Renee's Scattered Brain Showing 101-150 of 1,129

[[deleted user]]

gah! how can you write so many words???

[Wendy]

She's a genius. When you have writer's block, put your head against the screen to better absorb her leftover brainyness. (personally I keep my tinfoil hat strapped on so that I can be sure she can't get in my head too far) A little genius goes a long way.

[Renee]

*grumbling as I fumble with the door* why can't people work normal hours. Nine to five people, this is too early to bring your kids to my house. why do i agree to these things. Good morning Eustace.

You're so nice Wendy. Genius? Not exactly, maybe sometimes. I can always write, knock on wood, not all of it is good, I may get rid of it later. But with five of them going at once, there is never a lack of ideas. If I'm blocked on one story, I move along to another. I have a lot of ideas rolling around in my big head.

If I had 4 to 6 hours each day, completely to myself, to write, I could have so much done. Someday it will happen. Someday.

[Gwendolyn]

If I had 4 to 6 hours each day, completely to myself, to write, I could have so much done. Someday it will happen. Someday.

Keep telling yourself that and someday you'll wake up and wonder why you ever wanted to believe it in the first place.

After twenty years of banging the rocks together...

If you can write continuously and productively for two hours a day... and more than fifty percent of what you write is honestly good, publishable material... you're a freaking genius.

[Renee]

Gwen;
I get at least an hour most days, two if I wait until after the kids are in bed. I don't know how much I'd call publishable material though. I'd like to think at least half, but we'll see. I know its not publishable without major editing, that's for sure.

[Renee]

So tired, hey Eustace. did you get a haircut? Nice.

Wrote 2744 words today. Very pleased but did it all tonight. Time for bed.

[[deleted user]]

gah. i'm still amazed by your word count.

[Renee]

It will probably go down a few days each week. Saturday and sunday I've decided to be editing. I just can't get it done through the week, too many kids running around here.

I stayed up way too late though, four hours is not enough sleep everyone. It makes you cranky and your eyes burn. Where is that coffee. I think I'll just drink it from the pot thanks.
Anyone else want some?

[Rita]

Renee,

Like Annie Mae, I'm amazed with your word count too, but even more by the fact that you can do that and everything else you do too. I'm beginning to think that you're as crazy as I am.

--Rita

[Renee]

Oh I'm pretty crazy, that's what everyone here says anyway. The secret is to steal the time I need. Since my wonderful amazing mom got me this little laptop as a gift, I've been able to accomplish a lot more. I'll take the kids outside and type away while they play. I occasionally take it in while I'm putting them down for naps, two require you to lay with them until they are asleep.

This morning I was up way too early and got tons done. The baby arrived at 5am but went back to sleep so I had two hours to work. I have over 3000 words already today. I had to check my math a few times because it seemed wrong. But it was right.

My days consist of thirty minute clean, fifteen write, thirty minute clean, fifteen write, couple of hours with kids, fifteen minute write. If I have no kids but my own, I get a couple of hours of time and i'll do it all then. Actually you're right, it's crazy.

Where is Betsy by the way? Wendy?

[Rita]

I've tried taking my laptop outside, but my youngest (she's 3) will come and say, "Mommy, play with me."

I work full time and help homeschool the kids. Plus the usual duties of house, children, and husband. Then sometimes I look back at all we do, and I shake my head and wonder how I get it all done.

I squirrel time away in the evening like you, sometimes skimping on sleep. Last year I wrote at least 200,000 words. This year, I have no clue. I haven't kept track. I haven't been word oriented, just project oriented.

[Renee]

I didn't keep track of words either. I just wrote, and when I joined this group I added up the words in the projects i knew i started this year and almost crapped my pants. It doesn't feel like I wrote that much but I did. Last year I wrote more than 200,000 words but I don't have an exact count.
Now keeping track here, keeps me focused on getting something done everyday. I used to stay up into the wee hours writing and then sporatically through the day. Lately I've been making an effort to schedule time. I look at my day and decide when I'll definitely have the time. So far, the words come easily, I have tons of ideas and I'm able to write something each time i sit down.

I don't homeschool though, that would be difficult. I have the daycare, but everyone naps and I can give them projects and games to play. The two year old that comes here is like your three year old. She's always asking me to play. I'll give her "jobs" while we're outside. Sidewalk chalk is great, she draws beautiful pictures on the driveway (good for at least fifteen minutes or more) then I'll give her a spoon and "flowers" to plant. She gets dirty, but she loves doing that. I've given her other jobs, like fort building and sorting Kurt's tools. The other kids join in too which helps.

I hope I don't run out of ideas or the counts could go way down.

[Wendy]

She was creeping up on me and I had to blast her, sorry. I'm sure you can find another.

[Rita]

Hmm, having a daily goal might help me not burn the candle at both ends. Staying up until 2 in the morning and then getting up at 6 am to go to work really took its toll on me. I forced myself to stop that crazy schedule. But it wasn't easy.

If my goal was 2000 words rather than "finish this project now," maybe I could take it in bite size chunks.

[Renee]

It's not as strssful this way. I was like that before, get so many chapters done or finish it by this date. Way too much pressure. Once Bitten was longer than I expected so I freaked myself out. I'd plan to be finished but then something would happen and I'd have to add another chapter.

Little chunks make it "okay" for me to stop if I have to. I don't feel bad either because I achieved what i promised myself I would.

Wendy;
dead people don't creep. Are you sure she wasn't just standing where she always does, waiting for your coat? Now I need another coat rack. Bucky will have to do double-duty for a while. The lady at the post office is still pissing me off, she may have to do. She is rather short though, not really coat rack material.

[Wendy]

dead people don't creep. " says you- I was half way back to the farmland when the "incident" ocurred. Stupid creeping dead person.

[Gwendolyn]

... dead people don't creep

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

... or maybe it's just Mr. Bushida's cat?

[Renee]

Come to think of it, Eustace is never in the same position I left him in. Hmmmm...I thought it was you guys messing with me. Now I'll have to lock them all in place when I leave. I figured keeping dead captives would be a lot easier than live ones. I'll have to reconsider.

[[deleted user]]

lol you guys!

[Renee]

Isn't that cute? She thinks we're joking. It's okay, you'll see soon. Very soon....

[[deleted user]]

:D

[Renee]

crashing through the door, dragging new body. Heavy bugger if I do say so. Sets her up next to Bucky. Hello Bucky, let's see how your chains held up. Hmmm...looks good. I can see someone was pulling, your arms are all marked up now. When you're dead you don't heal mister, remember that. You lose an arm you're no longer any use here. I'll give you to Wendy for furniture.

Everyone this is Ginger. She used to work at the post office. sorry for her smell, she's freshly stuffed and needs some drying time. I haven't shellaced her yet either. Ginger will now be holding coats and hats in Betsy's place. Wendy, I'm chaining her up so you have no worries.
I kept the postal uniform because I thought it would add to the ambiance in here. Ignore the blood, she was a fighter. It couldn't be helped. Since when did they teach postal workers tai kwan do?

Anyway I forgot to post my word count last night. Doritos and the comedy channel distracted me. That was my reward for a job well done. I got to watch a couple of hours of tv.

Reward for what? Drum roll please.....I wrote 4926 words yesterday! I am into book three of Getting Away With It, and wrote a chapter in Rowan's story. Yay.

That plus Tuesday's words brings my total so far to:
149,172 words.

[Paul]

Wow Renee, you're getting more prolific than me!

I still haven't managed to chisel any spare time out of the days yet - twelve hours plus at work on Monday and Wednesday, family meal on Tuesday. Maybe tonight I get to start writing again. Then I'll start competing with you ;)

[Renee]

you're on! Should I up my goal? I work long days, but the type of work allows me to set some time away. Give the little darlings a project or drug them-I mean sing them to sleep, and I can steal at least an hour. Yesterday I was up very early and the baby went to sleep shortly after her mother dropped her off.I had more than two hours of silence and then more yesterday afternoon.
I love the story I'm working on, the guy is a complete jerk. It's moving along quickly, I have more ideas than I can include which is good in a way. Wait until you meet him, you'll love him too.
I'm having some trouble with Rowan, I want to use the voodoo/black magic angle but I find I'm explaining a lot and then deleting everything because it's too much telling. I'm thinking I may write it assuming the reader knows enough about it that I can just have her do these things and not explain the hows an whys so much. What do you think? Maybe I should scrap the angle all together. I can still tell the story that way, she can just be downright crazy. Nah, I don't want her to be crazy. It's far better to have her know what she's doing and like it.

[Paul]

We'll start from Saturday, to be on the safe side. I'm bound to have some time then. We'll compare word counts daily. The winner gets a prize - errm, not sure what yet :)

You could always have her just do the things:

Rowan chanted in weirdly hypnotic fashion as she slashed the rooster's throat, draining the blood into the ceremonial bowl. Careful not to inhale, she puffed cigar smoke over the blood. Equally careful not to swallow, for to do so meant angering the gods, she filled her mouth with Bacardi before spraying the fiery liquid into the bowl.

"Great Damballah, attend me now! Papap Legba, heed your servant!"

She swayed sinuously, erotically running her hands over her body. A foul wind gusted around the tiny room. Black smoke coalesced into an indistinct figure.

Denser and denser grew the smoky pillar. The hideous features of ...

Like that.

[Renee]

I like that paul. That's what I was thinking of. I was trying to give a little lesson each time i wrote anything about it, which was just wrong. It's much better without that. I'll just put it in like your example. She's not that advanced yet. She knows how to call the spirits, but not how to control them. I've set it up so that one is partial to her. He is connected somehow, and always comes to her no matter who she calls. He is a powerful one, I haven't chosenn which he'll be though. Would it be going too far to make one up? Should I use an existing spirit from the actual voodoo faith? My mom is worried that if I use a real one I'll be cursed. She is creeped out by all this stuff and makes me put the books I have about voodoo away when she gets here.
I just told her that as long as I make the sacrifice each week, they won't hurt me. She wasn't amused.

[Paul]

Just make sure you move your bed inside the pentagram and you'll be fine.

I'd use proper ones - see here for a fairly detailed list of the nastier African ones.

[Paul]

For long lasting connection with personal demons / familiars, menstrual blood is preferable.

But maybe this conversation should go to the sandbox as well.

[Paul]

Just as a matter of interest, there is a group here on GR called Older Writers which is having a mock NaNoWriMo in July - 100K words in the month, so I'll need to get back into training for that.

I will of course have an advantage over you when it comes to word counts - July and August all I'll be doing is writing, editing, proof reading, and delivering a couple of film schools. So I should be able to manage 6000 words a day.

[Renee]

6000 words? That's a lot. I think I'll up my goal to 3000 words (I can do that) and maybe aim for one 6000 word day each week. That way it's closer to what you're trying to achieve, and more fair. You get to have more time in those months because you chose a really great job, I make the most money in those months, and have several kids here so I can't take the time off. But, they are older kids this year, I only have two under five years old. So, it should be easier this year. Now that I have the laptop too it's not like I scribble away in the notebook and then put it one the computer. i still do that occasionally, but the laptop is better. I love it. How did I live without it?
Any progress on Hills? I know you're really busy, just checking. I'm anxious to see your ideas. I'm excited actually, I know it can only be better. stroke, stroke

[Paul]

Yes, I'll have finished it very, very soon now. But honestly, it was good as it stood. Hopefully, my suggestions have just made it a little better.

[Renee]

Thanks Paul. I did edit the darn thing about seven times. Each time I learned something new, I'd go back through it and fix it. Hopefully when I'm done with Once Bitten it won't need anything. Right...not likely.

[Paul]

Never mind, Renee. It'll be my pleasure, nay, privilege to edit that one as well. I'll have plenty of time during the summer to do that.

[Wendy]

SO how old it old for older writers Paul?

Not that I could do the nanomo....whatever thing. I can tell you right now I'd fall pathetically short, but just wondering. Have you been a member of their group long?

[Paul]

I've been a member for about six months, but it's generally inactive. Older as in more than 25 I think. Or perhaps older in terms of attitude.

I know you're too young to qualify on age grounds, but your attitude would fit right in I think. :)

[Paul]

Actually, Renee could probably do it by writing 3K per day, with one 6K day per week, which is 96K words in 28 days, with three days to spare to do the last 4K. I'll probably write the 100K words in about 20 days. It is a struggle to commit to that amount of writing every day, particularly if you have children and work commitments, but it is just about possible I think.

When I mentioned your attitude Wendy, I was thinking in terms of wise, disciplined, mature, determined, still childlike with a sense of wonder, but not childish.

[Rita]

Older = Ripened, like an aged wine.

I think I'm 34. Is that good enough, Paul?

[Paul]

Seems awfully young to me Rita. I can just about remember being 34.

[Wendy]

"I know you're too young to qualify on age grounds,"

Awww paul, you're so sweet! Here's a cyber kiss for you (X)

WIth 5 kids ages (10-2) I would have been, what 15? when I had the first? I'm backwoods- but not quite that much.

I'm 31 with 12 years of marriage under my belt, but you can think of me as eternally younger than 25 if you want. I don't mind.



Rita- "I think i'm 34"
That is so funny to me. I've heard it said that when we are little we are so excited to be older that we talk in fractions (I'm 5 and three quarters)

Then we lie a little to be older(I'm 21, really I am)

then we lie to be younger (I've been 29 for the last decade or so)

THen we forget (I'm...uh... let's see, when was I born again? and what year is it? gotta do the math)

Then we talk in fractions again (I'm 96 and a half years old!)

[Renee]

Hey Wendy we're almost the same age. I'm older!! Imagine that! you are an old soul because I'd have put you older than me just based on maturity and wisdom. I can't see your face in your picture very well so I can't go by that. Or maybe I'm just immature. I refuse to "feel" older. In my head I'll be in my twenties forever. Is that so wrong?

So what is this group Paul and when does it start?

[Gwendolyn]

When it comes to discussing age amongst women its all Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics...

Anyway, you're only as old as you feel... and today that's about 105...

I've got about 65k words to do by years end for the book project and a major revamp on the screenplay and another project that's in-work, but I don't think I'm going to use either of those for the July comp.

Hmmm... Well, I'll think of something.

[Renee]

Do you have to have one project and use that for the comp. from start to finish? How does this work? I am very intrigued.

[Gwendolyn]

For the real NaNoWRiMo you have one project and you're supposed to begin it the day the comp starts and post your results.

For the Mock's we've been doing here on GoodReads, you can use whatever you like; be it something new, a work in progress, or several different works.

You don't have to publish the work on site... just keep track of and report the daily word count.

[Renee]

Okay, so how do they decide on a winner? Shouldn't we have to produce something? Not that I'm complaining. I write so much because I have so many different things to work on.

[Rita]

Wendy, I always have to remember how old my husband is and then add a year if it's after January, two years if its between December and January. He's 33 this year, so that makes me 34. I think.

So Paul, what are the age restrictions? And what can I do to lie, cheat, finagle to get in?

[Renee]

If you're 34, you don't look a day over 30, then you should get in. They let me sneak through and I'm 32. Apparently I'm older. Yuck. Couldn't they have called it Mature Writers, or Experienced Writers, why Older?

[Rita]

I would think that you would have to have a finished product, first draft, unedited, at the end of the month.

[Renee]

Me too, but its mock so I don't think its the same. Just the word count is what they're looking at. You know, mock like mock chicken. What the heck is that? It's fake chicken, mystery meat with a strange orange powder/gunk around the edges. Why did we like that as children and how could our parents feed us that. Also pimento loaf, ewwwww! Macaroni and whatnot pressed into a square loaf of mock chicken sans the orange powder/gunk. Isn't there olives bits in there too?

I hated it when I was a kid and I vomit at the thought of it now.
And while i'm on the subject, blue cheese? We're eating mold people, and liking it. I confess, I loved it until I worked at a cheese factory. Now there are several cheeses of which I will not partake. Old cheese and shredded just to name a couple. I will shred my own, thanks. you don't want to know why.

The worst thing I've ever eaten? Cow's tongue. Apparently it's a delicacy to some cultures. Probably due to the fact that they only have one tongue, so its a limited quantity kind of thing. It was terrible, awful and traumatic. My dad made us try eveything once. We couldn't refuse to eat something unless it literally made us throw up. I only had to eat that once. The joys of living in a farming community. I handled other digusting things, but the tongue was nasty. It felt like a tongue, tasted like a tongue and gagged me like some tongues are wont to do from time to time. Cool it you Romeo's, it's a kiss not a darn meal. (you know who you are too so don't deny it.)

I think i'm done my rant for the afternoon. Just a little baggage I had to unload. Did Toby just move? I swear he just squeezed my ass. I think I'll stand.

[Renee]

Okay, the kids are home and we have a ballgame to go to. Hopefully courntey won't attract the ball like she did on Tuesday. She's not so fond of getting hit by the ball.

I probably won't write too much more so I'll post my count now. 4470 words today and some editing. Yay me for the editing. I did 3 chapters. I think I should go over them one more time just to put myself over the border to crazy town.

Total words so far=153,642

[Paul]

For script frenzy we had to submit our scripts to a thing that did a quick word count - not intuitive though. For my idea for July, go to new topic in the sandbox, for my idea in November for the real NaNoWioMo - ditto

If you do your 100 pages of script or 100K words, you're all winners