Writing Training, strategies & exercises to help us finish Options

[percival]

This thread was inspired by a recent post from Robert on the Settings thread ...

The question is: how can we achieve a mean output of 1500 words per day?

Robert describes an interesting training exercise:
He tried to conoct a fic based on three words randomly picked from a dictionary.

That exercise sounds very difficult, especially when one looks at the words Robert picked

What I've started doing is post 15-minute-fics in my LiveJournal. The idea is simple: you get a word (provided by the LJ community 15minuteficlets), and you have 15 minutes to write. I usually get 100-200 words done.

Or just write flow-of-consciousness like in a notebook for 15 or 30 minutes - don't backtrack, don't edit, just write. That's one of Natalie Goldberg's favourite methods.

What are your ideas?

percival

[Imogen]

I love seeing your 15 minute ficlets, Percival. I was thinking about trying those as well. How often are they posted? Daily? Weekly?

My basic output is around 4-5000 words a week, which isn't bad, but it's far too little to get 50,000 words written in a month. I think I'm just going to have to get into the habit of sitting down to write every night, but I can't really get going on that until early October. We've got a school inspection next month, so I'm stuck until that's done.

I need to find a book on 1940s domestic Britain that's easy-to-read. That's the last bit of my planning that I need to slot into place. I know I'll feel a lot happier when that's done.

A daily writing task sounds like just the ticket between now and November.

Imogen

[percival]

The 15 minute ficlets are posted weekly - but we could easily set up something similar ourselves where we post a daily word. If there are more than three takers, I'd do that

percival

[Sockie]

Oooh, I really like that idea. I'd participate, for sure. I need to get used to writing more, and that'd certainly help.

Oh, and btw, I'm using another livejournal for my writings. The address is http://www.livejournal.com/~blueyegrey in case anyone is interested.

-Kara, excited.

[b4zookajules]

Ooooh, I'd definitely be interested!!

The only thing I get stuck for is inspiration, on the whole. I get into the mood to write, but can't think of anything *to* write. Bit of a bugger, really. But I'm hoping that if I plan well for this, I shouldn't be too stuck. Hopefully. XD

I normally write quite a lot when I get going though - at the moment I'm writing about 0 words a week, but when I have something to write I can write like the wind. Handy.

-Jules. xxx

[percival]

Ok ... we have the required number of takers. Imogen, I'll just open a new thread for the words, ok? You can write the ficlets in a notebook or online (and post links to the thread?)

The first word is: AMAZING.

You have 15 minutes.

percival

[Imogen]

LOL Told you I was slow. Here you go ~ this was ALL I managed to get done:

***

She could remember the gentleness of his touch His shadow looming above her so that the bright sunlight was blocked out as she squinted fiercely towards him. A blur of browns and beiges lived in that shadow and towered far above her world in number four Romney Lane. His life was soaring bird-like far above into the bright blueness of the air.

An amazing man, people often said; a hero. She should be so proud.

Sepia photograph sternness became the memory. The handsome young man with a proud set of his jaw, uniformed for all eternity. She’d stared at the washed out expressionless eyes for hours, trying to impose the picture in her world. Her cardboard cut-out father.

Yet sometimes she could feel his fingers ruffling her hair like the lightest breath of wind; present for that instant and they dancing off, swirling far beyond her reach. She would touch her own hair briefly, letting her hands run through the soft strands to the very tips where the locks tumbled beyond her reach.

[percival]

that is very beautiful. even the language smells of the sepia you are evoking (at least to me)

next word:

AWARENESS

[Imogen]

Sorry - I'm a bit late with this one. I need to write faster ~ 150 words is nothing for 15 mins!

***

“You ought to show awareness of someone other than yourself!” Her mother’s furious screech rang around the entire cottage. It burnt Rachel’s ears and the words seemed to grow and swell until they were echoing all down the main street, making nosey curtains twitch and the crinkled old men in the pub nod their heads sagely and say, “Aye.”

Thump! Thump! Thump! Her feet pounded up the stairs, the anger throbbing and swelling within her chest, threatening to burst free at any moment. Her bedroom door crashed behind her, bouncing open again with the force of her fury. She turned and slammed it again. Something was going to do as it was told.

Her breathing rent painfully from her, as if she’d been running for miles, and her rage burnt through her veins. How dare she say that? How dare she?

[percival]

Right, this time I'll post one as well

The word is ... RECANT

[b4zookajules]

I did write something for awareness, but I saved it somewhere and lost it. >< I wrote quite a bit though - I'm proud of myself.

*has no idea what recant means * I'll look it up and post an entry later if I get the chance.

-Jules. xxx

[Imogen]

Ack! I'm seriously behind on this but swamped in RL work before I go back on Monday...

Will squeeze it in as soon as I get a chance.

Imogen

[nome]

5... 4... 3... 2... 1! Tally-HO!

RECANT.

"You're forbidding me to ever have even a friendship with anything male?" she asked, raising her eyebrows incredulously. Realizing what he had just said, he rapidly backpedaled.

"No, no... not friendships... it's just that you seem to be so close to him, and you never spend enough time with me--"

She didn't look happier. "I spend a few hours EVERY DAY with you. Are you expecting me to follow you around like a lost puppy, wagging my tail when you deign to scratch my head? I don't lick anyone's boots, Eric, especially not yours."

His temper began to rise, and he spoke without thinking. "Oh, but you'd be happy to lick Steve's, wouldn't you? Do you fetch his newspaper in your mouth like a good dog?"

The slap echoed off the hall tile, but the tears were in her eyes, not his.

"How could you say something like that?" Her voice began at a whisper, and slowly rose. "How could you? Every time you do this, you come to my apartment with flowers or chocolates and apologize. I forgive you. Then, hardly a month later, you're at it again! Do you enjoy hurting people, Eric? Does it make you feel powerful? Do you watch me cry and feel content? Are you so insecure that you can't handle my having friends? You don't own me, Eric!"

She wasn't listening, she wasn't going to be quiet and let him speak, she wouldn't shut up... he shook his head hard, and his fist shot out. When his mind cleared a moment later and he saw her leaning on the door behind her, red blossoming over her cheekbone, he realized what he'd done. Wiping angrily at the tears running over the bruise, she left. He stepped forward, tried to catch her. "No! No, I didn't mean that, Dani... wait..."

But she slammed the door behind her, and he was left alone.



Okaay... odd thing to come out. I gave myself two minutes less that 15, actually, but it's okay. lessee, word count... 318.

Not terrible.

Nome.

[Imogen]

That's a good one Nome - like it a lot. The tears in her eyes, not his is very effective.

I'll be back onto this on Wednesday ~ work's just exploded into a nightmarish mess. If this happens during NaNoWriMo (and it shouldn't) I'll just have to write ALL weekend to make up!

Imogen

[percival]

OK. Next word:

REVEAL

the word should occur in the fic, it doesn't have to be the title

percival