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.

I haven't done too much so far, too much else to do but have done a couple of short stories to keep my interest up.

And would LOVE one of those mini laptops

Vonsud! Congratulations. Horrible as well though? Maybe? limb amputation gives me a clue that's the case....!
And Wilbur well done for getting near the writing part of writing.

I had my meeting with the production company that commissioned my script and they think I'm straining to achieve an hour's drama structure and that the cheeky, naughty comedy of the early drafts has gone a bit so are suggesting I write a half hour which a friend in the business suggested TWO YEARS AGO. I'm fairly sanguine about it. Which probably means I'm in denial. But need to re-visit character and then get back to outlining. Again. The seventh time. Shameless took seven years to get to screen. There is no shame in things taking a long time. Is there. Not sad. Just kind of meh. But also excited. Eternally excited that I might just sort this out and pull it off.

Yes, wierd and strange, like being made redundant. But I'm going to start on fine-tuning the first three chapters on Tuesday, and then send them out. And then get lots of rejection letters. I will let you know how it goes.

Rewrites and changes of direction are horrible, aren't they, though. But I think you've got the right attitude - it's professional, not denial. I went through this all the time when I worked in (factual) tv; you think you've made a really good film, then someone comes in and makes you change it all round. It took me years to grow up and stop having tearful arguments with them, and just take it. And it does usually end up better for the input - a fresh pair of eyes can sometimes make all the difference.

I'd quite like that on the book now, I think; but the only way to get it is pay an editorial agency £350. I'll wait until I get a few rejections first.

And in my new leisure time, I have been surfing the web for author sites, and have decided that www.writewords.org.uk looks the best - active and not too snitty, and with quite a few published authors on it. You have to pay £20 to be able to see all of it, but I think I just might...

hi, all. had a few nights struggling with same conversation, think I've finally cracked it, but too damn busy to write! (really, there should be a sort of pinky one, for "cross" or "somewhat annoyed", rather than angry...)

but tomorrow! for sure!

Toots I hope the half hour comes easier then, and fingers x'd maybe the hour will still get there in the end, if they think your struggling with it? maybe a bit of time away from it, will end up with it being easier? iuswim??

Von, let us know what that site is like then

Nothing done here have been doing a bit of stuff for my day job blog and website, and press releases but no real writing for me, bah! life is getting too hectic, roll on May!

Well I wrote the article and it was accepted by the Indy which is very cheering. Am going to charge up the little laptop and play with it now!

yay ggg, you go girl, let us know when its published so we can read it

Checking back in, everyone madly writing or madly otherwise occupied? My writing is completely on hold at the moment, less than one month and my degree year is finished, so major stress and loads of work - no time for any creativity

That's great ggg - will look out for it.

I have managed to do my 5 pages a day on my two writing days this last week, although this week won't be so good as one of my usual days to write is Monday so the Bank Hol stuffs that up. Still, it's rather nice having dh off work and playing with the kids in the garden. Even if I can't be creative, I have at least managed to put a few thing on ebay that have been cluttering up the place. I'm hoping to have the first act of the screenplay written before half term, so that's my interim goal at the moment.

hello, are any of you lot around? can you put your brains together and help me over a writing hurdle please?

I'm kinda around, well will be properly tomorrow night, tell us all PHD

Wilbur I admire your drive I've been procrastinating too much lately, must get on.

PHD - I'm around later this afternoon. Running about a bit now, but didn't want to ignore your plea for help.

thing is, I'm hung up on this one conversation. have been stalling for aaaages, because I just can't hear/feel it properly.

it's quite an important convo, in which the chick and the hero get to realising - despite heretofore* prickly relations - that actually, they have similar goals/values - something, besides lust, that lays the foundation for her later decision to come back to him. I'd like to show rather than tell, but the hero is a strong, silent type - not much of a talker. (damn heroes!)

Any clues how I can beat some words out of the poor man? Or is it permissible to gloss this convo, even though others, with less significant figures, are there in full?

Am going to be in and out tonight, ds is coughing like an orphan,

• I don't think I've ever actually used that word before!

I'm assuming you're writing in the third person, so you don't desperately need the verbals for the sake of the readers. Without knowing the personality of the characters, got to be a bit vague, but could you have the chick saying something heartfelt, reflecting her view, then have her say something cutting (seeing as relations are 'prickly') to the effect that she thinks he's too shallow to know what she means. Then have him go quiet and look slightly aggrieved but not find the words, saying something brief and awkward, whereupon the chick picks up on the sense of something deeper, that she'll return to later when making her decision.

I know that sounds a bit stereotypical but without knowing the characters I find it hard to get into them. Is that any good or am I barking up the wrong tree? And have never used heretofore myself

hmmmmmmmm

it's a posserbility, wobbly, thanks for suggestion. what I did have, was him (surprisingly, she thinks) coming out in support of a position she'd taken in an earlier conversation that he'd been listening in on (if that makes sense). But it just keeps clunking.

d'you really think it would not lessen the impact of their bond, to not 'show' it unfolding? It feels to me, like I am doing them some kind of disservice. (Over-investment in FICTIONAL characters, moi? )

Tell me about 'over-investment'! I get so into my main characters I probably wouldn't raise an eyebrow if I met them in the street and if something doesn't feel 'right' for them I start getting really picky .

What if he does something supporting an earlier convo he heard? If he's not so much of a talker. I think it might be a good plot point though if you don't show too much happening at that point, dropping just enough hint to support the later change of heart but not much more than that, making it more of a twist later. You could refer to the earlier incident when she makes the decision, linking it in case you did gloss over it slightly too much.

yes that is what I'd like to do, I don't know why I'm getting so hung up on this one conversation. (I think, I want to know how it goes, even if it were to be edited completely out, I'd still have the feel of it. And that's the catch, getting the feeling between them to change, without

But if I did gloss it, then ... p'rhaps I could just

hm am remembering something important, go pour yourself a wine wobblyknicks, I think you've cracked it!

Lol, er, glad to help PhD Sounds like it's starting to work out - I think it's hard sometimes separating what should be written from what you want to put because you're interested in the story, haven't cracked that myself though

Luckily I have no plot problems because I'm currently working on a looong essay where the title alone is four lines long - oh the joy. sees the word wine and goes off to slug straight from the bottle pour a glass

oh go on, I have to know that title now! (tomorrow, any rate, going to crash now - in for a tough night with poorly ds)

I better not in case I suddenly find someone I sit next to half the week is on here Suffice to say it contains the dreaded words discuss, analyse, potential, limitations, counsellling, ethical frameworks, supervision and real world practice

And hope you have a good night, have tonnes of sympathy - disturbed nights are hell

How is everyone doing? I have had a few weeks off writing - the house has never been more organised (!) - but am getting the draft read by a writer friend next week, so need to get my arse together. What are you all up to?

Hi VS, I had several weeks off for various reasons (block!), it has finally come good and on Wednesday I wrote through this really diff convo I'd been struggling with - feeling better now! I always get SO impatient, I just want to finish, acutely aware of passing of time when I'm not writing, which never helps. Anyway it's over now, for the time being.

good luck getting feedback from your friend

I've completely ground to a halt because I've got 2 (or so) more weeks until my year finishes so a bit caught up in that.

Hope the feedback goes well vonsud and glad you got through the convo PHD!

I've started something new though, just a distraction, a friend of mine who can draw brilliantly but is just as rubbish at getting anything done as me said he'd do a plot I'd discussed with him as a comic so I'm writing up a script for that

Hello, where're you lot hiding? Am I the only one still banging away? Please come tell me you've not all finished/given up/become famous and gone on tour?

I'm still here, taking a break from the big one in exasperation, and have taken on a mini-project, hoping to recharge the creative batteries by a change of direction.