How do you organize your writing life? - CrimeSpace2024-03-19T12:15:33Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/how-do-you-organize-your?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A294069&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI read your note.tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-27:537324:Comment:2968272011-06-27T17:58:50.264ZMiriam Piahttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MiriamPia
I read your note.
I read your note. I can't do the race thing, ei…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-23:537324:Comment:2961062011-06-23T11:49:37.195ZMary McFarlandhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MaryMcFarland
<p>I can't do the race thing, either, David. Not sure why, either, because when I think of nanowrimo and how many people go for that, I've got to admit it works for many writers. Just not for me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm racing alright, but with myself. I've set impossible goals this year and said, meet 'em, girl; or go down in smoke (to rise again in 2012, of course). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>That's part of my goal: to determine how to get a repetive writing process I can use to write every novel. I…</p>
<p>I can't do the race thing, either, David. Not sure why, either, because when I think of nanowrimo and how many people go for that, I've got to admit it works for many writers. Just not for me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm racing alright, but with myself. I've set impossible goals this year and said, meet 'em, girl; or go down in smoke (to rise again in 2012, of course). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>That's part of my goal: to determine how to get a repetive writing process I can use to write every novel. I know it pisses many writers off to think about doing that, but if I can crank out five well written novels this year (my impossible goal), then my process works, eh? </p> Rachel, I had the exact exper…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-23:537324:Comment:2960732011-06-23T11:42:20.134ZMary McFarlandhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MaryMcFarland
<p>Rachel, I had the exact experience. Last year, tossed that novel together without a plan for it. It's been a massive revision effort. This year, mapped my second out. The writing went smoothly, there's very little revision (especially compared to my first ms), and I cut my time to produce the novel in half. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yep, it's every single day for me, as you say, even if it's tweaking, or whatever.</p>
<p>Rachel, I had the exact experience. Last year, tossed that novel together without a plan for it. It's been a massive revision effort. This year, mapped my second out. The writing went smoothly, there's very little revision (especially compared to my first ms), and I cut my time to produce the novel in half. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yep, it's every single day for me, as you say, even if it's tweaking, or whatever.</p> Writing races. That sounds in…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-22:537324:Comment:2959742011-06-22T22:26:04.842ZDavid DeLeehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DavidDeLee
Writing races. That sounds interesting. I was involved with a group that competed with a point system. A writer acumalated points based on how many finished short stories or novel MS they had out with pro publishers. It kind of died out with so many of us going indie.<br />
David DeLee<br />
Fatal Destiny - a Grace deHaviland novel
Writing races. That sounds interesting. I was involved with a group that competed with a point system. A writer acumalated points based on how many finished short stories or novel MS they had out with pro publishers. It kind of died out with so many of us going indie.<br />
David DeLee<br />
Fatal Destiny - a Grace deHaviland novel I'm fortunate. Writing is my…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-15:537324:Comment:2951192011-06-15T23:12:07.701ZDennis Leppanenhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/TheWarbler
<p>I'm fortunate. Writing is my job. So I don't have to plot my time as to when I write. I tend to do it first off in the am.</p>
<p>I had a great chat with David Morrell at Sleuthfest a couple of years ago, and what works for him is; when starting a new novel, he writes five pages in the morning, then sets it aside. Does research, etc.</p>
<p>The following morning, he edits the first five pages, then writes the next five pages.</p>
<p>The following morning, he edits the first ten pages, and…</p>
<p>I'm fortunate. Writing is my job. So I don't have to plot my time as to when I write. I tend to do it first off in the am.</p>
<p>I had a great chat with David Morrell at Sleuthfest a couple of years ago, and what works for him is; when starting a new novel, he writes five pages in the morning, then sets it aside. Does research, etc.</p>
<p>The following morning, he edits the first five pages, then writes the next five pages.</p>
<p>The following morning, he edits the first ten pages, and writes, the next five.</p>
<p>He does this every day until he reaches 50 pages. He sets those pages aside, and starts on the next 50 pages, five at a time.</p>
<p>It takes discipline, but I've had success with it. Once we end up marketing and signing and everything else we have to do these daze, it derails slightly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The late Stuart Kaminsky once told me, just write a page a day. In a year, you have a 365 page manuscript. Viola!</p> Back on track? Not before the…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-14:537324:Comment:2948262011-06-14T02:13:14.848ZEric Christophersonhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/datahog
Back on track? Not before the inlaws go home and the baby sleeps through the night is my guess!
Back on track? Not before the inlaws go home and the baby sleeps through the night is my guess! Eric, congrats on your new fa…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-13:537324:Comment:2946302011-06-13T16:02:15.397ZMary McFarlandhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MaryMcFarland
Eric, congrats on your new family member. This is one of the biggest challenges, right? Just trying to organize around our lives? (Where do people get the idea writers don't have lives outside our writing, that we live in isolation in towers?). You've got a really huge challenge with sleep deprivation: I'm stymied 'cause I honestly don't know how on earth I'd organize around that. Honestly, I think I'd just let a new son be my priority and not even worry about writing. Heh! But…
Eric, congrats on your new family member. This is one of the biggest challenges, right? Just trying to organize around our lives? (Where do people get the idea writers don't have lives outside our writing, that we live in isolation in towers?). You've got a really huge challenge with sleep deprivation: I'm stymied 'cause I honestly don't know how on earth I'd organize around that. Honestly, I think I'd just let a new son be my priority and not even worry about writing. Heh! But seriously, I will give that some thought. Any ideas when you might be back on track with your writing? I think the most important ru…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-11:537324:Comment:2944232011-06-11T23:49:42.038ZEric Christophersonhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/datahog
<p>I think the most important rule is to write every day, and I do mean seven days a week, if you've started a draft, even if some days it's only for a half hour. That way there is measurable progress on a consistent basis and the world and characters you've created will seem more real if you visit them that often.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Another tenet: get some rest, and write first thing in the morning even if it means getting up early. I've now got a child, three weeks old, and I'm sleep deprived so…</p>
<p>I think the most important rule is to write every day, and I do mean seven days a week, if you've started a draft, even if some days it's only for a half hour. That way there is measurable progress on a consistent basis and the world and characters you've created will seem more real if you visit them that often.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Another tenet: get some rest, and write first thing in the morning even if it means getting up early. I've now got a child, three weeks old, and I'm sleep deprived so haven't written a word since his birth. Being tired a lot is a killer of progress, at least in my case.</p> Mary,
I'm lucky with distract…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-11:537324:Comment:2944222011-06-11T21:53:32.496ZDana Kinghttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DanaKing
<p>Mary,</p>
<p>I'm lucky with distractions in that I'm a middle-aged man with a 9-5 job and no small children. When I decide I'm going to write after supper, I just go upstairs and do it. My Beloved Spouse has her own activities, so we're happy as clams granting each other a couple of hours every day to do our own things.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I have no novels posted online yet, but several short stories and flashes. My first e-book is being formatted now and should be out in August.</p>
<p>Here are…</p>
<p>Mary,</p>
<p>I'm lucky with distractions in that I'm a middle-aged man with a 9-5 job and no small children. When I decide I'm going to write after supper, I just go upstairs and do it. My Beloved Spouse has her own activities, so we're happy as clams granting each other a couple of hours every day to do our own things.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I have no novels posted online yet, but several short stories and flashes. My first e-book is being formatted now and should be out in August.</p>
<p>Here are the links to a few of my stories, if you're interested:</p>
<p><a href="http://a-twist-of-noir.blogspot.com/2010/11/twist-of-noir-634-dana-king.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">634</a> at A Twist of Noir. (Story had to be exactly 634 words long.)</p>
<p><a href="http://danaking.blogspot.com/2010/10/blinded-by-brilliance-of-his-own.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Blinded by the Brilliance of His Own Reflection</a></p>
<p><a href="http://danaking.blogspot.com/2010/10/blinded-by-brilliance-of-his-own.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"></a><a href="http://a-twist-of-noir.blogspot.com/2010/09/twist-of-noir-581-dana-king.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Hitter</a> at a Twist of Noir. </p> Minerva, hi! I'm looking for…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-11:537324:Comment:2943482011-06-11T12:06:57.253ZMary McFarlandhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MaryMcFarland
<p>Minerva, hi! I'm looking for a way to ID the phases and tasks in our writing process and then hook them to a production schedule so I can write four or five novels per year. See my response to David DeLee's comment, which really gives a little more detail. I have an overall view of writing (from my background as a technical writer) that leads me to believe we can produce more novels and retain their quality. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>What's your process? Give me some ideas to help guide my…</p>
<p>Minerva, hi! I'm looking for a way to ID the phases and tasks in our writing process and then hook them to a production schedule so I can write four or five novels per year. See my response to David DeLee's comment, which really gives a little more detail. I have an overall view of writing (from my background as a technical writer) that leads me to believe we can produce more novels and retain their quality. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>What's your process? Give me some ideas to help guide my research into this topic. </p>