Struggling Writers discussion
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Where Do You Work When You Write?
I always work in my office. It's private, it's quiet, and it's conveniently located next to my bedroom so when I'm tired, it's a short trip.TOLI, I actually prefer handwriting, but type so much quicker that I use my computer for pretty much everything, and have for about 13 years. Back when modern technology meant a dial-up 486. :)
Ingrid, I ALWAYS use a thesaurus (online). Sometimes I want a word, but the one that comes to mind isn't exactly what I want. The thesaurus helps me find the one that works best. And often, when I have to refer to something several times int eh space of a few paragraphs, it helps me find different ways to say the same word so I don't have to worry about sounding repetitative.
Oops...TOLI, I forgot to mention that after discovering Playlist.com, I created numerous playlists full of music to fit the mood of what I'm writing. Sad (obviously for sad, depressing scenes), romantic (self-explanatory), upbeat (for party-type scenes), classical (for thoughtful scenes), etc... One of my favorite things though, is a YouTube video I bookmarked. I'm currently writing a story about a group of people renting beachfront homes for the summer, and this video is nothing but waves washing ashore, with the sound of gulls in the background. Talk about a GREAT way to get myself into a summer story at the beach!
Just out of curiosity, has anyone ever been laying in bed when the solution to a problem with your plot, or a fantastic scene comes to mind...just as you're about to doze off? What do you do when that happens? I usually have to get up and at least go jot it down so I don't risk losing the thought while I sleep. And sometimes I've been known to 'jot' it down, then realize several hours later, after writing a chapter or more, that I'm going to be really tired the next day! :)
That does happen to me on ocasion and it really depends. Normally i just have to stick with jotting down a short paragraph.
I write in my living room, on my dad's laptop, generally. When I get my netbook for blogging (in my library that I'm making, huzzah!), I'll probably write on there, too. But I just love to lay on the couch and type away to my heart's content. I don't much like writing on the computer itself, because 1) my monitor is freaking HUGE and 2) something about it just doesn't feel right.After I complete my library project, I might take to writing at the desk in there (with the netbook I so want), which is where I plan to do most of my book review stuff.
(I do wish that my muse wouldn't wake me up really late at night and force me into writing when I should be sleeping, though.)
Thalia wrote: "I write in my living room, on my dad's laptop, generally. When I get my netbook for blogging (in my library that I'm making, huzzah!), I'll probably write on there, too. But I just love to lay on t..."Are your parents pretty supportive of your writing, Thalia? And I always wish my inspiration would keep more regular hours, too! :)
Well, seeing as I'm sixteen, there are so many other habits I could have that they're really happy that I've chosen writing as my path, hahaha. I figure they must be pretty happy about it, because my dad let me get a 1 terabite external harddrive, so I didn't have to do my writing on one computer, and if our computer ever crashed, I wouldn't lose my life's work. <3
How cool! And yes, there are MANY habits you could have that would alarm them. Still it's nice that they support you to that extent. And good for you that you're backing your work up. I didn't do that with my first computer. Hard lesson learned. Now I save 1 hard copy of each book, plus burn them to 3 different CD's. Of course it would be wiser if I didn't keep all 4 copies in MY house... :)
I think I'd die without my external. I mean, I've always used them (my dad uses one, so he just got one for me when he first made this decision), but I've heard such awful stories about losing all one's writing; it would be so terrible! But between all the footage I have saved on my harddrive because of video editing, all the music FOR those videos, all my writing, all my actual videos...It takes up a lot of space! So, even if it's not just supporting my writing alone, they're supporting all the habits I have by helping me out.
You sound like a busy and talented young lady! And you're right to back everything up. Fortunately I've never lost any writing, because I always had a hard copy, but I'll tell you what, retyping 50,000-75,000 words isn't a whole lot of fun! :)
Eugh, I imagine! Keeping busy helps me stay sand and stay away from reality. (:
I can relate to that. Sometimes I wonder if writers write just so they can escape reality! :)
Hahaha, I know I do! That is one of my most important reasons!
Mine, too. Plus it's fun to work out your frustrations. For instance, some woman who was extremely rude in the grocery store a couple of days ago is probably going to wind up with a flat tire in the book I'll be working on after I'm finished with the current one. She will also discover that not only is her spare flat, but she's going to have to walk about half a mile in a 100 degree heat index to get to a house where she can call a wrecker...because she lost her cell phone.It's amazing what just going about your daily business does for giving you ideas for your stories. :)
@ Kirsty Yep me too, sort of cuts the need to sleep, and I stand no chance of dropping off until I have the idea on paper!My favourite supermarket encounter was the big woman hitting her weedy little husband around the head with her bag because he'd forgotten to pick the shopping list up off the table! Where is superman when you need him!
I have Dropbox, everything I write is automatically backed up in a safe box somewhere in cyber space so if the worst happens all my work is safe and I can retrieve it from anywhere in the world.
www.dropbox.com
Wow, Sarah...you could really use that encounter for a great scene in a book. Don't get me wrong, I am not-nor will I ever be-a supporter of abuse, but in a work of fiction...I'd have the little guy snap and...oh, to put it nicely, establish a new set of household rules...while the wife is picking herself up from the floor. LOL...glad I didn't see that. I'm afraid I'd have found myself smacked with her purse, too, when I asked why SHE didn't pick the list up herself. :)Hmm. Never heard of Dropbox. I'll have to check into that. I sometimes use the draft feature in my email to save copies of things I don't want to lose, but have always wondered how safe that really is.
Kristy wrote: "Wow, Sarah...you could really use that encounter for a great scene in a book. Don't get me wrong, I am not-nor will I ever be-a supporter of abuse, but in a work of fiction...I'd have the little g..."Thanks I will one day it's finding a place for it there will be a place for it somewhere. I have a funny tale about a wheelbarrow but that's a trifle rauchier, and though the person who told me swears it's true there is an element of doubt as to whether a wheelbarrow wouldn't tip up with two people attempting sexual acrobatics!
You never know. That's the thing about real life... some of the things that happen seem so impossible that it's hard to believe they're true. I can't imagine anyone wanting to use a wheelbarrow for anything but hauling something, but where there's a will, there's a way I guess. And it could make for an amusing scene. Just because it didn't tip over in real life doesn't mean it couldn't...at a very inopportune time...in a story. :)
Kristy wrote: "You sound like a busy and talented young lady! And you're right to back everything up. Fortunately I've never lost any writing, because I always had a hard copy, but I'll tell you what, retyping ..."I use the same thing but insted of jusy leaving it as a draft i send it to myself, i have a folder in my email that it all goes to. Also when i make big changes like 2,000-3,000 words added or just a really big change i back it up on a disc (which are really reliable). I have two emails and
keep a copy of the latest in my second one. I also keep a hard copy but like you said retyping is no fun.
Kristy wrote: "You never know. That's the thing about real life... some of the things that happen seem so impossible that it's hard to believe they're true. I can't imagine anyone wanting to use a wheelbarrow f..."I think it would be highly probable in reality, the tipping over unless it had four wheels which could be funnier still becuse the momentum would start it rolling maybe down hill into a lake! That would cool their ardour!
Oh no kidding! That's the kind of thing that makes reading so much fun. Drama is fine, and I write plenty of it...but I also like to add fun stuff like your suggestion. :)
Kristy wrote: "Oh no kidding! That's the kind of thing that makes reading so much fun. Drama is fine, and I write plenty of it...but I also like to add fun stuff like your suggestion. :)"Yes me too I try to add humour to my writing where possible, and scenarios just like that one which has been drafted into Take Three Blondes!
Then I'll look forward to reading it. Try to let me know when it's available please. I still don't know my way around the site very well.I also have to figure out how to change the list of books I've read. I didn't see an option for 'haven't read,' and so I just checked off 1's and 2's, (2's for things I've considered reading)...and then it listed everything as something I've read. Sigh...
Kristy wrote: "Then I'll look forward to reading it. Try to let me know when it's available please. I still don't know my way around the site very well.I also have to figure out how to change the list of book..."
Yay someone else like me. You will have a while to wait for the Blondes I believe there are 5 chapters finished! Only another 45 to 70 to go! My debut novel The Thin Blue Line will be released sometime soon it went off on it's merry way to the publishers yesterday!
The option should be there to read, read. Go into edit.
Kristy wrote: "Where should I look for edit at?"Sorry I disappeared for a while preparing the ingredients for my special tomato sauce, it's cooking now. Trouble is it has garlic in lots of it and now the house reeks of garlic, including my hands with chopping it!
Go into your profile bring up your books and go through them marking them as to read or read or add them to curretly reading!
When I get a minute I will put some photos back up I took them down when I moved groups then realised I didn't need to as they would transfer!
I'll give that a try when I get back from the pool, thanks. :)Now this is going to sound weird, but it works when I chop onions and celery. If you wash your hands in the kitchen sink, while they're still soapy, wrap a hand around the faucet and 'scrub' it with your hand...then do the other one. Something about the metal of a faucet eliminates strong odors on your hands.
Here's a link to back that up, lol...so you don't think I'm a nut...
http://www.wbur.org/npr/6473350/does-...
@Sarah R.: try rubbing your hands with a fresh cut lemon, it normally gets rid of onion or garlic smells.
Kristy wrote: "I'll give that a try when I get back from the pool, thanks. :)Now this is going to sound weird, but it works when I chop onions and celery. If you wash your hands in the kitchen sink, while the..."
Hey I'll try anything if it gets rid of the awful pong! I alway wash them in cold water with very strongly perfumed soap, I'll try rubbing them with lemon juice and salt that works for fish!
That's a good choice, i know that lemon juice and salt works.
Irene wrote: "That's a good choice, i know that lemon juice and salt works."I knew it worked for fish but I never tried it with onions and garlic, but right now the whole house reeks of it. It's worth it the tomato sauce is excellent and it helps eliminate the glut of tomatoes. I only have a small greenhouse but I end up with about 60 kilos of tomatoes each summer, no one can eat that many tomatoes! I freeze the sauce and use it throughout the year.
I've never heard of those, Irene, but I'll give them a try, too. I love eating all those things...I just don't want to smell like them! :)
I cook frequently so i end up with various undesirable smells on my hands.
I try to keep food service gloves (I call them paper gloves) on hand (no pun intended) for things like handling meat and raw eggs, but never use them for things that require a sharp knife.
Oh, i just handle it and wash my hands immeditly.
Kristy wrote: "I try to keep food service glove (I call them paper gloves) on hand (no pun intended) for things like handling meat and raw eggs, but never use them for things that require a sharp knife."Yes I chop quickly and like all chefs I use the edge of my index finger to guide the knife. I rarely cut myself (touch wood) bits of finger in your garlic aren't acceptable! My dad wouldn't watch when I picked a knife up and cut veg!
I try to be that way, Irene, but I guess it's an OCD kind of thing. Mostly due to the fact that my son was in intensive care for a couple of months after he was born. They really stressed germs there, and we couldn't get near him until we'd scrubbed with Betadine from the elbows down, then put on a sterile gown. Unfortunately every time I got ready, my nose would start to itch...and I didn't always remember to ignore it, lol...so then I got to do the entire process all over again. So I wound up with this thing about germs on my hands that I've never been able to shake. It's a pain in the neck.You're pretty brave, Sarah...and I don't blame your dad! :)
I cook a lot, but can be a bit of a klutz if there is a kitchen accident that can happen. In fact, my family thinks it's pretty amusing...oh, you burned yourself AGAIN? They can't say it too often anymore about knives though, because I developed a healthy respect for them years ago.
Kristy wrote: "I try to be that way, Irene, but I guess it's an OCD kind of thing. Mostly due to the fact that my son was in intensive care for a couple of months after he was born. They really stressed germs t..."I'm always burning me usually on the oven shelves whilst battling with the Sunday roast, Alain is worse he works with knives cutting up meat and preparing it for sending to the shops. He is covered in scars, fingers, arm twice, above his eye at the side of his nose. The last time it was someone else who cut him (accidentally). And I am with you on the germs thing you can never be too careful. I had Salmonella thanks to someones bad hygiene rules. My Sophie had it a couple of weeks ago I tried something as an experiment. Gave her Cranberry drinks from the health food shop you mix the powder with water (treatment for cystitis) works on e-coli too and Salmonella. She felt better within an hour of drinking the first sachet! Stopped it within a day!
My family laugh at me because the Doc told me to avoid catching it at home cook with garlic and alcohol! Standing joke is leaving here after a meal and being breathalysed and telling the Gendarme you only ate Boeuf Bourguignon!
Kristy wrote: "I try to be that way, Irene, but I guess it's an OCD kind of thing. Mostly due to the fact that my son was in intensive care for a couple of months after he was born. They really stressed germs t..."I'm not as OCD about germs as you are but i am sorta close. I normally prepare eggs, raw meats ect before i even start cooking so all i have to do is dump them out of a dish. If I have raw meat I scrub the counters and sink down before i do anything else. I don't like to touch shopping cart handles, all vegtables and fruits are washed thourghly before i use them, now suprisingly i don't use hand sanatizer(the kind you buy) because it actually doesn't work and it creates antibotic resistance (which is really bad, vacines, medicines, cleaners ect no longer kill or protet against the resistant germs)
I usually write on my computer and listen to music while I work and since my handwriting is horrible I like writing on my computer better because I can change the fonts and the size and delete what I don't like all the time listening to Danny Wright, Enya, Les Miz, Mozart and many more.
Too funny, Sarah! And very interesting about the cranberry. I've never heard of a powdered version here though, and didn't know you could use it for those ailments. Usually they promote cranberry for kidney infection type things.I think I would not like Alain's job. How on earth did he get a cut above his eye while cutting meat?
Irene...good information to know on the hand sanitizer, but I have to say uh-oh. I don't just use hand sanitizer, I use LOTS of hand sanitizer. Like 2 quarts EVERY month (not just for myself, for my family, too, and for sanitizing stuff around the house). Only I cut it with half alcohol because I never liked what I heard about it. Not sure what I'll do to replace it because I hate shopping cart handles, too...along with doorknobs and handrails.
Good music you listen to, Anna! My handwriting was never great to begin with, but I do so much typing that it's a lot worse now. I guess practice does make perfect...and when you're not practicing, it shows! :)
I like writing in my room or on the computer or in a small space , someplace that can't really be too loud. o.O lolI like typing better though.Its just so much faster for me and it hurts my hands less <3
We finally bought a house a few years ago and I write exclusively in my office (my favorite room here!). I can control the traffic, the pet interruptions, and the noise level...and I can't write amid chaos and a lot of noise, so I can relate, Linds.I don't know if you ever do this, but I find for hand pain, if I stretch my arms out to my sides, about 2-3 feet from my body (not parallel to the floor, but angled down), keeping your elbows to the back and palms to the front, stretch your arms, fingers and hands back, bending at the wrist, and hold for 20-40 seconds, remembering to keep your fingers stretched and straight.
You should feel the pull all the way to your shoulders.
I try to do this several times a day and it really does help.
@ Kristy Typing can cause even more pain,I should know I have RSI, I can't spend to long working or I have to take painkillers and cranberry juice is on my list of strange but true! I researched it on the net, I knew it killed e-coli says so on the packet. People think e-coli is a new bug. No, it's just mutated but it lives inside a lot of us undetected!
Big problem here in Europe with sprouting seeds and a nasty mutation. causes renal failure. Drink your cranberry juice up you know it makes sense now!
And I like to work in the wee hours of the morning when everyone else is sleeping! Quiet time just me, my expresso and the dog!
And to hit himself in the eye with a knife I have now idea what he did, him neither he thinks he hit a bone and it bounced off!
Kristy wrote: "Too funny, Sarah! And very interesting about the cranberry. I've never heard of a powdered version here though, and didn't know you could use it for those ailments. Usually they promote cranberr..."You're welcome, something i learned in AP biology class, we even did an expermint and watched them mutate. It is one of the reasons staph infections are becoming more prolific in hospitals.
Hmm...not sure what's up with the email notifications, but I JUST got one for ONE of these responses. So sorry if it seemed like I was ignoring you. Nothing is showing up in notifications either.I'm going to make a note of the cranberry thing. And even my kids are going to have to bite the bullet and have a glass or two a day since it's that good for you. :)
Kristy wrote: "Hmm...not sure what's up with the email notifications, but I JUST got one for ONE of these responses. So sorry if it seemed like I was ignoring you. Nothing is showing up in notifications either...."no we aren't getting the notifications either.
My ideas mainly come frome daily life. Even when I am on holiday or waiting for friends or family something happens, it might be small or little but it gives me an idea to use either to add into my story or base what I have seen around the story, For instance yesterday when I was waiting for a friend I was minding my own business and someon came into the pedristinalised area near the benches and tipped a bag of bird seed onto the ground, As he left a swarm of pidgeons flocked down to eat the seeds. It has given me the idea to add to my next story about the seeds and the birds
pedestrian zone Jessabell I don't think there is a word pedestrianised, I may be wrong in which case you can correct me. And a big word to use instead of small or little would be inconsequential means not following logic! To improve vocabulary try www.freerice.comAnd I would have battered the person with the bag of birdseed, I hate birds flying around near me. A walk accross Trafalgar Square for me is a nightmare. I keep thiking of Alfred Hitchcock'c film The Birds!
go to www.numerology.com and get a free mini reading!
Where in the world are you? I'm in Brittany France.