Hatrack River Writers Workshop: NSG 12/11-12/17

This is topic NSG 12/11-12/17 in forum Hatrack Groups at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by WBSchmidt (Member # 8533) on :

Welcome to this week's Novel Support Group (NSG). Anyone can join. If you're new, tell us a bit about who you are and what project you are working on. Although we can report on any number of things, here is a list of suggestions (suggestions welcomed).

What were your goals last week and did you accomplish them?
Describe what you worked on.
Set goals for next week.
Did you learn something during this week?

Here is a list of things that you can do each week as we work on our novels (suggestions welcomed).

Writing on a novel
Characterization
World Building
Relevant research

=-=-=-=-=

Last Week's Goals

I did not do any writing again this week. My work project has been keeping my very busy unfortunately. Hopefully it will let up after the holidays or over. I hope.

My goals for next week:

Brainstorming characterization for main character
Develop mutually exclusive internal conflicts

I have the same goals as always for now. I'm hoping I may be able to do something during the Christmas holiday. I'm not giving up.

What did I learn this week?

Nothing here. Good luck to everyone else!

--William

Posted by Kitti (Member # 7277) on :

So I accomplished all my goals from last week. Did a lot of planning/plotting/brainstorming though to look at the stories themselves, not much visible progress.

Goals for this week:
1) Rewrite The Good Samaritan query.
2) Write down outlines for sequels that keep trying to distract me.
3) More outlining on Mudlarks
4) Catch up on all the Real Life Stuff that got put on hold when my computer went in for repairs.

Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :

Not much here. A little work on my queries. Waiting for the "new" clean computer to arrive, maybe tomorrow. And printing out things to be sure I don't lose them.

Last Week's Goals:

DREAMER'S ROSE: Continue to let this one rest.
Okay, I can take credit for this one.

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE: Work on this query.
Yes. I did. In fact, I think I may finally be getting to something I like.

THE IGNORED PROPHECY: Wait for feedback.
Still waiting.

BLOOD WILL TELL: Think a little about a possible sequel.
No, I can't say I gave this much thought.

SEVEN STARS: No specific goals for this one.
I didn't do anything on this at all.

OTHER: Work on revisions to my two short stories, Dragons Are Forever and The Seeker, so I can get them out there.
No.

This Week's Goals:

This week's goals will be the same as last. I can't really work on anything very much until I get set up on a clean machine. It'll probably take me a while to get everything back together. Some things I know I'll just have to type back in. However. I will be ready to start exchanges and critiques again sometime next week--early next week, I hope. So get ready BoredCrow, Unwritten, Kitti, and Merlion.

DREAMER'S ROSE:
Continue to let this one rest.

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE:
Work on this query. I'd really like to start sending this back out before the first of the year.

THE IGNORED PROPHECY:
Wait for feedback.

BLOOD WILL TELL:
Think a little about a possible sequel. I love these characters.

SEVEN STARS:
No specific goals for this one. This is my playground right now.

OTHER:
Same as the last three weeks. I still need to work on revisions to my two short stories, Dragons Are Forever and The Seeker, so I can get them out there.

Posted by InarticulateBabbler (Member # 4849) on :

I've begun outlining three projects (putting into practice new outlining techniques I've learned), and I'm still working on the second draft of my WotF submission.

Posted by Owasm (Member # 8501) on :

I have started my Panix rewrite. Lots to do there. I recorded all of the changes I needed to make and actually started the writing. I posted the new first 13 and have a lot of work to do getting the rewrite task integrated with the first draft.

I have to tone up my WotF entry as IAB is also doing, then it's full speed ahead on Panix.

Posted by Crank (Member # 7354) on :

LAST WEEK
Although I spent a good portion of my writing time working on my upcoming writing challenge, I still made decent progress on every goal I set for myself. Not including my YA query letter.

THIS WEEK
Conquering the YA query letter is at the top of my list. Next, I will tone up my WotF entry (seems to be a lot of that going on here...!). After that, it's back to my mainstream novel.

LEARN ANYTHING?
Organizing a writing challenge isn't as horrifying as I imagined it to be. Probably because I still don't know what I'm doing.

S!
S!

Posted by ScardeyDog (Member # 8707) on :

I was planning on letting my nano novel rest through December, but I just read the article on scenes and sequels linked in the Open Discussions section and am feeling energized to rip into the re-write.

Goals: Try the snowflake method to tighten up the plot

I don't know if I'll actually get to this, but I wanted to get my name in this group so that I have motivation to work on that novel and not just let it moulder.

Posted by LAJD (Member # 8070) on :

Last week:
-write at least 2000 new words each day.
-keep my SuperNoteCard deck up to date on structural and character changes
-I also need to do some research on life aboard a mid 19 Century American Clipper ship. One of my MC's is currently crossing from SF to Hong Kong and back and I need to have some scenes that add color to the crossing, not just that his mentor has betrayed him (which he has and is the point of the crossing).
-I need to review my current scenes and see if any need to be rewritten in a different POV now that I have decided to use at least 2 and maybe 3

I did pretty well. I may be 200 words short on my 2K/day due to some refactoring that I did mid-week. But that refactoring set up the rest of my story. I'm hoping that the extra planning work will pay off in reduced editing time. I guess we'll see, eh? I met the rest of my goals. Yay me!

-I also read and critted a novel last week. I found that a very useful exercise.

Next week I plan to:
-write at least 2000 new words each day.
-keep my SuperNoteCard deck up to date on structural and character changes.
-complete a rewrite on a short story that I have targeted to send next friday. It's nearly done but needs one more go around.
-Read and crit at least 2 shorts this week.

Not sure what I learned this week. 8)

Posted by satate (Member # 8082) on :

I started a new novel and I'm really excited about it. It's a mid grade fantasy about an orphaned eight year old girl. I've written about two pages of it even though it's still in the outlining stage. (I don't really outline. I write the story, then scribble notes in my notebook and go back and rewrite as I change my mind. It may not be the most effecient process.)

So, goals for next week
* try and write everyday
* work on the new fun novel
* force myself to edit anything from the finished novel so I can do something with it (I hate editing)
*Finish stories for the writing challenges (I love hatrack writing challenges since I can't seem to make myself write short stories without one)

Posted by MAP (Member # 8631) on :

I didn't make my goal this week, but it is Christmas time, and I am almost done with my shopping. I think I need to take this week off from writing since I have a million things to do next week. My goal is to get Christmas out of the way, and focus on writing for the new year.

Posted by Lyrajean (Member # 7664) on :

Hi, new to NSG but I've been around the forum for a while so my project may sound familiar.

WIP: Heart of Silver (formerly titled Thought Package)

Novel length SF piece. The initial setting is a remote colony world. One of the MCs, the colony doctor, receives a very large box with the latest supply shipment. Turns out there's a person inside. Once awoken it is quickly discovered that he is another doctor and a mindreader who claims to be there in response to a want ad for more help at the sole clinic. Nobody believes him of course and the mystery is who he is, where he's from, why he's there and what is he running from. And add to that what will happen when the next ship comes in six months.

My goals for this week are:

-to finish 2 scenes I started last week, one is near the middle linking a big chunk of the story to several previously written flashback sections. The other is near the end.
-to find out some bits of medical research I need to write the next scene in my head.

Learn Anything:

-This gets real boring when you treat it like work!
-Jan really doens't want to go home and work for the Institute that controled his life up to this point! In contrast Ryan does...

[This message has been edited by Lyrajean (edited December 15, 2009).]