I found that one you did for the new season about getting a draft done by Xmas was a more manageable expectation than doing it in a month - I'm sure the November thing is great for some committed folk but it's just too short for me. So really yes please to more of the same. I do find it useful when you remind us about word count and time taken to write, just to know it is possible. I did like it when we had chats as students too, but appreciate that's hard when we're not so familiar with one another's projects. But yes, even just seeing your name in my inbox is usually a good incentive!
Also, I've now LOST that one about getting the first draft done by Xmas - can you remind me what it was called please? I found the setting out of number of words per act per week etc really helpful and now I can't find it on Substack or my emails, thanks so much
Thanks, I needed to hear that today, even though I've been saying it in various forms myself for a while. My characters just don't want to do the scene, even though they seem to be in agreement about what should happen. I think it's a dangling plot problem, but not one that should get in their way. Sigh.
Never did Nano myself. Didn’t see it as a useful tool for me. Not sure why people pick fights outside their own territory. I guess if someone’s got an axe to grind, they’re going to want to use it.
I’m here for you, Alexandra. Do you do whatever calls to you. There’s usually something in every post that’s a good reminder for me. One thing I tell my editing clients is that there are no advanced techniques, just better mastery of the fundamentals.
Dave, thanks for that hugely important reminder! I almost 100 % agree with you about this: "There are no advanced techniques, just better mastery of the fundamentals." Absolutely - mastery of fundamentals and constant review of them is far and away is the most important thing we writers can do! I do think there are some advanced techniques (dual timelines, meta structures, genre mashups that service all the genres in Sequence and Act Climaxes) that are teachable - but there is no way anyone's going to pull any of those off without having the fundamentals down pat.
Structure, motivation, everything you write seems to arrive just when I need it most. Thank you for today’s inspirational piece of motivation. Boy did I need that!!
I found that one you did for the new season about getting a draft done by Xmas was a more manageable expectation than doing it in a month - I'm sure the November thing is great for some committed folk but it's just too short for me. So really yes please to more of the same. I do find it useful when you remind us about word count and time taken to write, just to know it is possible. I did like it when we had chats as students too, but appreciate that's hard when we're not so familiar with one another's projects. But yes, even just seeing your name in my inbox is usually a good incentive!
Also, I've now LOST that one about getting the first draft done by Xmas - can you remind me what it was called please? I found the setting out of number of words per act per week etc really helpful and now I can't find it on Substack or my emails, thanks so much
Thanks, I needed to hear that today, even though I've been saying it in various forms myself for a while. My characters just don't want to do the scene, even though they seem to be in agreement about what should happen. I think it's a dangling plot problem, but not one that should get in their way. Sigh.
Never did Nano myself. Didn’t see it as a useful tool for me. Not sure why people pick fights outside their own territory. I guess if someone’s got an axe to grind, they’re going to want to use it.
I’m here for you, Alexandra. Do you do whatever calls to you. There’s usually something in every post that’s a good reminder for me. One thing I tell my editing clients is that there are no advanced techniques, just better mastery of the fundamentals.
Dave, thanks for that hugely important reminder! I almost 100 % agree with you about this: "There are no advanced techniques, just better mastery of the fundamentals." Absolutely - mastery of fundamentals and constant review of them is far and away is the most important thing we writers can do! I do think there are some advanced techniques (dual timelines, meta structures, genre mashups that service all the genres in Sequence and Act Climaxes) that are teachable - but there is no way anyone's going to pull any of those off without having the fundamentals down pat.
Structure, motivation, everything you write seems to arrive just when I need it most. Thank you for today’s inspirational piece of motivation. Boy did I need that!!
You're welcome, Deborah, and thank you! Yeah, sometimes it's the simplest reminder that's lifesaving.