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Creative writing

Whether you enjoy writing sci-fi, fantasy or fiction, join our Creative Writing forum to meet others who love to write.

Original poster

Write a book this year

322 replies

GlumyGloomer · 28/04/2021 08:03

I started back around February I think, and hoping to finish the first draft before the end of the year.
Anyone else fancy a chat/support thread?

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MargaretThursday · 13/06/2021 16:41

Thank you!

Just finished with nearly 60k words. Now the bit I don't like (editing!)

Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 13/06/2021 22:13

Woo hoo! Well done Margaret!

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Bakingdiva · 14/06/2021 16:20

@MargaretThursday

Thank you!

Just finished with nearly 60k words. Now the bit I don't like (editing!)

Well done, that's a great achievement
IrisAtwood · 14/06/2021 16:39

Really pleased to have found this thread as I am working on a novel - in between short stories - and would love to join a group of other supportive and constructive writers.
I am writing every day as I now have plenty of time due to taking ill health retirement from a very busy and demanding job in higher education and my private tutoring business. I am also studying English literature online with Oxford University which I think is improving my writing as I am thinking more critically about structure, narrative devices and points of view, as well as other aspects.
I really look forward to the couple of hours I spend every morning after decades of squeezing half an hour in and not having the mental space to think about my writing.
I would probably work for longer but I get tired due to serious health problems. Looking at the long term survival rates is also a great motivator!
Anyway, I’m working on a dystopian novel set in a hospital, which I started five years ago and then life got in the way.
Hardest thing at the moment is typing up thousands of words from my handwritten text, but it is a great opportunity to edit. I might type up a few hundred words and then end up rewriting for the rest of the time that day.
Looking forward to getting to know you all.

Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 14/06/2021 20:41

Hello @IrisAtwood, sorry to hear you are not well Flowers it's great that you are using the time so constructively though. I really should study english a bit more formally, but I'm still very much squeezing in ten minutes here and there. Set in a hospital sounds interesting, they are weird places at the best of times so plenty of scope there.

Baru quarantine sounds like a great writing opportunity, hope you get loads done.

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IrisAtwood · 14/06/2021 23:29

Thanks @GlumyGloomer

And yes, hospitals are interesting places - so much going on, so many different people who would otherwise never meet.

Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 17/06/2021 19:14

Up to 43k. How is everyone getting on?
My mc's are about to go on a cross country run, which is exposing my sloppy setting work. It's based in a fictional town somewhere in Kent about thirty miles from London, but I don't have a particular location in mind or a good idea of the surrounding countryside. Off to google earth I go...

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MargaretThursday · 17/06/2021 21:13

@GlumyGloomer

Up to 43k. How is everyone getting on? My mc's are about to go on a cross country run, which is exposing my sloppy setting work. It's based in a fictional town somewhere in Kent about thirty miles from London, but I don't have a particular location in mind or a good idea of the surrounding countryside. Off to google earth I go...
I climbed Snowdon virtually once when writing a story. Grin
IrisAtwood · 18/06/2021 08:20

I’m working steadily and am surprised at just how much I am cutting from my first draft. I’ve also decided to cut the number of characters on the grounds that if I can’t remember their arc then the reader won’t either!

Bakingdiva · 18/06/2021 17:35

I've managed to get up to 21k which I'm quite pleased with as I've had both children at home all week (dd self isolating as her teacher has Covid and ds has hand foot and mouth) and I've had a load of exam marking to fit in too - it's a miracle I've managed anything this week!

Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 19/06/2021 13:29

Sounds like a tough week, Baking. When she was 1 dd had HF&M, she had a few tiny spots and was better after 3 days. Typically I caught it from her and was horribly ill for 2 weeks. Hope your ds is feeling better now, and well done for getting some writing done.

Iris sounds like you're doing a good job on the editing. I imagine it must be hard to make those decisions.
I think this thread has made me realise what a lazy writer I am, lol. I generally start by writing the bare minimum needed to get through the story, with as little research as I can get away with, then fill in the gaps on the second take.

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Bakingdiva · 19/06/2021 20:43

@GlumyGloomer My dd gave me chickenpox when she got it - she was fine within a few days, I ended up having x-rays for suspected chickenpox generated pneumonia!

That was a couple of years ago now, but she's going to have that held over her until the day I die 😂😂

Drybird2020 · 19/06/2021 22:25

It's good to see people writing on through illness and adversity. It's great to have an escape, from reality, that's for sure. I'm on draft 3. It is tedious and time-consuming with no room for cutting corners. I'm hoping that while I'm doing it my unconscious mind is concocting a better version of the final chapter.

Coffeeandbooks13 · 21/06/2021 05:47

Can I join your group please?

I started writing a couple months ago, have approx 30,000. I tend to write around when eldest at nursery and youngest has daily naps, then again at night time.

My book is set around vibrant older characters, each have their own story to tell. Initially it started with just two main characters but then the others took over, if you know what I mean.

At the moment, I just write, write, write and see where it takes me, but the last few days the flow hasn’t been there.

Looking forward to getting to know you all Smile

Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 21/06/2021 21:17

Hi @Coffeeandbooks13, that's good going with small kids.
After mostly winging it I've had to stop and plan out the second half. There's still room for movement, but I have a rough idea now of what needs to happen.

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IrisAtwood · 22/06/2021 07:51

I’ve been distracted by an idea for a short story, but I know I want to get back to my novel. Enjoying writing for a couple of hours every morning - such a luxury after years of a demanding fulltime job and other life events.

Editing what I’ve written of the novel is also turning into a rewrite 😣

Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 23/06/2021 23:20

Up to 45k.
Iris I'm currently putting off editing my first book as I'm scared of how much rewriting I'll have to do. Ultimately though your book will come out better for it.

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Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 27/06/2021 13:28

Hi, how's everyone doing?

I'm slightly stuck on a decision about my mc, which would potentially have quite long lasting consequences if I were to write any follow up books. The thing is, I'm really not sure if I will or not. I like the characters, and there's plenty left to explore with them, but I have lots of other ideas I want to get down too. In terms of just this book I basically have to decide who/what his dad is, there's a simple option or the complicated option (which would give me a lot more story to play with later).
I guess I could always start simple and then re-write, if needed. I dunno, can't decide.

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Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 27/06/2021 13:36

@MargaretThursday how did you decide on the fate of that character mentioned up thread in the end?

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MargaretThursday · 27/06/2021 13:45

@GlumyGloomer

I redeemed him in the end, but it was a close thing. There were some answers that were needed at the end, and I decided he was really the best one to answer some of the questions, so needed to be around for that.

He's quite repentant, although I'm not totally convinced that if the bad guy reappeared that he wouldn't forgive them and believe that they'd changed without any evidence.

And also, as you said, if I did write a follow up (like you no plans, but you never know) then I'd want him there. Although he might be fighting for them that time.

Grin
Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 28/06/2021 11:38

Ah, I do like a bit of redemption. Thanks, I'm trying to consider all the implications. My choices are: 1, dragon that can turn into a human or 2, human that can turn into a dragon.
At the moment I'm leaning towards 1, after spending the last few months thinking 2.

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MrsRussell · 28/06/2021 11:54

I'm just tipping 25k words in the book that wasn't supposed to happen.

My boy is the opposite really... he thought the only way he could be redeemed was by sacrificing himself to make life better for lots of people. He can be a bit of a pillock at times. One of my favourite things with that lad, is that he was a proper Teenage Idealist in his youth, all hand on heart and eyes raised to heaven like something out of a Victorian painting, and twenty years on his young lady periodically kicks him in the seat of the breeches and says things like "you know you want to make a noble sacrifice for the good of mankind? Well, d'you want to make a noble sacrifice for the good of your marriage and come in for your tea? Hm?"

MarisPiper92 · 28/06/2021 12:24

I'm late, but can I join? Currently about 30k into a comedy-heist. Been at it on and off since last year, but more committed in recent months.

Spent several months pussyfooting around not getting anywhere until I finally forced myself to fix the many plot holes that were holding me up. Feeling much better for it!

Bakingdiva · 28/06/2021 17:27

I've done nothing since last week because we moved house on Friday so I've been a bit busy! Hoping to get back to it this week (more likely next though)

Coffeeandbooks13 · 29/06/2021 06:11

The children have been poorly the last few days, it’s been long days and nights. Not really done much writing. The ideas are in my head where the book is (hopefully) going but the words aren’t appearing as I’d like. I feel a bit out of synch. Hoping will get back into the swing of things soon.