Writing Goal for the Day?

[sr71plt]

No, every first draft isn't only one thing. I think Heinlein's list is quite good.

Most of my first drafts get little more that copy editing. And I'm happy with my results.

[estragon]

Originally Posted by sr71plt

No, every first draft isn't only one thing. I think Heinlein's list is quite good.

Most of my first drafts get little more that copy editing. And I'm happy with my results.

We disagree. So what else is new?

[sr71plt]

Originally Posted by estragon

We disagree. So what else is new?

I must remember to check what you've actually published. Do you publish under the name estragon?

I mean, you seem to think you have "the" answers.

[litfan10]

Originally Posted by estragon

Lit, agree with all but no. 3: every first draft is what Hemingway said it is. The key is knowing when to stop revising. As they say, "Ya gotta throw the football or eat the football."

Honestly, rule number three troubled me for the longest time as well until I realized it was rule number 3, after rule number two about finishing. To me, this means once you feel the work is done - leave it alone. I revise a lot but once I feel I achieved what I want and get a sense of accomplishment - that's it; the fingers come off the keyboard. Further, I think a lot of us get a sense of failure or poor quality when it comes to rejection notices which make us want to rip the work apart again and that can be a vicious cycle of endless frustration when in fact it was fine, just not suited for the market attempted or the right time for that market. A nonwriter would restart the whole writing process and revise again needlessly impeding writing, while a real writer (ie experienced) would know to trust that the work is fine and push ahead and resubmit elsewhere.

[PennLady]

I think you make a good point, litfan. Sometimes one needs to revise a work after you've started -- but before it's finished -- so that you can finish it. I'm doing it now, in fact. I started a sequel to an ebook and after a beta reader's suggestions, and my own realization that I'm kind of stuck, I feel I need to go back towards the beginning and take a different path. That should help me finish it.

Managed to do pretty well with yesterday's goals -- some editing, and a little bit on both my stories-in-progress. I was a bit impeded by a headache towards the end of the day, but not sure it made a huge difference.

So for today, again -- edit the vampire story, work on the reindeer story and the hockey story.

One "rule" I've seen from writers like Garrison Keillor and Stephen King is -- just keep writing. A little something ever day. So that's what I'm aiming for.

Oh, I even blogged. About cover art and what a pain in the butt it is for someone like me. Man do I wish I could draw.

[litfan10]

Today is a "run around and get errands done" day. Hopefully, I'll get some time to bang out a couple hundred words on the book. I did get some research finished this morning so that helped.

I agree with PL. It is very important to write at least a little bit every day.

[soflabbwlvr]

Today I plan to return to a story that has been on the shelf for the past month. I want to finish the current scene and at least get started on the next.

[litfan10]

Originally Posted by soflabbwlvr

Today I plan to return to a story that has been on the shelf for the past month. I want to finish the current scene and at least get started on the next.

Good luck. Hope the time away makes it easy for you.

[sr71plt]

No writing today. It's more Christmas cards and then clearing the decks and packing for a winery crawl and a U.S. Open tennis series tournament final rounds weekend. Hope Emily cooperates.

[estragon]

Originally Posted by sr71plt

I must remember to check what you've actually published. Do you publish under the name estragon?

I mean, you seem to think you have "the" answers.

I publish fiction here, at Literotica, under the name estragon. I publish my tax blog under my own name.

[estragon]

Originally Posted by litfan10

Honestly, rule number three troubled me for the longest time as well until I realized it was rule number 3, after rule number two about finishing. To me, this means once you feel the work is done - leave it alone. I revise a lot but once I feel I achieved what I want and get a sense of accomplishment - that's it; the fingers come off the keyboard. Further, I think a lot of us get a sense of failure or poor quality when it comes to rejection notices which make us want to rip the work apart again and that can be a vicious cycle of endless frustration when in fact it was fine, just not suited for the market attempted or the right time for that market. A nonwriter would restart the whole writing process and revise again needlessly impeding writing, while a real writer (ie experienced) would know to trust that the work is fine and push ahead and resubmit elsewhere.

Lit, thank you. Now I understand what Heinlein meant. I guess he was channeling Nietzsche: "Every artist needs someone standing behind him with a hammer to hit him over the head when he's gone too far." I agree entirely.

[sr71plt]

Originally Posted by estragon

I publish fiction here, at Literotica, under the name estragon. I publish my tax blog under my own name.

I would have guessed that.

I guess it's the tax blog in you that makes you give the "one answer" to everything and sends you around as a vigilante in the story file, "quibbling" without being asked to.

[estragon]

No, it's actually because I like good writing, and care about mechanicals.

[lovecraft68]

I always go back and rework my narrative's, but with the exception of punctuation I have never revised my dialogue, I feel I hit it every time (if anyone disagrees they have kept it to themselves I have never been criticized for it) . The one time I tried to mess with it, it came out crappy. It's like that rule of second guessing on a test, most of the time you change an answer you had it right the first time. The muse speaks once if I don't listen the first time it's all over.

[sr71plt]

Originally Posted by estragon

No, it's actually because I like good writing, and care about mechanicals.

Care overly much about other people's mechanicals, I would say.

And I guess writing a tax blog and posting a few compartively low-rated stories to Lit. makes you an erotica guru and an annointed grammar policeman, right?

[PennLady]

Okay, story revised and back to beta reader fora quick once-over.

Now on to the stories in progress...

[MistressLynn]

Camp NaNoWriMo is an extension of the November writing challenge. Months are July and again in August, but as with NaNo, you can sign up any time during the month. Here's the link for anyone who wants to check it out.

[PennLady]

Thursday... more reindeer, more hockey... oh, and a short blurb for the other story. I hate writing those. Almost as much as I hate blogging.

My thanks to jdunyer for starting this thread. I think it's helping me.

[jdnunyer]

Originally Posted by PennLady

Thursday... more reindeer, more hockey... oh, and a short blurb for the other story. I hate writing those. Almost as much as I hate blogging.

My thanks to jdunyer for starting this thread. I think it's helping me.

Glad to hear it!

My goal for today is to finish revisions on my second novel. About 15k words left to go. A lot for one day, but hopefully with the end in sight, it'll be easier to stay motivated.

[sr71plt]

Wineries.

[LettersFromTatyana]

Outline a multi-part sci-fi/fantasy story. The characters have been running around my head for months now waiting for something more than the flimsy plot I had. I figured part of it out yesterday while driving, so now I just need to write it all down before I forget.

Work more on a chapter for a romance story. Never again will I post part of a chaptered story without having it all done (or at least in rough form). Blech.

And, last but not least, finish some beta reading duties.

All while changing diapers and chasing a one-year-old through a construction zone of a house. Plaster dust is a bitch, but I think our five years of renovation/restoration will be done by December. Whee!

[estragon]

Originally Posted by sr71plt

Care overly much about other people's mechanicals, I would say.

And I guess writing a tax blog and posting a few compartively low-rated stories to Lit. makes you an erotica guru and an annointed grammar policeman, right?

If it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy to insult me, go ahead. I can only pity you.

[litfan10]

I agree with PL. This thread has been a wonderful tool for me. Great to focus myself and experience what others are going through at the same time.

Thanks JD and all other participants.

Today, I want to get through the current scene in the book. I plan to work on at least one of my two Summer Lovin' entries - just not sure which yet.

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by LettersFromTatyana

Outline a multi-part sci-fi/fantasy story. The characters have been running around my head for months now waiting for something more than the flimsy plot I had. I figured part of it out yesterday while driving, so now I just need to write it all down before I forget.

Work more on a chapter for a romance story. Never again will I post part of a chaptered story without having it all done (or at least in rough form). Blech.

And, last but not least, finish some beta reading duties.

All while changing diapers and chasing a one-year-old through a construction zone of a house. Plaster dust is a bitch, but I think our five years of renovation/restoration will be done by December. Whee!

Outline? What is this outline you speak of? I have a TON of stories I could do that for, and should, but I'm afraid I'll get too distracted if I do.

I'm with you on the chapter stories. I decided I wanted that at last half done before I started posting, with the goal of then writing/posting once a week and hopefully it all works out. It did with one story, but not so much with the next.

Thanks for the beta reading, and glad the construction will be done.

[jdnunyer]

Originally Posted by LettersFromTatyana

Never again will I post part of a chaptered story without having it all done (or at least in rough form). Blech

Originally Posted by PennLady

I'm with you on the chapter stories.

I'm still pretty new here, but I agree with this too.

I'm not into serious hardcore outlining, but I try to have islands of major plot points planned out, while leaving myself free to build bridges between them organically.