some point when I get home from work. Even if I don't write much more in the evening, at least I can say I wrote something that day. But I need to write like 3000 more words between now and Friday to make my Camp Nano goal, which seems unlikely. If only I had the week off LOL.
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That's so true! Congrats on day 44! I apparently skipped two days in March and wrote two words on one day to not skip a third, so I was at 19 days on April 1st and 43 today. I might add a May goal to my Nano project to encourage me to add words each day and finish this story up.
I've given up on reaching 60,000, especially because not all of my words are new PNecklace chapter words anyway (and there's no way I could finish 16 chapters in five days unless I had a week off, and probably not even then, lol). I decided my new goal for the next five days is to finish the last two chapters I have before the divergent bit, which is about 4500 words (give or take) and would put me around 40,000 words for the month. I think I can do that, though I think it will be easier in this chapter I started today since I want to give each Boy a scene and it's pretty easy to have a quick goal of "once I write about 500 words for you, your scene can be finished if it's ready to be finished." The other chapter I'm a little stuck on, so we'll see what happens, lol.
If only the last day of April was a Saturday or Sunday. Then I think we'd be able to get in one last really solid writing day. But, I believe in you!
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 11:19:01 PM ---I did not write during the Oscars and should have because they were extra boring and weird this year. I haven't seen any of the movies either, but I usually still enjoy watching the awards shows. This year there was no sense of humor or fun whatsoever; it was very serious. I probably could have finished my chapter instead LOL.
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They all just seemed like they would be weird this year, so I didn't bother with any of them. Sorry it was boring and serious, but at least you don't have to start an entire new chapter tomorrow to keep the streak alive!
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 11:19:01 PM ---I think the end-of-story streak started extra early for AHTIM. I was originally planning for it to be 40 chapters, and what I thought was my end-of-story streak started around Chapter 30. Then it ended up being 50 chapters long. So I was on an "end-of-story streak" for the last 20 chapters and probably like four months LOL. I always have a streak like that on the final stretch of a story, but it doesn't always start that early or last that long. AHTIM was the kind of story that, once I got going on it, I was inspired the whole way through. I love when that happens.
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I feel you. Remember last month when I was like "I feel like this is the end!"? This is when that record scratch sound effect happens and a voice over says "But it wasn't the end. Oh no, it wasn't the end at all." lol
At least you were super inspired for four months though and didn't get derailed when your ten chapters to go turned into twenty chapters to go. I say that's a good run of inspiration! Hopefully MBK ends up that way too. :)
--- Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 25, 2021, 11:19:01 PM ---Yes, my hand would have cramped up, and the words would have started to run so much, I wouldn't have been able to decipher them all by the end of my shower anyway LOL. But sometimes just writing it down helps me remember it better later, and I think saying it out loud worked the same way.
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Apparently Brian's dramatic speech was "Nivekllik" running dramatically down the shower wall, lol. Remember that? I agree, if I need to remember something that I feel like I can be inspired on later I may write myself a tiny note on a sticky note. It makes it feel important.
I originally came on to see what time I started writing to update my NaNo for the day, then saw you were quoting and waited, lol. I think I will go to bed now. Happy last week of Camp NaNo! We've got our 3,000-5,000 words! I believe!
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