Progress Report... The writerly side of things

[paragraphs]

I want to start keeping tabs on myself regarding progress on my story (ok stories) I am working on, so figure the only way to do that, is to actually do that. LOL

Comments

[jealousofstars]

Yay! I am excited about all of these projects and I REEEAAAALLLYYY want to read more of your stuff!

Another thing I have to look forward to when I go back to the states -- more choices in my foods.

I want to do more fresh fruits and veggies, but it's so hard out here. If I buy any of it at the commissary it goes bad in a day. That leaves the Japanese farmer's market but a) they don't have all the stuff I want and b) it's a bit of a drive to get to the good ones.

So tired of only being able to use what the commissary offers, which is a bunch of processed big brands. Le sigh.

SIX MORE MONTHS.

Oh! And speaking of road trips..did you hear about the Amtrak experiment thing? I'll have to find the article (it was on FB), but they are starting or thinking of starting a writer's residency thing on Amtrak. Like free/cheaper tickets for long trips or something.

I'm sure there's a train from TX to VA...VISITATION TIMES!

[jealousofstars]

Here it is! http://www.thewire.com/culture/2014/02/inside-amtraks-absolutely-awesome-plan-give-free-rides-writers/358332/

[paragraphs]

Would that not just be so much fun? That is one of those things it would be fun to do with a good writer friend but you would have to be Super Disciplined - make the most of it of course.

Still - as long as I didn't have to sit backwards (can't stand that on trains) I would love it. Always enjoy trains when I go to the UK and am all jealous of Nick. LOL.

[jealousofstars]

Like I said...trains from Virginia to Texas (or vice versa). I'm sure I can do a lot of writing and knitting on a long trip!

[paragraphs]

LOL!!! You would have to bring Cupcake though - your mom would never forgive you coming without her. Unless you didn't tell her... LOLOL.

[sartorias]

Good luck with all!

Oh, I so love bread, too, especially fresh . . .

[paragraphs]

It is my downfall. If I go to Central Market on Fridays (which I often do) I can never resist going past all the freshly-baked breads and I swear a loaf of the breakfast bread (apricot and golden raisins and a couple other things) just jumps into my hands on its own. Then I will eat it. All.

ALL. BY MYSELF.

And once started, i have no self control! I can give up everything else, easy, but not beautiful bread! But I can do it for thirty days. So will.

[heleninwales]

Since I started putting my crochet projects up on Ravelry, I've had much better success in actually finishing stuff. I wish there were something similar for writing that would be similarly motivating, but I haven't found anything. I suppose I'm going to have to make my own project tracking thing, though I haven't quite worked out how to do it yet.

[paragraphs]

There is Wattpad that is proving pretty popular and also actually being used by peoples to spring their stories either into selfpublishing, or a few have been picked up by publishers. Writers like Brandon Sanderson also post there, stories for the fun of it. I've thought about it for one piece just to see what it is like - honestly? That was the biggest attraction to me for writing fanfic, the insta-love. LOL. I've never been completely into fanfic myself though as I didn't understand why people would want to write other people's characters. I got it after awhile and did a few pieces and they were a lot of fun... oh and my very first book I published with Loose-Id, I actually wrote and posted here on LJ to a bunch of friends,a chapter a week - that was before I had any intention of publishing it though. That was before epub really took off. PUblishing that was kind of a fluke after winning 2nd place in a contest at a writing conference that I'd entered a bit of it on a whim :) That was SO LONG AGO... oh my, almost 9 years ago

[heleninwales]

I'll bear Wattpad in mind as a possible way of sharing my stories eventually, but that isn't really what I want right now. I suppose I want something like the old SF writers Usenet group I was a member of, a place where we talked about writing and shared our progress, and had a moan if we were stuck but didn't actually post any of the stories for critique or to be read. Of course that was back in the days when epublishing = vanity publishing = totally to be avoided! As you say, so much has changed in just a few short years. :)

I think -- if I ever get any of my stories in progress again -- I'll just stick with talking about writing on LJ and start a new database to track progress with individual stories.

[paragraphs]

Yeah I get that - the thought of putting My Babies out there still doesn't ENTIRELY sit well... But I am watching a couple of friends try it out and have talked with a guy who got his story into the #1 slot and got some publication offers (should email him again and see what direction he went). He thought it well worth it, but that is just one direction to go... Right now I just need to concentrate on having fun and oh you know, finishing all these. LOL! I would love to have readers at some point though, but people are busy and understandably don't have time, which I get, as I barely have time either!

Oh and I do know of a few who just made a website for their stories and post there, and invite people to take peeks. I was following a couple of those then, um, got busy... And lost track.

[disco_mouse]

they all sound awesome!

[paragraphs]

Sometimes I've envisioned how you would paint my characters... No lie. I love your watercolor peoples.