posted
I can't believe how well my story is going. From less than two thousand words a couple of days ago, it's now at almost five. But what I planned on being a 7k story, I think is going to turn into maybe ten or eleven.
I'm writing this using a short (2k) story I worte years ago. I'm finding rewriting from the original very slow going, but when writing the new scenes I'm adding, it's so easy. Any else find this to be true when adapting an old story?
posted
Yes, darklight, I have exactly the same difficulty. I can write fresh material at least three times quicker than editing old material, atop that is my patience for editing. I can write all day, rewritting, on the other hand, wearys me very quickly.
Posts: 604 | Registered: Mar 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yes, this happened to me on my novel. The new parts I'd envisioned were so easy. But then I had to rewrite old stuff--for style and content consistency. Man, I felt like I'd hit a wall!
Why do you think this is? Part of it for me is I get annoyed. I can't shut the part of my brain off that says, "We already wrote this. Why are we rewriting it?" Even though I know I can do it better, I know I have to do it better.
So, I don't think that I'm going to be able to finish my story by this first deadline now (tomorrow). Was working on wiring a new switch this last Saturday for a bathroom fan I'm going to be installing soon, and I think I broke my hand (well at least a bone that is part of it anyways). Have to go to the doc today to make sure, but it hurts pretty freaking bad. Will do my best to still get things finished by this Friday though.
The list this quarter has ended up pretty long, just like it was last time through. I don't exactly remember how well the crit swaps worked out last time, but my memory says that it didn't happen very well. I'm hoping that things will be better this time around. Seeing as how we have twelve people in the group right now, I'd suggest splitting up into two groups of six each (because, I'm sorry, having eleven stories in my mailbox that I have to crit is just not a fun feeling...) for this round, then we'll mix things up for the second round of crits. Sound okay to everyone?
To make things easy, I think we should take evens and odds on the list-- Hmm. Okay, so apparently it seems that I have some trouble with counting unless the names are individually numbered already (which I just took the time to do on the list above...).
So then, ahem, as I was saying, let's split up into one group of six and one group of seven. If we have another random someone sign up for the group, they can join the "evens". And if our groups get much bigger than nine a piece, we can consider splitting up into three groups. (The possibility makes my head spin with giddy desire.)
The two groups will be:
First round critique group #1 (the oddies): 1.WriterDan 3.arriki 5.darklight 7.Icared 9.KayTi 11.Patrick James 13.JenniferHicks
First round critique group #2 (the evens): 2.AWSullivan 4.BoredCRow 6.LAJD 8.Annepin 10.TheOnceandFutureMe 12.Zero
If anyone is open for doing more crits than just those within their own sub-group, then let it be known. Otherwise, let's get busy swapping.
Now I'm going to go soak my hand in an ice bath...
posted
Splitting into two groups seems fine. Hope you get better soon WriterDan.
I am open to critiques at anytime, so if anyone in my group has finished the first draft, feel free to send it to me. I will be finishing mine either tomorrow or the day after.
[This message has been edited by Icared (edited October 06, 2008).]
posted
Oh yeah, and thumbs up on the groups. Maybe we can scramble them for round two to get some fresh eyes. And those in my group, send me your drafts as soon as they're ready.
Posts: 2185 | Registered: Aug 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Groups and fine with me too, and hope the hand is ok.
I'm all finished with my first draft and will be sending it out tomorrow to everyone in my group. Likewise, I'm all set to recieve stories, so please send when ready.
Edited to add: Ended up at 9,500 words.
[This message has been edited by darklight (edited October 06, 2008).]
posted
We'll definitely scramble for second round crits, annepin. I'm guessing we'll probably have a few drop-outs/additions to the group by then, as usual. So, we'll hit that when we get there. Thanks for all the well-wishes, people. Off to the doc now. Later.
Posts: 599 | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
TheOnceandFutureMe
unregistered
posted
The first draft of my story is being critted in a workshop today. I'll do some rewriting tomorrow and hopefully have it out to my group by the end of this week.
IP: Logged |
posted
My story has been sent! The only person I was unable to send to was KayTi because I didn't see an e-mail address in the profile. I'm looking forward to critiquing everyone else's work.
Posts: 968 | Registered: Sep 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've sent mine off to everyone in my group. Awaiting stories for all but JeniferHicks - I sent my crituiqe of your story back to you. If you haven't got it, let me know.
Posts: 626 | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm almost done with my first draft, but not ready for crits yet. I expect that I need a couple of days. Posts: 391 | Registered: Jul 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I sent my critique to JenniferHicks. I hope I wasn't impossible to please.
By the way guys...as you know I suffered a stroke back in June. I lost the ability to write by hand and to type. I still have a lot of trouble typing. I try to clean it up but stuff slips through. I especially have difficulty with periods such as an "l" instead of a "." Misspellings slip through, too. I'm not any dumber than I was. I do have muscle twitches that strike keys I don't realize I've hit in the white heat of writing. So forgive me my slips in messages, critiques and stories. Point them out in the stories, please.
posted
Sorry to hear that arriki, hope you get better soon.
I just sent out my story to everyone in my group as well.
I just wanted to warn you guys, as english is not my first language(i am turkish,in the US for graduate study), my first drafts are usually a bit messy in terms of vocabulary. I would appreciate any corrections and suggestions about that.
Please don't think that I am too lazy to correct any vocabulary errors, I am doing everything I can.
I sincerely wish you the best of luck, fortune, and godspeed with your health and recovery. I am both inspired and amazed at your refusal to quit, and your persistence to keep chasing after the art of writing that we're all passionate about. I hope this glowing post isn't read as cheesy or sarcastic, because it is rare that I am so inspired and I wanted to thank you.
I used to write using WordPerfect 5.1 but now I'm kind of stuck with WordPerfect 12 and Word because they underline in red all misspelled words. The ones like "ship" instead of "slip" they don't catch, however. Sigh. It's just so darn frustrating.
posted
Exactly what Zero said. I couldn't phrase that sentiment any better--or even as well. Your strength to overcome that difficulty has made me feel small for whining about my fingers.
I have similair frustration with spell checkers, its the 'cant' vs 'can't' that bugs me the most. And when they do underline something, why does it have to RED. I don't see red, and often mistake it for a standard underline and miss it.
You say it happened back in June? I guess you're not the whiner I am, or I'd have known about it.
Patrick James, I think you can change the underlining to a different color if you go to the "preferences" and "editing" section.
These kinds of errors are precisely why I don't rely on the spell checker. I find it gives you a false sense of peace, of feeling like it's got your back. Instead, it introduces more insidious errors. So, I have it on, but I check as I type, and if a word gets underlined just after I type it I go back and fix it. After the piece is written, I find there's no substitute for careful proofreading, and reproofreading.
[This message has been edited by annepin (edited October 08, 2008).]
posted
Just to say, if anyone has emailed with a critique, or is waiting for one from me, apologies if a reply is taking time in coming. MSN wont let me into my email account.
Posts: 626 | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Just sent my first draft off to the Oddies group. Now I'll finally be able to get to the crits. All hail. This is going to be a good quarter. I can feel it. Posts: 599 | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've sent back a few critques today. I kind of get confused as to which story belongs to who as I have so many, so if you received something in error, please let me know!
Posts: 626 | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've critted four stories in my group, the oddies. I'm assuming the other two will be a little while until they are ready to send. So if anyone in the evens would like another set of eyes to read their story, I'm ready and willing to critique.
Posts: 626 | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
How's it going, evens? So far I've only received Bored Crow's submission. How's everybody else doing?
Mine is stalled at about 3/4 of the way through. I'm hoping to get it finished in the next day or two, and then will send it out. In the meantime, i'm open for critting.
posted
Sorry for anyone counting on me right now, please don't. My new job has a deadline that's killing me and I have another story deadline I need to prioritize ahead of WOTF since, after all, I do have until Dec 31 for this one...
I'm sorry. I did receive a few stories and will try to give them a crit as soon as I can but am not sure when that will be. In the meantime, don't wait up for my submission, as you might be waiting a long while...
posted
I spent today spinning my wheels working on a short three paragraph section of backstory. I'm still not happy, but it is improved. I hope to have a draft out by next week...maybe.
posted
Anyone for moving second drafts up a week or two(say Oct. 24), and do it with groups as is. Then also do the scheduled second draft crit(Nov 7th), exchanging every other person from each group. So Groups would now be.
Goup 1(formerly oddies or oddballs) after exchange. 1.Writerdan 5.darklight 9.KayTi 13.JenniferHicks + 2.AWSullivan 6.LAJD 10.TheOnceandFutureMe
Group 2 (formerly evens or 'the slightly less odd group') 3.Arriki 7.Icared 11.Patrick James + 4.BoredCRow 8.Annepin 12.Zero
posted
Zero, do you mean deficient in 'odd' poeple, or 'challenged' in an odd way?
Anyway, question from a noob, what is everyone else doing for second drafts? Re-writing from scratch, or just altering to address story's shortcomings?
posted
Don't know if I'll be able to get a new draft turned around that quickly. I have a few other demands on my free time right now that are going to make things difficult as it is to meet the Nov 7th deadline. I'm going to have to bow out of this mid-range crit. Sorry, Patrick.
Posts: 599 | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I want to apologize for my lack of participation this round. If it doesn't sell, there is a pretty good chance my 09Q1 story is already complete and ready to send.
I will be happy to read the drafts of anyone in my 'group' however so please feel free to send them.
posted
At least stick around until the next round of crits, Anthony! Sit on the story for a bit and then re-read it. I've always found that's the best way to make my stories better. So, great that you're done. But you have some time to let it rest, so take it. Plus, I want a chance to read it too. Posts: 599 | Registered: Sep 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oh I'm not going anywhere. I just wanted to let everyone know why they hadn't received an MS from me. I've sent it on to everyone in my sub-group.
Printer-friendly view of this topic
