Writer's Paradise discussion

Hi all, this is where I'll post word counts and possibly some excerpts of my stuff. Have just gotten a very heavy Christmas work backlog out of the way and am now getting down to writing again, 2000 words per day. And that's not counting synopses, treatments, plot outlines, spec letters, blog posts or anything else - that's just fiction - whether screenplays or novels or short stories.

I should possibly be committed somewhere safe for setting such an ambitious target, but we'll see.

*Dances into Paul's cubical, with a freshly laundered straightjacket from our writer’s insane asylum clothes closet*

Oh, and we never tie the arms back, so you can always type, which I suppose kind of defeats the purpose of a straightjacket in the first place.

Welcome to the group Paul :)

Thanks Dee. Vampire script tomorrow, followed by a sequel short story. I should be able to squeeze seven or eight hours in, with a nice long walk up the hills in the afternoon if it doesn't pour.

I thought it always poured on that side of the pond?

We just snow here, over 2 foot fell last night, sigh.

Do your vampire glitter? Have fangs? combust in the sun?

It does rain quite often, but we hardly ever get any decent snow anymore. Not that I believe in Human Induced Climate Change! I haven't decided on the vampire yet. I imagine he will be something like Nosferatu, wizened, with talons and central fangs, and a decidedly non-human head. I think he will keep out of the sun, but will have a human acolyte - a vampire wannabe. I know it sounds pretty much like 'Salem's Lot' so far, but I'm hoping to come up with some new angles. The protagonist and most of the characters will be about eighteen, to suit the age of the people who will be filming / acting / directing it. I think I can just about remember what it's like to be eighteen :-)

Cool! You script-write? What's that like?

Well, I am sure the group members will help you out, they may be younger than 18, but they are all old-souls!

Waves hi to Adrienne:]

Hi Adrienne!

Scripts have much more structure to them than books or stories, and it's a much more disciplined form of writing. For example, one page of script equals one minute of film time; never have anything mentioned in a script that isn't relevant to either the plot or character development; always stick to the three act structure first devised by Aristotle; have an inciting incident, mid point, climax and resolution (although they don't need to be strictly in chronological order, you can use premonition, flashback or split screen) and never have a word of dialogue that isn't absolutely necessary. Show, don't tell.

Hi again Dee, I'm sure the younger members of the group can help me out if I get stuck portraying young adults. Not sure I've quite made it to adulthood myself yet anyway. Inside I'm still about nineteen - it's only my body that's getting ancient!
I've sent you a message about the trailer. I look forward to reading your book, I've heard good things about it.

I look forward to your reading SOA Paul.

Can hardly wait to get sneak peeks of your NaNoWriMo script :)

:D

Well, here are some more things for everyone to read - if they wish.

My writing

The 5 chapters of The Symbiont are new.

And if anyone wants to see one of my completed scripts, look at Death Search

Enjoy!

2000 words a day?!??!?!?!?! That is LOCO!!!!

hi paul!

Ooh that sounds fun! But it's a lot like writing. A lot of those things I've already heard. But it's sticter you say? Eh .. thought it wouldn't be. Maybe I should go look at some of your scripts, how bout that? ;)

lol.....

Hi AVITD,

Yes, by all means. Have a look here to download one of mine - Death Search - in Word format. Notice how the script is actually structured on the page as well. If it isn't laid out exactly like that, very few film producers or agents will even look at it.

It is a lot like writing novels. The basics of telling a good story haven't changed since people huddled around fires in their caves chewing on woolly mammoth steaks 200,000 years ago.

Hi Toli and Tink.

Hey Paul,

You know that I have been a huge fan of your stories from the first one I read. The following three are among my favorites:

“Last Orders” http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/3...
The surprise ending is too much fun!

“Canceled” http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/3...
You are the Master of the Unexpected. I have known my share of librarians that are not unlike your MC (or at least wish they could do what your MC did). My favorite line is Oh, and any chance of a cup of coffee?
‘Tis Beautiful work!

I also really like “Phase Up”
http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/3...
Even though I am hesitant to admit it…’cause “you” know that the Computer Gods are gonna-git-ya for writing that story ;]

Hi Dee,

Careful, I'll be getting a swollen head from all this praise - oh, no, sorry, too late - I already had that anyway. No false modesty here;-)

Delayed start to the day, because I've just spent about 5 hours watching Federer and Nadal in the Australian Open final. Staggering match! Federer just ran out of steam in the final set. Pity.

Just about to begin writing my 2000 words for the day, so I'll be gone soon for two or three hours.

OK, todays output is 2,329 words. About quarter of the way through the story I think, so it's going to be a long short story!

Check here to read it so far. Actually, there very little in the way of gore, sex or bad language so far, so it's safe for anyone to read.

very little in the way of gore, sex or bad language

Ok, this shall be interesting

I like it...like the tension between the MC and his assistant.

My favorite line: A roar of approval from the bar indicated that someone had made a good pool shot, or won a darts match, or successfully skinned and dressed a sheep in world record time.

Classic!

Hehehe! You can tell that I hail from somewhere way out in the boonies, can't you?

<--lives the bucolic lifestyle as well :]

Well, I've got the taste for it today. Did another chapter of the Symbiont, a further 1934 words, whci makes ... err ... 4,263 words in total.

Not that I'm bragging or anything :-)

Chapter six can be found here:

Enjoy!

Well you deserve to brag...great word count :)

:D

Hey Paul,

I almost forgot, thanks for the Goolge update. I knew something wonky happened the other day! U B a hero for solving the mystery :]

Mailed a copy of Sons of Avalon Merlin's Prophecy to you today...not sure how long it will take to get there.

When I sent one to another friend in London, it got to him in about a week. Sometimes things arrive across the pond quicker than they get to Pennsylvania (the worst place to send mail in all of the States).

Please drop me a note when it gets to your door :]

Hi Dee,
Word count today 4929, even with workimg as well.

We got sent home early today, 'cos of four inches of snow!!!!!

OK, we're just wimps in this country!

I'm very soon going to bed, but read here for the script in PDF version. Choose Distress Call_1 to read on.

wow! great, wel amzing word count!

Thanks TOLI, I had some spare hours today and a good idea. I'll crack on with it as long as the energy and enthusiasm lasts, after that it's just discipline (OK, I know that's a boring word)

Being sent home because of four inches of snow...

*Giggles, cough, cough, snort, snort, gaffaw*

Sorry, we just had 4 foot of snow fall over the weekdn...no one was sent home ;]

Oh...amazing word count!

Yes, I know. I was almost embarrassed to post that. What a country of wimps we seem to have become.

I can remember, in 1983, walking seven miles through a foot of snow to attend a training course only to find it wasn't running because of the bad weather. Even people living in the same town (perhaps a mile away) hadn't made the effort!

So I promptly turned round and walked back. Of course I later displayed an air of smug superiority, which was great fun.

Word count - yes, I had a couple of extra hours to write in. I'll be struggling today though.

Ahh, well your 14 mile walk in the snow driven moors, redeems you from any sort of whimpness (is that a word?).

Way to go manly-man Paul...see, you could be a knight in the Arthurian Era :]

As to the word count, at least you have words in "the bank," that is a good thing!

Yes, I can see myself wielding a mace and battle-axe. Not too sure about all the chivalry business though :)

2076 words today - just scraped in. It's excerpt two from The Return of the Creature

If you are half as good a fencer of swords as you are of words, you would make a valiant knight. As to chivalry…are not those traits ingrained within the Brits from birth?

Holy Crap...your story is really getting good. I didn't want to stop reading.

More, more, more!

Oh, my favorite new part:

I was hammering through my bacon, sausage, black pudding, egg, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, hash browns, toast and butter when she appeared in the door of the dining room.

Love a good English Breakfast, lasts all day long :)

We older Brits are inclined, a little like hobbits, to be courteous and polite.

The younger generation - hah! Feral, all of them!

Not really, youngsters, only joking :-)

The story will continue tomorrow. What will they find inthe strange swamplands? What indeed! I actually haven't worked that part out yet.

No, no, Noooo, can't wait until tomorrow. What if everyone is eaten by the Swamp-things by then?

More, tonight! Pleaseeeeeee :]

Oh, and I have a fondness for Hobbits, as I live in a Hobbit House (earth sheltered home, 3 sides underground), surrounded by a magical forest...Honest!

Sounds idyllic! Are there unicorns?

Thanks for posting SOA - I'm really looking forward to reading it!

Anyway, Wednesdays are always bad for me, thirteen hours non-stop work - nonetheless, today's count was 2,085 words.

And it's here:

Made it - but only just.

wow! amazing word count

Here we go - the final part of The Return of the Creature

Words so far today 1682. I'll be doing more on something else soon.

Outstanding job Paul..

You "got" me again...I did not see that ending coming!

Your stories get me every time. Bravo!

Oh, you should contact Chris Regina, the the Vice President of Programming for the Sci Fi Channel (USA). I bet he would be interested in your Creature Feature.

Thanks Dee. He sounds like a useful contact. Do you know him by any chance?

I didn't see that ending coming either until about halfway through the third part, when I thought - what if we werer the bad guys. And what does appearance matter anyway :-)

Inside is matters more :)

I personally do not know Chris, but I do know of him. I really do think that he would be a great contact, espcially for the Creature story.

OK, I'll try and get in contact with him somehow. Email springs to mind.

I've put up another chapter of The Symbiont as well.

Total count for the day is 3,365 so far (mainly due to the college closing because of 6 inches of snow - yes, I know, wimpdom).

That's an awesome word count!

6 inches? BAH! It never snows here, but 6 inches is, like, nothing!

waves to Paige

I'm struggling to make my 2000 words per day. Yesterday, it was 2,020.

Tip for beating that blank page feeling: stop in the middle of a sentence - when you resume the next day, at least you can write the rest of it! Once your fingers get working, and your brain gets working, you're OK for the next two hours.

6 inches - I know, I'm so embarrassed to be a macho, hero type in a land of politically correct, health and safety conscious pussies! We used to have an empire on which the sun never set: now, we struggle to grit the roads on a parish level.

Ignore my rantings - I am a 90s man - but it's 1690's. I don't do crying and group hugs :-)

Paul wrote: I don't do crying and group hugs

Oh...those are fighting words Paul...

Just wait...when you lease expect it...a "group hug" will be descending upon you.

Be afraid...be very afraid...{insert way evil grin here}

I'm OK with personal hugs. I won't cry, even during my Oscar acceptance speech for Best Script. And my speeches are brief but pithy :-)

Yippee!!!! Your book has arrived!!!!! I'll read it this weekend, and thanks for the autograph.

(pops next door into Dee's cubicle and hugs Dee in an avuncular fashion; nods in a cool and distant manner to Edward; dashes back to own cubicle, shaking hands with Dilbert on the way.)

I'll get back to you about the book trailer when I've had time to digest the book and generate a few ideas.