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A real marathon
Sep. 28th, 2003 12:13 amWhew. The CVS had their September writing marathon at Common Grounds, a nice coffee shop in Clarendon with free WIFI service. Can we say new favorite hangout spot with the laptop? There are plenty of comfy chairs and tables and wall plugs for gatherings. I wish their drinks were better, simply because I am not a coffee drinker. We did a lot of work on our Nano projects focusing on outlining and planning. Notecards are your friends, especially if they can be color coordinated in neon colors. I still willingly admit to having an aversion to outlining much, simply because I don't think that way for writing. When I do, it tends to take away from the process. I don't mind scribbling down ideas for characters or scenes, per se, but blow-by-blow accounts seem to do the opposite of encouraging me. They seem to say "You've already written this story why should you bother?" I don't seem to accept the idea that the outline can be changed yet. Lunch was at the Silver Dinner and dinner at Hunan Number One with lots of general chatting. And then the girls sat on the park benches to chatter away until the wee hours of the night.
Insanely my initial Nano idea changed on me to my other original fic idea. So I went from quirky time travel story to more of a military science fiction novel. Very strange. I'm still debating whether this is a good thing.
Speaking of writing, Anne Rice explained why she doesn't need an editor or doesn't do first drafts. Personally I think all writers need some kind of betareader or editor to catch things. After you've slaved away on a novel for months, you can't see the forest for the trees. The words and storylines all blur together. You are so sick of these characters and situations. A fresh pair of eyes can catch things that you probably missed. They'll notice that you changed how many ships were destroyed in the Great Shipwreck. Or that you neglected to mention why the characters needed to get that stupid ring to Mount Doom. "Well, it was obvious, I mentioned it... er, well, didn't I mention it?"
Donald O'Connor died at 78. He will always be Cosmo Brown to me. Mr. Make Em Laugh. "At last I can stop suffering and write that symphony." We're just losing them left and right this year.
Insanely my initial Nano idea changed on me to my other original fic idea. So I went from quirky time travel story to more of a military science fiction novel. Very strange. I'm still debating whether this is a good thing.
Speaking of writing, Anne Rice explained why she doesn't need an editor or doesn't do first drafts. Personally I think all writers need some kind of betareader or editor to catch things. After you've slaved away on a novel for months, you can't see the forest for the trees. The words and storylines all blur together. You are so sick of these characters and situations. A fresh pair of eyes can catch things that you probably missed. They'll notice that you changed how many ships were destroyed in the Great Shipwreck. Or that you neglected to mention why the characters needed to get that stupid ring to Mount Doom. "Well, it was obvious, I mentioned it... er, well, didn't I mention it?"
Donald O'Connor died at 78. He will always be Cosmo Brown to me. Mr. Make Em Laugh. "At last I can stop suffering and write that symphony." We're just losing them left and right this year.
