Letting Go of Control

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RealHousewifeofAYS cleared the room8:56 PM
Cloud: do it. big grin8:56 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Ah shiny. Fresh and clean like new underpants <38:56 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: WE're going to start in 3 minutes8:57 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS8:57 PM
This workshop will be hosted by me on Saturday, October 11th at 10 pm EST on chatzy. Sprints
Materials required: Brief outline/plan of your November Nano (if applicable)
A notebook
Snacks (yum)
Open mind
Scissors
Popsicle sticks or scraps of paper
Container (tin can of coffee cup would work great)
Time: Starts promptly at 10pm EST and will be completed within 2 hours.
Description: Sometimes our novels don't turn out the way we want them to. Sometimes mid Nano we wind up completely veering off course and it drives us crazy! For those of us who plan, this can be our worst nightmare. So how do we fix this? We plan for it. We plan for the unplanned. Come to this zany workshop to help make a safety net for your novel and your word count.
Maria (EveryWordTheySay) joined the chat8:57 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: hi all8:58 PM
Nell: hey hey8:58 PM
Anais: hi h8:58 PM
agdhani joined the chat8:58 PM
Cloud: big grin8:59 PM
starfaerie joined the chat9:00 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): allo9:00 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Alright! I'm thinking a few more will join us as we get going, but I value all your time and thanks for coming when we start!9:00 PM
starfaerie: hey Hanney!9:00 PM
agdhani: howdy9:00 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: My name is Mel. (If you're not familiar) I've been known around here as Vixen, Sarge, and a few other names. Tonight we're going to have a workshop on planning for writer's black and write'rs panic and how to deal with it once it comes.9:01 PM
starfaerie: hey Sarge9:01 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: We all know, as writers, that once Nanowrimo starts and we get going on these novels of ours, there are going to be days and possibly MANY DAYS, where we'll stare at a blank screen adn wonder what we're doing with our lives. Am I the only one who deals with this?9:02 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): i'm gonna have to go get my wife in a bit but i'll be back and i'll leave myself signed in so i can read what i miss9:02 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: We'll feel frustrated that no matter what you do, the words just WON'T COME. And you just want to scream. It's overwhelming and frustrating.9:02 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: And no worries! We're going to post all of this over at our forums too (allyearsprints.boards.n​et)9:03 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Who here has dealt with writer's block at some point?9:03 PM
Anais: *rasies hand*9:03 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): *raises not one but both hands*9:03 PM
Hanney: yes9:03 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: lol9:03 PM
agdhani: oh yeah9:03 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: anyone else?9:03 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Who here has dealt with writer's block during nano?9:03 PM
starfaerie: *raises the hand not holding her phone*9:04 PM
Anais: mee9:04 PM
Hanney: no, never...hardy-har-har9:04 PM
starfaerie: lies9:04 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Do you think it's almost worse to have it during NaNo? Or at least, it feels worse?9:04 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): yes9:04 PM
starfaerie: way worse when writing on a deadline for sure9:04 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: You start off on November 1st, so excited. You hae this fresh story to play with. New shiny characters with no boxes painted into them. You have confidence and a little swag9:05 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: but by, oh November 3rd, the shiniest starts to wear off and you start to come to your wp with tiredness or even panic. It becomes a chore - MUST GET MY 1667 DONE.9:05 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: and then the words stop coming9:05 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: so you skip a sprint9:06 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: then another9:06 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: then yo udon't write one day9:06 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: and then two days9:06 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: and then suddenly it's november 25th and you have maybe 10k written adn you panic9:06 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: has anyone ever been in a situation like this?9:06 PM
Nell: Oh yeah9:06 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): even worse when you have new walking dead episodes distracting you9:06 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: ohhhh yes (If Daryl dies, we riot!)9:06 PM
starfaerie: Not that bad but year one I got way behind9:06 PM
Hanney: nope, never9:06 PM
Anais: last year, i dont think i topped 3k9:07 PM
Hanney: (FYI, I failed last year)9:07 PM
Anais: major panic9:07 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): if Daryl dies i resurrect him in my nano but not as a walker9:07 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: haha well whether you deal with procrastination, writer's block, or writer's dread, this workshop WILL HELP YOU, if you take what we talk about and apply it come Novemeber.9:07 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: November*9:07 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Let's get started.9:07 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: First off, what is the goal of NaNo - or better off - what is YOUR goal for nano 2014?9:08 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): 50k!9:08 PM
Anais: 30k9:08 PM
Nell: 50k9:08 PM
Hanney: 50k9:08 PM
Nightfire: 75k9:08 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): my second win in my 10 yrs participating9:08 PM
starfaerie: I'm writing 200k9:08 PM
agdhani: 50k into my novel...though I suspect it will be longer than that9:08 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: How are you planning on meeting your goal?9:09 PM
Nell: Sprints!9:09 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): sprints!9:09 PM
agdhani: at least 2k per day...usually in the early morning before work9:09 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): scheduled time alotted just for writing!9:09 PM
starfaerie: I've got three stories going, or three parts of the same story... writing whenever I have any spare time and lots of sprinting!9:10 PM
Nightfire: scheduling time for writing for me as well9:10 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: AWesome.9:11 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: So what happens if you can't log in because the internet goes out?9:11 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): written kitten!9:11 PM
Anais: loud music9:11 PM
Cloud: get an egg timer!9:11 PM
Anais: wod9:11 PM
Nell: Write or Die9:11 PM
agdhani: paper amd pen if there's no elec. and I have a timer on my computer to run sprints on my own.9:12 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: what is writer or die doesn't work?9:12 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): i used to like write or die but written kitten has... kittens which equal win!9:12 PM
Nell: Use a timer on my phone and music.9:12 PM
Cloud: zen writer. Q10. a small secluded place in the house...9:12 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: It's important to have multiple back up plans to tackle the what ifs, if your favorite writer's tool goes out9:12 PM
agdhani: paper and pen is always a good back up smile9:13 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: So we're going to take 10 minutes and you're going to think about your preferred method of getting it done. Now think of 2 ways tha tight not happen9:13 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): i live with a nanoer so we can spritn with each other9:13 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: and come up with a solution for each9:13 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: 10 minutes. Think it through and write it out. YOUR NET. Ready? Go!9:13 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS closed the chat9:13 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS opened the chat9:23 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Alright!9:23 PM
agdhani: I use word on my desktop...at work or at home...or on my laptop. So if it doesn't work on one computer, I go to one of the others. Or resort to pen and paper. making sure it is saved on both dropbox (so that I can access the doc on any of the three systems) and on a thumb disc (or 2) in case drop box isn't working.9:23 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: So let's talk about what we've come up with. Someone want to share theirs?9:23 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Thanks!9:23 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: SAving on drop box is really important - or some other cloud device9:23 PM
Nell9:23 PM
have a tablet that has a word friendly program on it that I can use as well as multiple notebooks to use and my livescribe pen.
If the livescribe pen is out of charge, switch to handwriting and paper.
If write or die isn’t working, use the above two methods. For any hand writing, use my lunch break at work to type everything up so that it will be in one document.
RealHousewifeofAYS: Nice nice!9:24 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: anyone else want to share?9:24 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Alright. So we've taken the first bit to talk about wha thappens if life doesn't make it work for us to write9:25 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: now let's talk about some of the challenges that happen while we're writing.9:25 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Okay, -- lays down some traps -- I'm going to talk about something scary. Please brace yourselves.9:25 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Is everyone fully braced?9:25 PM
agdhani: i hope so9:26 PM
Anais: yep9:26 PM
Cloud: people distracting you.9:26 PM
Cloud: I'm braced (and can't read apparently)9:26 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Inevitably, you're going to be writing and you're going to look at your story and see the flaws. You see teh plot holes you didn't have when you started. Suddenly these amazing characters are boring and you want them all to DIAF. You're out of plot and you have no where to go. Then suddenly, it appears9:27 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: It's small at first, maybe just the tail end. It's shiny and new and oh so cute and it's the answer to everything! It's a new story! A better story! One without mistakes or bad plot and this time you'll have badass characters and it's going to BE AWESOME. It's ... the dreaded plot bunny.9:28 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: It happens every nano. Usually around day 5, 15, and 20.9:28 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: A "better" idea comes along and you think you MUST WRITE THAT ONE.9:28 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Has this happened to anyone?9:28 PM
starfaerie joined the chat9:29 PM
Nell: yep yep9:29 PM
agdhani: it tries, for sure9:29 PM
starfaerie: yes! every year.9:29 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: It's frustrating isn't it?9:29 PM
Anais: i tend to get interested in my older plot bunnies then making new ones9:29 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Really there are two solutions to a plot bunny/new story9:29 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Yup yup you get distracted by going ot 'something else'9:30 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: there are two solutions.9:30 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: 1. Write down 5 sentences max, in a separate word file, about the story. and LEAVE IT. LEAVE IT. It is not to be touched until after NaNo. No matter how good of an idea it is, it's for LATER.9:30 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: And I've done that option. a lot.9:30 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: I have a whole file of my 5 sentence ideas that I've writte and moe on from until i can come back9:31 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: It works. It gets the basic iea out of your head onto paper and you can move on. But that takes a lot of discipline and determination.9:31 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: I thelps to back to your original notes on your nano. The ones you wrote when you were jazzed about this story being THE BEST STORY EVER. And remember why you loved it.9:31 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Fall back in love with your current WIP. Remember the end goal. Don't be distracted by cute bunnies. Kill 'em. Don't breed 'em.9:32 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: That is the option I highly recommend.9:32 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: But there is a second one9:32 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: And I have done this one before.9:32 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: 2. Maybe your story DOES suck. Maybe you've written yourself in a hole and it really is that bad. IT MIGHT SUCK ASS and you hate it and rightfully so. It might be the worst thing you've ever written.9:33 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: And the new story idea? Might be awesome. It might really be the best.9:33 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: So? Switch. It's okay.9:33 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: No one's judging you.9:33 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: For most of us, we're PROBABLY not writing for a deadline outside of self-impossed ones. Some of us might be and that's a separate issue. But if you're not. And your new story idea is that good and nothing you can do can shake it and you cannot, no matter what you do, fall back in love with your WIP? Dump it9:34 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Sometimes you ahve to break up with your WIP because it's a bad lay. Sometimes you need to move onto something MUCH MUCH BETTER.9:34 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: But since it's nano and word count, counts, keep your old word count and add whateve ryou write in the new, to your total words9:34 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: NaNo is about the process - the journey - an actual novel is not goint o be just 50k anyway. Most will be more than that. So give yourself permission to follow your heart9:35 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: I did that one year. I berratted myself at first, telling myself I was ADHD and getting so mad about switching - but it was THE BEST thing I could have done9:35 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: My second story was SO much better. If lowed better and I loved it. I had such a good time writing it.9:36 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Had I stuck with my bad story, NaNo would have been miserable.9:36 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: It's okay. You can move on. If your story is that bad and a better idea comes up, it's okay to embrace it.9:36 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Thoughts?9:36 PM
agdhani: and you can always go back to the other one if/when the inspiration strikes again.9:36 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Exactly!9:36 PM
Anais: i had to do that, i was much more underprepared than i thought when i finaaly started9:36 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: that's why you never delete it all9:36 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: you keep it9:36 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Anyone else? Thoughts about solution one or two?9:37 PM
Nell: I'll probably use 1 most of the time.9:38 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: That is my usual go to9:38 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: To be honest.9:38 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: But the time I did 2, it was what was right in that situation9:38 PM
agdhani: I've learned new plot bunnies usually need to marinade with me anyhow...so setting them aside for awhile works best9:38 PM
Anais: ive never written down a pb9:38 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Can I also throw this in there?9:38 PM
Cloud: I usually do 1. Or at least write down the concept. or find a way to incorporate it INTO my current story.9:38 PM
starfaerie: as to solution two.... I usually have more than one project at a time do I work on one of the others for a bit9:38 PM
Anais: it gives it life9:38 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: If you do decide to switch stories, don't tell everyone about it 18 times, especially not in chat.9:38 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: You're going to hear 20 different opinions, because everyone has one just like buttholes, and it's just going to confuse you9:39 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: You'll hear that you made the right decision or you'r ea hack and did the wrong and you should have suffered through your old story9:39 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: It's a personal moment between you and your WIP. Keep it that way9:39 PM
agdhani: or don't say anything; no one needs to know and the NaNo site isn't going to know what words you put in to get your win9:40 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: I've seen too many people spend more time asking others what they should be writing than actually write, in my years at this community9:40 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Exactly!9:40 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: When you go to verify, nano isn't going to KNOW.9:40 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: they just count spaces not read your entire WIP for flow and logic9:41 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Anyone else?9:41 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Alright let's move onto another problem with nano - outside distractions9:41 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: most of us have lives outside of this room, I'd care to wager.9:42 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: We have jobs or school or spouses or children or pets or plants.9:42 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Something that requires our attention outside of NaNo. Can ANYONE relate to that?9:42 PM
Anais: totally9:42 PM
starfaerie: yup9:42 PM
agdhani: way too much9:43 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Anyone else? Have something outside of nano that might require an hour or two a week to check in wink9:43 PM
Hanney: yes9:43 PM
Nell: totally9:43 PM
Hanney: work, church/worship running, etc9:43 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: So how do we balance it all? How do we find time to live during nano?9:43 PM
Hanney: friends...I even have a weekend retreat with writing friends the first weekend in Nov...hoping that's beneficial and not the opposite9:44 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: We're going to do a 5 minute break and I want you to write down ALL hte things you can think of that will require your time and attention during nano. feel free to be specific - spouses name, kids, jobs, church, etc. CErtain people, whatever might require your attention, write it down.9:44 PM
starfaerie: I make my list of absolute essentials, and of things I can scale back or stop entirely9:44 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: if you're going on vacation or might be eating mashed potatoes on a particular thursday, write that down.9:45 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: whatever is going to take away from writing time, write it.9:45 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Ready?9:45 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Go!9:45 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS closed the chat9:45 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS opened the chat9:50 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: okay anyone want to share theirs?9:50 PM
Anais: work baby shower club meetings babysitting crocheting9:50 PM
agdhani: school, homework, work, dogs, kids...family...work fundraising dinner, rp writing wink9:51 PM
agdhani: and thanksgiving!9:51 PM
starfaerie: work, time with my fiancé, caring for Yodabelle, church and running sound for church, derby practices, geocaching, grandma playing asK a million questions about my day, exercise, the internet, playing games on my phone, thanksgiving travel and family time, sleep, food prep, reading, looking things up (story related and not), planning workouts for aqua fit classes, knitting9:51 PM
Nell: Work Horses Pets Cleaning Being an ML and organizing write ins.9:51 PM
starfaerie: hogwarts9:51 PM
Nightfire: work, work, travel time between those, craft fair, crochet9:52 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: okay now you're going to look at those and find the ones you absolutely cannot remove. And of those that you can't remove out of your life, circle the ones that will take the most time.9:52 PM
starfaerie: speaking of dleep... gonna head there9:52 PM
Hanney: family, church/worship, friends, Lance, FB, family, flu (I got a stomach bug atm, so I'm thinking ahead, too)...etc9:52 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: i'll give you a minute or two with this9:52 PM
agdhani: can't really remove any of them (except maybe RP writing, but it serves as a good creative break during work when I don't have time to focus on a bigger project) Work and school will definitely take the most time9:54 PM
Nell: work, ml9:54 PM
Hanney: LANCE...he's like a kid. breaking my concentration just when it gets going by his need to play or go out/potty. oh, and his walks, and training-lessons, etc9:54 PM
Nell joined the chat9:55 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: okay what is your number one or two time 'suck'9:56 PM
Hanney: work might get canceled once it starts getting too bad weather to walk there...it is volunteer, after all...but everything else, can't cancel...might be able to convince family/friends to not hang out as much during that month, but then again, they might waste more of my time complaining about it...Lance is the only sure thing that takes the most time9:56 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: even if it's someone you love very very much9:56 PM
Hanney: LANCE9:56 PM
Hanney: no brainer9:56 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: okay. anyone else?9:56 PM
Anais: baby shower and baby sitting9:56 PM
agdhani: pretty much a tie between work and class9:56 PM
Nell: work9:56 PM
Hanney: oh, and did I mention that he's enough like a cat, too, that if I'm on the laptop too much he'll come over and lay a paw across it?9:56 PM
Anais: good thing about the first is long roaf trip means there should be good writing9:57 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Okay here's what you're going to do:9:57 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: on a piece of paper write down this (or type it) "__(whatever will take up your time)___ is inevitable. In fact, I'm glad it is, because I'm glad it's in my life. I will plan around it and not get frustrated when it pulls me away from writing. It will happen. It might happen daily and that is okay."9:57 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: We love Nano and we joke that nano is life and in many ways it becomes life in november9:58 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: but ther is also .. life, real life9:58 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: life outside of nano and writing and that can't stop just because we've signed up for 50k. even though we want it to smile9:59 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Now the other items. HEre's what I'd encourage you to do9:59 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: if the items on your list are PEOPLE, tell them you're odoing nano and will not be AS available this month. (unless it's a job lol)10:00 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Say you need x amount of time a day to write and tell them what that time is and that you may not answer the phone or the door or their yells from the bedroom during that time10:00 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: if you're married or in a relationship, tell your sig other how important nano is to you and ask for a time where you can just write and they can pick up the slack. communication is key10:00 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: if your friends and family don't understand how important this is to you, they may not get why you're crabby when the bug ya smile10:01 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: the rest - prioratize. What can wait until after nano. what has to be done right away? it's important to realize you can do eerything but you cant do everything at once.10:01 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: If you share a house with more than just you, make up a sign to hang on your office or your forehead that says "nano, stay away"10:02 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: stay off of aim or facebook during nano10:02 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: mimize distractions.10:02 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: minimize*10:02 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: be proactive in eliminating what can distract you and prioritizing what you can't eliminate.10:02 PM
agdhani: if you can't stay away from fb etc, set it up as a reward for after you reach your daily goal smile10:03 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: thoughts? how do you hand it?10:03 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: yup10:03 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: when i host sprints, i make people close out of outside windows and i swear people act like i'm killing them10:03 PM
Hanney: or limit Fb with that cool app-thing that shuts you out after so long (its like the one form of communication with my dad in which my step-mom does not have access and therefore deletes text/etc)10:03 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: but trying to write while talkign to your bestie on snapchat doesn't always work10:03 PM
Hanney: true, true10:03 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: okay the last thing we're goin g to tackle is my favorite subject and that's - writer's block10:04 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: today we are going to cure it.10:04 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: You ready?10:04 PM
Hanney: I've been known to take a briefcase size purse everywhere with me, too, during NaNo in case something strikes and I need to write something down quick10:04 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Typically when Writer's block strikes, what is your FIRST reaction?10:05 PM
agdhani: growl, lol10:05 PM
Nell: keyboard smash!10:05 PM
Hanney: (it has laptop, notepad, pens, pencils, color crayons, and that three-ring-binder you taught us to make a couple years ago)10:05 PM
Anais: sigh and stare10:05 PM
Hanney: uhm, stare at screen10:05 PM
Hanney: for hours10:05 PM
agdhani: and then force myself to write something...anything...e​ven if it sucks10:06 PM
Anais: reread or read ff and turn on the netty10:06 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: has anyone ever gotten to the point where you just have NO IDEA where the plot should go next?10:06 PM
Anais: yes10:07 PM
agdhani: yes10:07 PM
Nell: yes10:07 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: We're going to make something now. You need the following supplies: either paper and writing tool or popcicle sticks and a writing tool. and a container (jar or can or box)10:07 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: when you have these items, hollar10:08 PM
Hanney: yes...well, I've got that one scene I'm writing towards...but not always know how to get there10:08 PM
Hanney: ok, ready-ish10:08 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: awesome. still waitin'10:09 PM
Anais: ready10:09 PM
agdhani: k10:10 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: still waiting big grin10:11 PM
Nightfire: k10:11 PM
Nell: ok10:11 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: alright10:12 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: We are going to make, what I call: "AND SUDDENLY, FROM THE WEST, A ZOMBIE APPEARS!"10:12 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: What we're going to do is make a collection of prompts to move our story in one direction or another. When writer's block happens and we have NO IDEA where to go next, we draw a note out of our story and let it inspire us and pull us in a direction10:12 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: now there are two ways of doing this.10:13 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: 1. You can painstakingly think of things that could and should happen in your story and universe. This is good for someone who is taking their story seriously and might want to publish it online or in a novel one day.10:13 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: 2. Be crazy, let loose, and have fun and you'll be surprised what actually works IN the story you're writing.10:13 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Or a combo of the above.10:13 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Some options you can write down are:10:13 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: "Bomb happens, all my characters die except two."10:14 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: "Suddenly a herd of zombies over take the MC and their BFF."10:14 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: "MC and BFF have a heartwarming chat about pringles."10:14 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: "The president declares and alien invasion of mars. Suddenly we're the aliens from outterspace invading another planet."10:15 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Start thinking of a few options that could happen in your story ro just think of some zany things that could change everything.10:15 PM
Hanney: LOL...heartwarming chat about pringles...is that possible?10:15 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: I'm going to give you 15. I want you to come up with at least 10 prompts - and feel free to steal some of mine.10:15 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Absolutely! Maybe one of their mothers, who is dead, used to always pack pringles in their lunch.10:15 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: So a character shares that with their bff and tears up, remembering their mom.10:16 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: these prompts won't just give you a place to go, but can also even give you a better insight into your character - how they would handle adversity. Backstory you may not have uncovered.10:16 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Another idea would be: "write the story of Character D's birth."10:17 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: "Timetravel! WE all move foward."10:17 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: okay. take 15. an think of a minimum of 10 prompts to add to your jar.10:17 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Go!10:17 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS closed the chat10:17 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS opened the chat10:32 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: okay everyone tell me 3 they wrote10:32 PM
agdhani: 2) » A miracle occurs and MC must deal with the fallout 3) » Learns something unexpected about someone 4) » Flashback to childhood memories/scene10:32 PM
Nightfire: 1. A stop for food turns deadly. 12. "I'm sorry about that whole beheading thing. My bad." 15. Girl scout wielding a crowbar.... to be fair, my story is about zombies so10:33 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Nice! Those are 3 great ones10:33 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: No that's awesome! Great job10:33 PM
Anais: zombie ninjas attack b4 deciding to die by seppuku10:34 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: there's more than 3 of you in here smile anyone else10:35 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: okay. Now you have a second assignment10:36 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: I want you to think of 5 negative things that could happen in your story.10:36 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: 5 'bad' things10:36 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: character death or disease or someone being furious with someone else. a secret coming out, or, well ya know, zombies or werewolves or something scary10:37 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: 5 things that would take your characters on a turn for the worse.10:37 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: you have 10 minutes. write 5.10:37 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Go!10:37 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS closed the chat10:37 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS opened the chat10:44 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: How'd we do?10:45 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): got em10:45 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: tell me 1 really bad twist you're going to send your characters on10:45 PM
agdhani: Falls in love (for my MC, that would be considered a turn for the worse for a long time, lol) illness, someone dies unexpectedly (there are 2 plagues in the story), an unexpected bad storm, learns a devastating truth that goes against his beliefs,10:45 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Nice ones!10:45 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: anyone else?10:45 PM
Nightfire: 19. someone gets zombiefied 20. led into an ambush10:45 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): 1.mc's sexuality becomes known 2. lover breaks it off 3. mom dies 4. get's STD 5. gets kidnapped10:46 PM
Anais: time jumper continues to randomly jump after device breaks10:46 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Nice!10:46 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: okay next step10:46 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: thing of 5 "awwww" moments to throw in. Things to make your reader, and your characters happy.10:46 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: It could be a silly moment between friends or a truel love happening or just an evil guy getting him cumuppance. Maybe it's money falling from heaven or everyone getting free cheezy bread.10:47 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: you have 5 minutes to come up with 510:47 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: go10:47 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS closed the chat10:47 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS opened the chat10:51 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: how'd you do10:51 PM
agdhani: Realizes that being in love is okay, discovers he is going to be a father, sees his cousin again, saves a life, discovers a place of incredible natural beauty.10:51 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: nice ones!10:51 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: anyone else10:51 PM
Maria (EveryWordTheySay): 1. gets proposed to 2. gets married 3 adopts adorable pet 4. has heartwarming chat with twin brother 5 wins lotto10:52 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Nice@10:52 PM
Nightfire: food fight, ally comes back unharmed, nerd-off10:52 PM
agdhani: nerd-off lol10:52 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: Nice!10:52 PM
Anais: mc hss a moment of empathy10:52 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: okay if you did this excerice you now have 20 prompts to hit you up for 20 different moments of writer's block10:53 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: you're prepared!10:53 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: i would encourage you to come up with 10 more, just to have 30 (1 a day) but you can do that on your own time10:53 PM
RealHousewifeofAYS: thanks for coming to this workshop. This concludes what we're doing tonight. hopefully you feel prepared to fight against the things that plague a wrtier's nano smile