posted
I am so unorganized with my work and laziness has taken my by the throat, I have decided I need someone who would be interested in helping me write.
As I have said before I have done mass deletes and have been writing the same book for 7 years and still can not make it sound right to me, etc.
I need someone to set me deadlines and all and read through what I have written and help me through my laziness and all.
posted
As for the motivation, there's a novel group that sets weekly goals and checks in with each other. That might be useful. Check it out in the Hatrack groups section. The lastest thread is here. A new one gets posted every Friday-ish. A description can be found here.
Or, since you have some of it written already, why don't you post the first 13 in the novel ff section? Or offer to swap novels with someone? Sounds like this might be a good job for a writing buddy.
posted
Sounds to me like you require a writing mentor, one who would mentor your study of creative writing, grammar, composition, and reading. Given your circumstances, the ideal mentor would be yourself, say, perhaps, following a self-paced curriculum offered online by the local community college or through military personnel services.
Ed2go.com is a nationwide online curriculum provider for many community college continuing education programs, and I'm given to understand military accesses as well. Lots of interactive courses in creative writing, literature study, proactive fiction, studio-styled writing workshops with published author facilitators, and everything else from remedial grammar to advanced study in whatever.
Oh, and add in a typing tutorial too, say, Stamina, a downloadable freeware application that can improve typing skills markedly.
[This message has been edited by extrinsic (edited October 21, 2008).]
posted
Unless someone is motivating me to do something I really have no get it done now attitude that I can use. I like to put off until tomorrow that can be done today.
For instance my M1903 A3 has been sitting on the dining room table in pieces for about a month now and still needs lots of work done. My house mate made me get back to work on it because it was just sitting there rusting away were I had to remove the blueing.
posted
Try using the DID YOU WRITE? note as a prompt. Report your writing, or lack of writing, there every week, Pick a day and stick to it each week to report. I found that it does help when I am have the reporting period coming up and I have done nothing to that point. I will write just a little bit, even if it is editing what I wrote.
posted
Like discipline, procrastination is a habit that can be broken. It takes 38 days to break a habit or form a new habit.
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quote:For instance my M1903 A3 has been sitting on the dining room table in pieces for about a month now and still needs lots of work done. My house mate made me get back to work on it because it was just sitting there rusting away were I had to remove the blueing.
Maybe you should assemble it and point it at yourself until you do all the writing your heart desires.
I wonder how gunpoint tension might affect someone's writing...
posted
The links that annepin provided for the novel group are a good place to start.
Your assignment, if you choose to accept it: Read about the novel group, and then go to the current thread and post your introduction. When you write your goal for this week, you might want to come up with something specific and/or measurable (I will do xyz). But don't make it too hard to achieve. (You can raise the bar later.)
My goals were very vague at first (for example, I will make progress). That was all I needed at first, to feel like I was getting back on the horse. After a few weeks I realized I need specific goals, so I have something to work on. I want to report success next week on at least one of them.
Now if I may make one more suggestion: It sounds like you need help getting a handle on your story's structure. The snowflake method helped me organize my thoughts in a new way. It feels very positive and constructive. It motivated me to get moving again, and the tasks are in clear chunks. One task might make a good goal for you, if this approach sounds like it might help:
quote:Maybe you should assemble it and point it at yourself until you do all the writing your heart desires.
Not a good idea. As I'm sure Rommel is aware, even an unloaded firearm should not be pointed at anything the holder is unwilling to shoot. Which reminds me, I learned last night 60% of suicides in the U.S. are carried out with a firearm.
posted
So, you want motivation? GET YOUR LAZY SELF TO THE FRAGMENTS AND FEEDBACK FOR NOVELS FORUM AND POST ANOTHER FIRST 13 FROM YOUR BOOK!
Seriously, when I fret over the same bit of writing, I hand that bit over to someone to read. It's scary, because sometimes the reason I'm fretting is a vague feeling the work is not good enough to represent me as a writer. The whole point of a fresh pair of eyes, however, is to find out whether the bit is Good Enough or contains issues I need to work through. If your book doesn't "sound right" then keep asking where the wrong is.
posted
The subject seems to have drifted to firearms...
I have a question, going through my late Grandad's possesions this morning has landed an Colt 1908 vest pocket auto in my hands.
Being the expert I am, I stripped it, cleaned it, it is now in working order... I think(Not really much of an expert.). The firing pin does not seem to trip reliably each time. The trigger often pushes below the sear, failing to release the pin. I will test it as soon as I acquire a clip(the original is lost.).
Anywhoo, I don't belong to a firearm forum and you seem to know firearms, Rommel, know anything about this gun's inner workings? Or any solutions to this problem which I probably failed to describe lucidly.
P.S. I hope you get some help with that novel, and I am sure Zero was joking with the suggestion to point a gun at yourself.
[This message has been edited by Patrick James (edited October 22, 2008).]
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