Writing Goal for the Day?

[LettersFromTatyana]

To make some progress, even if all I can squeeze in is twenty minutes.

Right. I really should have said "to make some progress on the story I've most recently been working on."

It was a bit hard getting back into this entire write-for-fun thing after six months away . . . but today, it was like a switch went off in my mind, and all the characters from the huge folder of half-finished stories I have suddenly started jumping up and down in my mind, saying, "ooh, pick me! pick me! I think it's time to take me in a new direction."

Little brats.

 

[johneb87]

Get a fight scene finished and if I'm lucky, get another character introduced. This is all under the assumption that I don't melt. Currently 71 outside, which means it's 85 in my computer room.

 

[HayleyLuvsSex]

Had this idea for a story kicking around for quite a while. I'm finally going to start typing words and getting part of the intro done. Wish I had someone to help bounce some ideas off of though.

 

[SydneyBlake]

Well, I think I've finally ironed out the details of my heroine's claiming her dead father's body. I tend to get bogged down in those kinds of details. If you don't say enough, it's not real, but if you say it wrong, then you're really screwed. Being a professional liar takes a lot of work.

 

[PennLady]

Well, I think I've finally ironed out the details of my heroine's claiming her dead father's body. I tend to get bogged down in those kinds of details. If you don't say enough, it's not real, but if you say it wrong, then you're really screwed. Being a professional liar takes a lot of work.

Yes, "Galaxy Quest" pointed out the truth of the last statement.

But you're right. If you don't get the overall picture -- which includes some details -- right, then it won't ring true even to those of us who aren't familiar with the process (whatever the process is).

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

Well, I think I've finally ironed out the details of my heroine's claiming her dead father's body. I tend to get bogged down in those kinds of details. If you don't say enough, it's not real, but if you say it wrong, then you're really screwed. Being a professional liar takes a lot of work.

I read this as a different sort of "claiming" the first time through.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I keep a file of story opening hooks, and today I added an opening scene where a guy straps on a climbing belt, climbing spikes, and goes up a pole to attach a pulley-rope to a cross-arm. On the ground, inside the van, is a another guy bound and waiting to be hanged.

On another thread I mentioned the opening where a teen feeds his sisters puppy to his hungry snake.

Another: A woman sneaks into a local park to swim in its spring at night. She dives in and is snared by a manacle snapped around her foot by an assailant already in the water. He watches her struggle and drown. And releases her after she's dead.

Files are nifty means to capture ideas.

 

[sr71plt]

Files are nifty means to capture ideas.

And can be quite useful to your children when they're trying to make the case that it's time to put dear old dad away.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Good endings are better than good beginnings, and an excellent ending popped into my skull this evening. I had no idea how the tale would end, until the light went on. It fills the bill, and is clever.

The story involves an assassin, a bureaucrat hiding from a corrupt agency, and a police detective on the trail of a serial killer.

 

[sr71plt]

Royalty checks are even more welcome than good endings.

 

[TxRad]

None today, headed home

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

None today, headed home

Home? I heard a rumor your home is the back of a pickup and a moth-eaten buffalo hide.

 

[Brunne]

Had a nice, (fairly) straight-forward story idea overnight, so hoping to get some of it started today. I'm a bit bogged down in another longer story and looking forward to do something a bit more quick&fun for a little while.

 

[lovecraft68]

Down to the final sex scene in my latest incest story. Should have finished last night, but my sinus was killing me.

Its hard to write sexy when its the upper head that's throbbing.

 

[MattblackUK]

In the day job

It is to write at least ten to fifteen 250 to 300 word news articles for my employer.

At home my goal is to write at least 500 words of fiction.

Yes, most journalists do aspire to write the great novel. Rarely happens, however.

 

[sr71plt]

Dirk Hessian's Constantinople set up to launch tomorrow and I got habu's My Neighbor's Spa sent off to the publisher for editing. Decks a bit clear on writing for now, so I think I'll take tomorrow off and work on making Christmas cards.

 

[topace]

My goal for the next few days is posting all my stories at my new archive. Since I have to copy them to a text box then add basic HTML tags by hand, it'll take time to complete.

*doesn't look forward to it*

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

No goal for me today. My in-laws arrived on Thursday, and are here until next Thursday. I'm going crazy, and we're not even halfway through. I'm exhausted, but too stressed from their visit to get much sleep when I try, which means I'm too tired to finish all the cooking and cleaning that needs to get done when we have company, which makes me more stressed because they can then see how I "can't manage it all" with just one kid in the house, which then makes me even less able to sleep, and on, and on, and on.

And the entire pregnancy thing means I can't down massive quantities of coffee to stay awake or soothe myself with booze like I normally do when they visit.

Sigh.

Decks a bit clear on writing for now, so I think I'll take tomorrow off and work on making Christmas cards.

Already?? You're making me feel even more lazy than I already do.

 

[PennLady]

No goal for me today. My in-laws arrived on Thursday, and are here until next Thursday. I'm going crazy, and we're not even halfway through. I'm exhausted, but too stressed from their visit to get much sleep when I try, which means I'm too tired to finish all the cooking and cleaning that needs to get done when we have company, which makes me more stressed because they can then see how I "can't manage it all" with just one kid in the house, which then makes me even less able to sleep, and on, and on, and on.

Hey, cut yourself a break.

No offense, but where's Mr Tat? He can help, can't he? And when you're 30 weeks pregnant, you just can't do everything you did before. And you shouldn't. Try not to worry about what you can't control (easy to say, I know). Buy some sandwiches or order pizza -- you really need a break. Stress isn't good for you on many counts right now, and if they can't understand that, well, too bad.

Don't add writing to your list of stresses. We love your stuff, but we want you and the next little critter healthy.

 

[litfan10]

It is to write at least ten to fifteen 250 to 300 word news articles for my employer.

At home my goal is to write at least 500 words of fiction.

Yes, most journalists do aspire to write the great novel. Rarely happens, however.

Oh I hear you! When I went to college so many professors warned the small collective of fiction writers that journalism or teaching would surely kill the potential fiction career. What'd I do? Both a journalist and a teacher . thirty years later, lots of articles and even textbooks...fiction? weeelllllllllll... short stories? sure...novels?...working on that one (been saying that thirty years!)

Today's goals: two articles due in the editor's inbox tomorrow

and hopefully 500+ words on my latest Lit story.

Good luck everybody! Have fun whether writing or not.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

Hey, cut yourself a break.

Thanks PL. And Mr. Tat is watching the kidlet--she is the one thing that is not causing me stress, even though she is a wildly energetic 2yo. He's keeping her happy and healthy, running interference with his parents, and doing things like mowing the lawn/working on a new bedroom in his offtime.

He tells me to not worry about the cooking and cleaning . . . but it's hard, especially when I know they don't exactly approve of pretty much everything about me (career, politics, decision to not stay home, etc), and that this is just fuel for the fire. Oh well.

OK. Enough about me and my woes . . . but I needed a place to vent, and this did the trick.

 

[litfan10]

Thanks PL. And Mr. Tat is watching the kidlet--she is the one thing that is not causing me stress, even though she is a wildly energetic 2yo. He's keeping her happy and healthy, running interference with his parents, and doing things like mowing the lawn/working on a new bedroom in his offtime.

He tells me to not worry about the cooking and cleaning . . . but it's hard, especially when I know they don't exactly approve of pretty much everything about me (career, politics, decision to not stay home, etc), and that this is just fuel for the fire. Oh well.

OK. Enough about me and my woes . . . but I needed a place to vent, and this did the trick.

Good luck and stay well, survive the visit, remember - each day brings Thursday closer. And you have my respect - I can't take visits of people, even those I love, for more than a couple days. A week?!?!? Ugh.

 

[PennLady]

He tells me to not worry about the cooking and cleaning . . . but it's hard, especially when I know they don't exactly approve of pretty much everything about me (career, politics, decision to not stay home, etc), and that this is just fuel for the fire. Oh well.

Well then I'd still say Mr Tat needs to run interference for you with his parents -- but then I'm here and you're there. I read a bunch of advice columns and this kind of thing pops up every time. There's no one answer, of course, but I still say be true to and take care of yourself. Be civil to them and don't rise to any bait; they did raise Mr Tat, after all, so you know they did one thing right.

My in-laws don't sound like yours but trust me, I spend a fair bit of my time around them not saying stuff b/c we also have different views on various things.

 

[litfan10]

Oh I hear you! When I went to college so many professors warned the small collective of fiction writers that journalism or teaching would surely kill the potential fiction career. What'd I do? Both a journalist and a teacher . thirty years later, lots of articles and even textbooks...fiction? weeelllllllllll... short stories? sure...novels?...working on that one (been saying that thirty years!)

Today's goals: two articles due in the editor's inbox tomorrow

and hopefully 500+ words on my latest Lit story.

Good luck everybody! Have fun whether writing or not.

Update: two in the afternoon and the two articles are done and in the editor's mailbox (God, I love the Internet! I shudder to remember the wipe off board with the grid I use to have on my wall coordinating my deadlines with needed mail time deadline as well.)

Now for a bite to eat and then on to the fun writing!

 

[lance gt]

Working my way to the end of Ch19 of ALMI and introducing the girls to ass fisting. Taken the 'realism' a step farther and have my heroine starting her period at an unfortunate time for it to happen. Setting up the next chapter for some serious events to take place, as this one sets the scene for the hatred of the lesbians by the neighbours, coming to a head.