Please come and talk to me. Just for some general writing chat and support...

[BiglyBadgers]

I am about a third of the way through editing my stupidly long book (this'll teach me for writing epic fantasy) and need some chat!

I really loved the chat and support on the nano thread, but now novel writing month is long gone and I am alone! There must be other people out there bumbling along needing a friend to chat to...surely....I can provide coffee, cake and excellent free WiFi

that sounds really interesting. But for a full experiment you should really split test between fantasy and non fantasy readers

It is actually my sister, I shall point her to your scribophile when she's done with mine

You are right, though I have been stalking people's accounts and basing my deductions on their list of favourite books, TV and films as well as what groups they are in.

Maybe I need a questionnaire and spreadsheet

I was thinking about paying someone to do proper copy editing when I have finished the whole book. If your sister does a good job on yours maybe I can drop some business her way.

I'm sure she would love that I'll be sure to send you a final copy if wantedand get her onto your scribophile, she does like a fantasy novel!

Editing aside she's been massively helpful so far working out where things are vague and not coming across right. It's interesting that she's made some assumptions about character relationships that I haven't thought about yet. They seem to fit and I'm considering writing them in 🤔 I'm taking it as a compliment that she's interested enough to keep talking about it!

I am intrigued by your spreadsheet idea. It hadn't occurred to me that scribophile could be used to identify an audience

I'm feeling decidedly jubilant tonight! My creative juices are flowing for once and I've done about three pages in an hour, which may seem like zilch but for me is an achievement, since I'm at a crucial part and I don't want to get it wrong! I'm madly sharing my success with you!

Congrats yawning! wish I was there with you! Had a fairly productive afternoon then fizzled out. Trying to get back to it but don't think it's happening

Yay! Great work yawning!

I would love to see a final copy Queen! If only to read your work if nothing else
It's definitely a good thing when someone reads the work and care enough about the plot and story to make suggestions. It shows they are getting drawn into it and not just scooting through.

At the speed I am currently editing I don't expect to be ready for copy editing until the second half of the year. Seriously, I wrote a 95k first draft in a month and a half, but it is taking me forever to get the editing and rewriting done. I'm thinking of getting it probably copy edited could be my birthday treat in October.

Right! Must get chapter 2 up on scrib today. That is my mission.

Happy writing folks!

I'm thinking of getting it probably copy edited could be my birthday treat in October.

What happened to that sentence? Lets try again.

I'm thinking of getting it properly copy edited as my birthday treat in October.

That's a great time frame. What was your daily word count like for that? You have filled me with fear about how long the editing process will take though

I did it for nano which is writing 50k in a month (I think I finished the month with around 70k) then sort of carried on as I was in the zone. Daily wordcount varied massively. I had days when I did 8k and other when I barely scraped 1k. I confess I didn't really do much else during that month and a half

I am a pantser at heart and just can't do planning in the way the writing books tell you won't chapter summaries and character outlines. I have to write the story to work it out and get to know the characters. Doing it so quickly has meant that I need loads and loads of editing as I just charged on through even if I knew it was a bit rubbish. Also as this is my first novel I made a lot for mistakes I would hope I won't make again. I had to rewrite quite a few chapters due to POV issues for instance.

My feeling is that if you are a planner or just a bit more experienced you will probably need less editing at the end, but would have spent more time at the start so it all sort of evens out in the end. If I get it done for October that will be a book in a year, which feels a reasonable timeframe I guess.

I'm fond of the snowflake method but I don't follow it too thoroughly. I've found it can help get a story straight though as I've not finished writing one yet I can't tell you how the end result compares to winging it. May have more info in a few months

One thing I'm having issue with at the moment is that the story keeps veering off in unexpected directions when winging it and I never know whether to stick with it or correct it to how I thought it would go. It feels like a rather maze like way of writing

Yeah, that happens a lot, but I like it. Makes it exciting. Generally if it is completely in a different direction I take a breather and think about why it has happened. Often I realise it is because that direction is actually more true to the characters than the lovely, neat idea I had in my head. At the very least it tells me the neat idea in my head is maybe not the natural progression for the piece and I need to have a good think about how to make it work better.

I had one character who managed to get himself locked in the palace dungeon and I had to spend another chapter devising a complicated break out for him. But the reason was because when it came to a point when he should have done one thing he just refused. If wasn't how he would act and the only real result of the genuine actions of all the people in that situation was for him to end up chucked in a dungeon. It flipping stressed me out at the time though I can tell you.

Thanks for the heads up about scribophile. I'd never heard of it before and it sounds exactly what I need. Currently writing in the 1hr free I get in the evenings when children are asleep so not sure when I'll get time to start using it but I'm glad I know about it for future use.

Enjoying reading this thread. Currently at the tricky midpoint of third novel and having crisis of confidence. Hope your muses are all being more forthcoming.

Go Tippett! You can do this! Whoop! Ignore the demon's if doubt and prevail against the confusion of mid-plot confusion.

I'm glad you are enjoying the thread. I sometimes worry it is mainly me chattering away

I am totally addicted to scribophile now, I think. Though I have realised you can only restrict your work to certain groups if you have paid membership. I'm currently sticking with free and just dithering about whether I can afford paid when I am a poor starving student.

Time to write is hard. I do bits and bobs when I have a spare minute. I do all my writing on my tablet on Google docs, which has the advantage of being mobile, so I can write wherever. Like you I was writing just before bed, but then I found I would lie awake all night thinking about my plot issues and DH told me I should stop doing it just before sleeping. But now when do I write! Sleeping or writing is not an easy decision to make!

Do other folks on here have a set writing time or schedule?

That would have been a better pep talk if I had spelt you name right TippetyTap

Im going to join you. I wrote a children's book, had some interest from agents and then nothing.

I recently shredded everything in a big sort out due to some building work, including all my prep notes and planning stuff.

Have bought a laptop and am going to start from scratch.

Wow Noeuf shredding all your stuff is hardcore.

Are you planning on doing more children's stuff or something different this time?

I know, right.

I just decided to start afresh and stop getting bogged down in half started stories and articles on word counts etc.

I tend to do most of my writing/editing in the morning (currently 7 months pregnant so feel jaded by the afternoons plus dd2 is at pre-school then).
Then in the afternoon, I might get a sneaky half an hour to do some editing on the computer (I edit from a hard copy).
I work sporadically; I find that I can't be creative/concentrate for too long probably an hour max at a time.
Getting distracted on mumsnet/facebook etc. is a big problem...I sort of procrastinate so don't work efficiently at all. I have been writing this book for at least a year now...my aim is to finish it by the end of this year (new born/sleep deprivation permitting!).
I would be interested to hear how other people work too x

What's involved in children's books, Noeuf? I wrote an outline for a picture story book but it felt very strange writing in that format as the text element was so short. I'm curious to know what the pros do

User, I turn off internet on my laptop and log out of sites that distract me on my phone. I put my phone somewhere close but so I have to reach for it. It's there in case I need to Google something for the story but it takes actual effort to get distracted.

Mainly a lot of reading up on age ranges, word counts, when to use chapters etc etc ! And then getting too stressed to actually write anything because it's not clear.

😂 I recommend the sit down and write without planning approach. They have convinced me to try it here and it is working surprisingly well!

I knew we'd get you in the end Queen!

What age ranges do you write for Noeuf?

I am intrigued by children's book writers for young children because I have always thought it seems like one of those things that looks easy when you are reading a book to your kid, but is actually really hard to get right.

Anyone want to tell me how they handle backstory? There's a natural lull in the main story arc so I'm finding it easy to work bits in but I'm worried this section is turning into a series of short stories about the characters histories. Is that usual?

Sort of 8 to 12 really. I love stories and magic happenings (not in a Harry Potter way) but not picture books. I like writing words that are interesting and stories you need to follow.