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Date Posted: 15:32:47 10/09/09 Fri
Author: Esther
Subject: It�s been a month�

Again

So it�s time to see how we did in the last 30 days and set some new goals for the next.

And then�oh heck, this deserves it�s own post, so I�ll get to that next. And then it�ll be on top of this one so you�ll know about it first as it should be, so I�ll just say for the first time the second time you read it - Post something! *G*

And in the meantime�

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[> Goals this way >>> -- Esther, 15:41:05 10/09/09 Fri

Same format as last time.

Debi

1. Reach 100,000 words by September.

2. Continue to haunt this place.

3. Post _NEW_ material once a week, aiming for Saturday

Page

1. Do those re-writes and get poor Adam out of the rut (you do know where my mind went with it being hunting season and all, right?)

2. Stop d*%^ing around, and write

3. Write everything and worry about trimming later. Without falling into the gutter every fifteen seconds.

Susie

Stay calm and work on that *@&$% synopsis to query agents who require one and be ready to press on if need be

Larn

1. Send that bloody freaking email. Which was done, but was waiting for a response, but I thought I�d put it out here anyway

2. Keep up with the freaking board. And actually respond.

3. Start putting all of those bits and pieces in a cohesive order.

Lady Morilka

1. Keep up with this board

2. Do a little writing herself
3. Find a new job

Esther

My September goals were to keep up with the board, work on Pander and write 4 missing scenes, post a scene for a crit, and schedule time in to actually achieve these things.

Well obviously a nope on all accounts. I think perhaps I was a little ambitious. And this not succeeding at what I want to do is making me a tad bit cranky. Hence, my spending what time I did have in Mirrors. I don�t know what it is about that story but it is where I go when I need to have some fun. I enjoy Pander�s world as well, but that�s more for when I�m a little more focused and have time, so I guess that helps me from not feeling failure. And with my FIL being up, again, (3rd �visit� this year, and I say visit with quotations because to me after 4-6 weeks per �visit�, he�s living here and is not a guest, but that too I guess is relative *G*) I�ve spent some time with my third WIP, Sacrifice. And that unfortunately is where I go when I�m pissed off, tired, or so frustrated I just need to have some bloodshed. But I guess my point is that I�ve been writing, just not where I anticipated. And I feel awful, but I just haven�t been in the right frame of mind to be constructive when I crit. I�ve been putting in insane hours for work, and unfortunately by the time I get to sit down in front on my computer and attempt to do my part, I�m so friggin tired I can�t even make sense out of my comments, and while I accept and recognize that we all do what we can, this is starting to bug me. So�.

My goals for the next 30 days�

Figure out WTF to do so that it works. This is more of challenge for myself, but if I ever figure this out�

Do my part. Even if it kills me. Dam it *G*

I�m not going to worry about posting anything for a crit this time round, but I am going to ask something of all of you. And guess what? I�m going to do it here, just so I can accomplish one thing. Dam it.

Christmas.

There I said it. It�s coming. Costco has had trees up since August, but I actually looked at them the other day, thinking already?

Maybe because it�s the Canadian Thanksgiving on Monday, but my mind is on traditions, because this year, like the last 18 before them, I�m heading out tomorrow morning to spend our Turkey day with my family in the bush and roast a ham and a turkey and all the trimmings, and I get to bake pies and cookies, and cinnamon rolls, and the best part of all, gather my friends and family together in one spot, eat by the campfire, and after the dishes are done, gaze at the stars and feel contented and somewhat at peace. And perhaps, somewhat thankful, that I survived hosting a dinner for 20 in a 3x4 workspace, and can sit down for more than 30 seconds.

And with the traditions, and peace and the thoughts of how fortunate I am, Christmas can just hurry up and get here cause I�ll be all practiced up.

So, to get to the point, maybe, I�ve been coming to this board for 9 years or so now. And once upon a time, our gift to each other and the whole world of LOL was to write some sort of a Christmas story to share. I�d like to do this again. A white Christmas representing that wonderful blank page, as open to the possibilities as a child peeling back the tape and sneaking a peak at the perfect gift. Or ripping the oh-so-carefully-I-spent-an-hour-getting-it-just-so wrapping to shreds to get to the next gift. Whatever Christmas means to you. Chaotic family gatherings. Snuggling with that handsome hunk, while sipping hot chocolate topped with whipped cream, in front of the fire. Memories of good times. Wishes for what could be. The stress. The dog drinking all the water out of the tree stand. The cats fighting in the branches. A young toddler knocking the tree over the eve of Christmas and breaking your grandmother�s angel at the top. Anything. Everything. Humorous. Sentimental. Your characters, your experiences, your hopes. Whatever your craft can make it.

Is anyone game for this? The more of us that participate the better. And of course, the more enjoyable and appreciated it will be.

So, think about it.

Let me know.

And HEY Lurkers! That includes you. Not mentioning any names here LindaMc, but you could speak up as well and let us know if it would be something you�d be willing to read over the holidays�right?

Right.

So. That�s all. Think about it. Discuss perhaps. I'll be back on Tuesday to read the comments...

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[> [> How I did, and how I'll do. Or something like that >>>> --

Page, 17:58:43 10/09/09 Fri

>Page
>
>1. Do those re-writes and get poor Adam out of the rut
>(you do know where my mind went with it being hunting
>season and all, right?)

Done, and hopefully done. I mean, Adam's still the guy who tries to derail the happiness of our Hero and Heroine (until Heroin plays a part in it), but he's not an evil man sitting round cackling, and hatching plots. I hope I've been able to redeem him. I just wish I liked him better. *sigh* (And, yes, Esther, I know where your mind went, but, unfortunately, Adam's not exactly five stars in that area. LOL!
>
>2. Stop d*%^ing around, and write

This I did, and pretty much every day, too. I have, mind you, been sick for three bleedin' weeks!!!!!, which makes some of this writing not fit for human consumption, but at least I wrote.
>
>3. Write everything and worry about trimming later.
>Without falling into the gutter every fifteen seconds.

I've quit editing, unless something just rears up and bites me, and that's helping me to write in an uninterrupted flow. I like this. As far as the gutter goes, I not fell into it, I wallowed there. But then I did go back and cut it out of the scenes. I can't help it -- they're very physical! *G*

And now on to ROCKTOBER!!! (Whoa. Radio station days flashback there...)

1. That light at the end of the tunnel? It's getting brighter. I therefore set as one of my goals to finish this book by the end of the month, sick or no. I know it'll be a rough draft, but I'm tired of saying, "One of these days I'll be finished," and then never having it done. So, dang it all, I'm going to finish it. *breaks into a sweat having nothing to do with illness*

2. Read over what I have written on Royal Orleans, the working title of my second book. Perhaps getting excited about it again will compel me to finish Carey On since I've found I'm incapable of writing two books at once.

3. I can't think of a third goal, unless it's to get well, because I'm so tired of being sick.

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[> [> Oh! As for the Christmas suggestion >>>>> -- Page, 18:56:11 10/09/09 Fri

I like that! I'll do it. I think it would be a great way not only to share some of our Christmas memories, but to get to relive them as we're writing! This time last year I was in the middle of writing a Halloween tale, a bit of fanfic, which I'd never written before, for a Led Zeppelin forum I used to frequent. That was fun, too!

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[> [> BUSTED!!!! >>>>> -- LindaMc, 20:45:56 10/09/09 Fri

>There I was, tip-toeing in the shadows, confident that I would remain unnoticed, lulled into a sense of invisibility, reading about goals and Christmas...when BAM!! Esther calls me out front and center, BY NAME, and actually asks my opinion!!! Whoa!! I must be losing my lurkiness...but honored just the same. :-)

Do I think the Christmas story idea is a good one? Hell yeah!!!

Now, excuse me while I slink back off stage...

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[> [> How I did -- Lady Morilka, 05:52:14 10/11/09 Sun

Lady Morilka
1. Keep up with this board
2. Do a little writing herself
3. Find a new job

1. I keep up, but more with the middle than with the top of the boards. I was down to two missing crits, and than you Ladies just started to scroll again ;) I think I'm stimm about one week behind. But each crit takes its time, and I won't rush them since that would not be fair to the writers. So I'm usually way late butI do crit!

2. I have again done some writing, had some really great images in my head, but the outcome on paper doesn't please me yet;)

3. I'm still on the job hunt and have no clue as to when I find something. I've been hunting for almost two years by now. Meanwhile working in the firm of my DH. But that is not my area of expertise and not where I want to stay.

As to future goals, I guess it stays the same. Of the boards I also set the goal of finishing some long-ago-started craft projects, so that takes up a lot of free time at the moment. But I want them finished before I start making christmas gifts.

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[> *nods* Okay, here's mine -- Debi, 20:16:28 10/09/09 Fri

This is where we were...

Debi

1. Reach 100,000 words by September.

Okay, not so much. I have added some new material, but it's been not so easy. I'm going to relax this one a bit with the impending NaNoWriMo and say 100,000 words by the New Year, as per Larn's most excellent suggestion.

2. Continue to haunt this place.

*check* And, I've taken on the task of homework flogger. So let that be my new goal in this position. A homework assignemnt, consisting of two, hopefully inspiring choices, posted every two weeks, likely on Saturday, since that's when I can sit down in front of the computer and do something. So be on the lookout!

3. Post _NEW_ material once a week, aiming for Saturday

Quasi- accompished. I think I posted something, almost every week, but it wasn't always something I had recently written. I'm reasonably sure that they were all bits that hadn't been posted before, but I'm not swearing to anything.

And as for the Christmas idea, freaking BRILLIANT! I remember reading these fondly and had forgotten. Thank you Esther for the reminder. That might also give me a bit of a push into my NaNoWriMo project, since Old Dogs already has some holiday scenes.

So, onward and upward!

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