[mod post] Weekly Check-in - Week 1

[paleogymnast]

Yay and OMG, it's big bang time again!

If you haven't already done so, run over to spn-j2-bigbang and sign up! Wirter and artist signups are open

Comments

[dawnmay]

I could use some help generating ideas, but I'm not sure how that would translate into a challenge. Just something to think about, maybe. :)

[paleogymnast]

Everyone is welcome to use this space to share prompts, story ideas, etc., with a few caveats.

1) Only share prompts you wouldn't mind seeing someone else write,

2) Give credit where credit is due, and

3) If a prompt inspires you please don't claim it as that would reveal what you're writing and violate BB rules.

If anyone knows of a good non-challenge specific prompt or story idea community or resource, feel free to link it in the comments!

[vampthenewblack]

I picked mini-wrimo even though I don't know exactly how that works :/ I just need something to encourage me to add words every day. I technically have a first draft, but it's bones, that need covering with flesh. I only have 11k r/n...

[paleogymnast]

Min-wrimo is mini-wrimo a great community for folks who want to do NaNoWriMo, but cannot commit to write 50,000 words. We've done challenges like it (inspired by it) on here many times, so you probably *do* know what it is.

(Full disclosure, I now mod mini-wrimo too, so please forgive the cross-pimping.)

Basically that sort of challenge involves people signing up for a daily word count, and then checking in each day to report their word count for that day. Those challenges typically last 10 days to 1 month. The idea is to get you writing every day and to keep people on track with daily check ins. It is also a great way to break up a seemingly insurmountable task (like writing 20k words) into little daily chunks, to make them surmountable.

Our early bird challenge (run this past December) was this type of challenge. Check out that tag if you want to see how it's done.

[vampthenewblack]

Pick your own wordcount goal? Perfect :) It won't be much for me because I'm fiddling and reoutlining as I go, and it's summer holidays and there are children beneath my feet, but I have many gaps to fill!

[rose_the_hat]

I signed up...not sure why I did that though.

[paleogymnast]

Because itvs AWESOME and you can do it!! *cheers*

[sinnerforhire]

I have my draft from NaNoWriMo. It is...ugly, to say the least. I don't even want to read it; I'm thinking I might just go ahead and start the rewrite without reading it. I'm still having some problems with the premise. At this point I'm wondering if it's even worth trying to save or if I should just start something new. Except I don't have any other ideas. :(

[paleogymnast]

Don't give up on your premise, especially with that much written! Now might be a great time to reach out to an alpha reader to act as a sounding board and go through your draft to see what works and what doesn't. It's probably way better and more usable than you think!

[vampthenewblack]

This is what mine is like, so you're not alone!

I was in the same boat last year. Had 30+k of rubbish to start with. I'd say at least 50% of it, probably more, was completely rewritten/completely new scenes from concepts I needed to fix the plot. It was bloody hard work to get everything right, but I was really pleased with it in the end.

I have a lot less rubbish this year to start with (my draft is 11k, and that's *with* a logical beginning, middle, and end), but I purposely wrote knowing that it was a crappy zero draft and anything I wasn't sure about would likely get chucked. So I didn't bother writing those bits ;) I know you don't have that option with a NaNo draft, and 50k is daunting as hell to have to clean up. But it's possible. *\o/*