Got a novel/play/screenplay in your head? Get it on paper! Here is the page count thread for hopeful and actual writers.

[wilbur]

Are you a writer in need of some motivation? Post here each day or whenever you can with your page count. Or post your hopes for how many pages you want to write each day and then come back and see if you managed them. Even if they are rubbish, at least you will have them down on paper and can make them brilliant at a later date.

I will start. I am hoping to write a second full-length screenplay before August 2008. I have two days a week where I have time to write my own stuff and I am aiming to do 5 pages on each of those days.

Plum, sorry I knew that I was meant to answer something tis a monday am right!
I loosely base my characters on people I know sometimes, but I think you have to be very careful if they can recognise themselves, as a) it may upset them, b) they may sue. Sure someone whose been published will have better info than me as to how to get around it though.

Yes- well suppose some of the characters in my novel are an amalgam of people I know or am related to, or are in situations/living conditions that are similar, because that seems to be where I get my details and inspiration from. I've moved them around, so it's not obvious.
It's more situations than looks, what sex they are , so I suppose I ought to disguise it more .
Ph- how much do you want?
i'm not ready to give the whole situation/ story yet, partly because It's still shifting about.
Which is another thing I as going to ask generally.
How important do you think it is that ends are tied up? Or a bit left to the imagination?
I don't want it to get too pat.....
I can't decide..
I suppose it's the kind of person you are...

Haven't done as well as I was hoping to, real life doesn't want me to write while its going on Think I was a bit overeager before, got too much college work and other stuff on this week - going to try and do half an hour a night writing and be happy with whatever comes out.

I often base characters on people I know but only lots of snippets here and there, never have one character who is exactly like someone I know - not because of them but I don't know anyone I want to use 'as is'. Also transfer characters a lot, if I get one in my head for a story then don't go on with the story, I'll use them in another one if it seems to fit. I use situations and people for inspiration but often end up with an unrecognisable result.

[sigh]. The childminder rang up earlier, she's got a bug, so bang goes my 4 hours of writing time tomorrow. I did actually cry when she put the phone down.

And so here I am, trying to get some crumbs out of the evening instead, although, as ever, my brain just walked out at about 7. And I'm coming up to a big, difficult bit that I could quite happily have tackled tomorrow. [fed up emoticon].

And I do not know how anyone writes in the middle of 'real life' unless it's haikus. They don't have a one year old, that's for certain; I can't even clean a room, cook a meal, or, on a bad day, go to the loo, never mind sit at a computer and compose deathless prose .

I think I'm about the same as everyone else with regard to real people. I borrow them, then deliberately change things, then they go off and do different things anyway. Best thing I ever read about it was actually by Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian, talking about songs. He said, that for him, it's like making a cake. You've got the real stuff and the invented stuff, which is like eggs and butter, but you end up with cake, which is something completely different with it all mixed up. Only he said it much better (probably on account of not being asked at the end of a long day with a one year old).

know what you mean about your brain vanishing at 7, vonsudenfed. and you trying to write proper, too!

am quite your CM. my ds is usually attached to my leg all day too. or if not physically attached, yelling for me to come get him!

lol plum, would never hit you for details before you were ready - just a genre would do!

I'm about to give up after 200 mediocre words (am consoling myself with the 1500 I wrote while DD was asleep at lunchtime). Gah. Am off to eat cake.

But yes, CM + writing essential for the vonsudenfed sanity. DH is coping very well with the fact that my writing not only earns nothing, but costs money . And stops me doing any other work.

well done your dh!

mine is wonderfully putting up with it too - admittedly we don't have much choice atm - but I am impressed considering that a) he hates his job with a passion, and b) he's already supported me for 8 years writing damn phd which also cost money and stopped me earning. He may be unable to turn off the bathroom light when he comes out, but he's a good dh.

enjoy your cake! (CM AND cake! )

Am having a crap week and feeling about lack of writing. I had cleared the decks last week and this week was supposed to be doing 3 small housey type things (sorting out crap from move a year ago!) but otherwise, all free time was going to be working. Then I did my back in yesterday - spent all day flat on my back hardly able to walk . Am soo pissed off - it's a bit better today, but I can only sit for about 10 mins at a time, can't lift anything or do my few chores, or sit comfortably with the computer. Tried to take the laptop to bed but couldn't balance it. Fed up fed up fed up. And then it's Easter next week and AP is away. Sorry for long, self-pitying rant, just venting. Well done to all those managing some words on paper - it's all good, even the bits that are not good enough yet.

Just a quicky, did a big post then lost it.
Wilbur - so sorry about your back. That really is rubbish.

Plumandolive. Tie up ends? yes. Doesn't have to be pat. Can be twist or just suggestion but in my opinion if you've featured a gun you have to shoot it.

I had to pay to write for 3 or more years before I started seeing a profit but I had no choice, it had to be done. How anyone manages without childcare..... I take my hat off to you.

Oh Wilbur, poor you. Is it feeling any better? I would send you some cake if that would help.

It's certainly the only consolation I've got at the moment. I've hit a bit of a low; grinding my way through, very unsure about the value of it at all. I'm almost glad the CM couldn't work today, I would only have wasted it...

buck up old chap, it'll all be worth it in the wash! Or do you need to license yourself some time off to think it through?

bummer about your back, Wilbur. What a rubbish design the spinal column is. Hope you can find a gorgeous masseur

oh no wilbur, here's hoping you feel much better tomorrow? brain not functioning much now, so will get back to you all tomorrow, but hurrah I managed to write today which is good, seeing as I seem to do a lot less of it than you guys!

Haven't done at all well on the word count, had too much else cropping up but have been doing some 'mental work' and got the plot a lot clearer in my mind so can I have points for effort?

I think you can definitely have points for effort; to be honest I am starting to believe that these are the only points worth having in writing. It's not the having of ideas or the prose style - although I'm sure these help - but the sheer sodding slog of getting to the end that's the hardest bit. And anyway, any bit of effort makes the book/script better in the end, even if you chuck it all out later on.

Both my brain and my CM are back on today, which is good. I think I was writing badly at the start of the week, due to cold and cough and lack of sleep, but never mind, it can be sorted out in the revision. And I wrote a couple of hundred tolerable words yesterday, so there is hope.

How's your back Wilbur?

Hi, can't keep up enough. phD I would spill all when I'm more confident.In fact I would hurl it around in a magimix ...
DH is proper writer,but we don't even talk about each other's stuff... is this normal?
Well, I don't think it is, ( I mean I don't think HE'S normal, but it gives me bad habits, not secretive, just reticent.....

have finished a chapter and then decided half was crap. beginning to dislike main character [hmn] and will have to change motives....

I'm quite secretive about work too, plumandolive - mainly because dh has a tendency to make light of things, or take the piss really, which makes me v self-conscious. It's something I want to talk to him about, but of course that conversation languishes permanently at the bottom of the to do list.

Talking about the to do list - having some time flat on my back has helped me read the book about time management that hunker suggested earlier in this thread and it's very good. I cleared the crap from my work area this morning by following some of his guidelines and am planning to use his "short bursts of activity" approach to getting started on story planning for my script.

Have written nada this week thanks to bad back and fuzzy head from painkillers - it's getting better slowly, thank you for asking, vonsudenfed, but it is a disc bulge so will take some time to right itself completely. Am hoping that my subconscious is doing some great work while I moan in pain...

Sorry about your bad back wilbur - something always seems to want to get in the way! I thought about my plot and got it far more definite than it was before so I'll happily count that as work done . Think you're right vonsudenfed, so much goes in that gets deleted or mucked about with, half the time it looks like nothing's getting done.

I keep my stuff very secretive too, only show any of my stuff to a couple of friends that I know will take me seriously and will tell me what's right/wrong even if its not their kind of story, whereas a lot of people can't manage that.

Ha! After weeks of depressed nothingness, I'm actually writing again. Only silly-arse fanfic, but it's writing, dammit.

How's your back Wil?
Mean hus to take the piss about your burgoning creativity

It is a self conscious thing tho' I agree, because if something gets a bit descriptive or poetic, and particularly love interest, it's part of you; even if not necessarily your standpoint/view/taste/belief, the mere fact it's come from your mind in the first place means you own it in a way. And that can make you feel you have to explain it

The holidays are a blank time for my writing.
Too much going on and kids wanting and fighting.....so mine will be the scribbles in notebooks for a couple of weeks....

yeah, my Dh takes the rip. Which is funny, considering I've read his 'poetry' from when he was a teenager. [meanie]

He thinks it's a waste of time and I'm no good. Which is a bit of a confidence-knocker, it has to be said.

oh Sue, that's so hateful to think it's a waste of time, I'm not surprised you keep it secret...
You can have girl support here...
A writing bra....
And one day you'll show him....the book launch , the parties,the award ceremonies,
And he won't be invited...you could even writ about his lack of support as a sequel.... tee hee

plumandolive - I like your point about owning the work, ie you are responsible for it (which, of course you are) and feel the need to explain it which then makes you even more self-conscious. I think that's a def a thing with me, I quite often find a self-censor sitting on my shoulder thinking "ooo I can't write THAT, what will my sister/dh/MIL think? But often those are the best bits - where you write what you really think and probably surprise or shock people into the bargain. I once met the playwright Peter Barnes, who was this small and rather quiet, diffident man, despite writing the most extraordinary work full of shocking, brilliant, memorable stuff. I doubt he ever thought, "ooo, I can't do a comedy about the plague" - he just wrote it. So that's what I try and do now, I don't try and second guess people's reactions. Hard though, esp for me as I am a bit of a people-pleaser.

Back is getting better slowly. About to go and have a lie on the floor as instructed by osteo.

Glad your back is getting better wilbur, do you have a babe on hip to hump around too? That used to really do for me....

You're right about the bits that are surprising, shocking, from the heart of you , useually being the best I think too.

What comes out of people is a strange thing; I sometimes step back and look at my dh in a light that isn't close and domestic, and re assess him when I've read something of his.

But can't put myself in that position, I feel odd about it.

Do you suppose a lot of people do?

Hope that floor is nice and hard and doing you good...

There we are - silly arse fanfic, but it's writing, and I'm actually getting up a good head of idea-steam in my notebook now.

hello I'm just checking in

thought I would start writing again tonight but then just decided I would dabble instead.

interesting what you've all been saying about ownership and self-consciousness. don't think I've ever considered any of that. well I mean I have a little with this one, because I've set it in places I know well, but am sailing blithely ahead under the fond fantasy that even if it ever gets published, which of course is extremely unlikely, no one I know will read it.

dr freud would have a field day with me, wouldn't he