Writing.

[foxmonkey]

Working on Still Life, because it's the ... yikes. I was about to tell a lie. It's one ot *two* still unfinished series I've got hanging out there, languishing. I've wanted to finish it up before the end of the year, so I pulled out the remaining three segments to have a look.

Jeebus, each of the three have four-five incarnations. I have the original, then a copy I put on my laptop and later transfered back to disk, a copy that was on my harddrive, and another copy I worked on - very briefly - while visiting my Dad a while back. To make the project even more fun, all of them vary in places. Whee!

I've merged all the different parts for two of the remaining sections. The third will be a bit more work because, while I know where it's going and how it will end, the middle is sagging a bit. Hmmm.

Question: Does anyone out there have a writing journal? If so, has it been useful? What kinds of things do you use it for? If it's online, are select friends invited in for comments and stuff, or is it strictly private?

Learn me!

Comments

[jewelianna.livejournal.com]

I have a journal full of scenes, snippets, even just opening lines that I use whenever I get inspired but can't sit at my computer to work. It's got everything from ways the guys phrased stuff in interviews to full stories in it. It's pretty useful in the sense that I remember things I'd otherwise have forgotten, and makes a good reference if I'm trying to find a certain scene. For instance, if I can't quite figure out how to have a certain revelation come about, but I know I want it to be in a group of people, I'll browse through to see if I've ever come up with something like that and not used it.

It can be dangerous, though, when I'm tempted to just pull everything from the journal and then piece it together. That's the making of a really bad story.

[foxmonkey.livejournal.com]

I have a journal full of scenes, snippets, even just opening lines that I use whenever I get inspired but can't sit at my computer to work.

That's exactly why I need to get organized. It's criminal how much stuff I've got: snippets, nearly completed stories, scenes, even just lines, but it's all scattered in notebooks, on pieces of paper and on my drive and diskettes.

Nearly full stories and such I'll probably leave where they are, or consolidate into folders, but the snippets and things - easily lost or misplaced - need a home. Or a more organized home, at least.

[kaelie.livejournal.com]

I use my regular LJ and privitize wip writing entries. The AU is here in its entirety, and locked so only my beta and I can see it. I use it as a safety measure, in case my computer dies or my back up disk gets corrupted, and for Jess's comments, and to look over if I'm working on something more and need to check another section for continuity or such.

VERY handy. Very handy indeed. :)

[foxmonkey.livejournal.com]

I use my regular LJ and privitize wip writing entries.

I was thinking of that too, but wondered if a completely seperate LJ might work better for me.


in case my computer dies or my back up disk gets corrupted, and for Jess's comments

Eeee! Yes, I've been looking at my disks more and more skeptically these days. I've only lost one story due to my harddrive (had JUST finished it, too), so I know the heartbreak.

I really like the idea of a beta's comments being right there with the segment in question, too.


VERY handy. Very handy indeed. :)

Thank you! That helps a lot.

[patchworkdragon.livejournal.com]

I do. It's friendlocked out of embarassment, and because I have a nosy husband who likes to look at my unfinshed stuff and mock me :)
I've added the three people who asked, and I'm willing to add more.
Mostly what I do is when I get to a stopping piint, where I know I'm not going to have time for a while or I feel blocked on a story, I post it there. Also, I post scenes, bits of dialogue, and bunnies. There's so far only one person who occassionally comments, but I wouldn't mind more people willing to look and comment, especially when I've got a draft of a story.
The other good thing? I can add to the story from anywhere. From work (shh, you didn't hear that) from my mom's house, from internet cafes. A lot of times I work out dialgue by talking to myself in the car, and then when I get to my destination I run for the nearest puter to post it before I forget it.

[between-names.livejournal.com]

I have a private entry in my journal where I keep my list of fic deadlines (most of which are sadly overdue) but also snippets of ideas for those particular fics. One other person can see it, but she's the one I usually bounce ideas off of, so there's nothing there too surprising to her ;D

As far as writing - I have everything in a folder on my HD, and whichever story is hottest in my mind at the moment gets emailed back-and-forth to work in case I have time to work on it, overwriting the old versions when I download it. It's the only way I can keep stuff straight!

[foxmonkey.livejournal.com]

The other good thing? I can add to the story from anywhere. From work (shh, you didn't hear that) from my mom's house, from internet cafes. A lot of times I work out dialgue by talking to myself in the car, and then when I get to my destination I run for the nearest puter to post it before I forget it.

Yes! The at work thing - not that I'd do that, or anything. But that *would* be convenient. I've had a couple of heart attacks over the years, thinking I'd left something on my desk instead of throwing it in my bag!

But even if I didn't want to write, at least I could bring it up, look at it...it would be mega-convenient for non-home perusal.

[strippedhalo.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, did you say two unfinished series? Because I count three. *cough*ChasezLakeandBabyBlue*cough* :D

I don't have a fic journal, but I have made one or two private story-in-progress entries in my own journal. And look, marvel at all the fic that has come of that. Ahaha.

But yay! Yay for impending Still Life!!

[foxmonkey.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, did you say two unfinished series? Because I count three. *cough*ChasezLakeandBabyBlue*cough* :D

Not only am I unorganized, I'm bad at math. ;-)


I don't have a fic journal, but I have made one or two private story-in-progress entries in my own journal. And look, marvel at all the fic that has come of that. Ahaha.

I love the fact that LJs are self-indexing, using the subject lines in the calendar view, and *that* will be a great feature when it comes to looking for things I've tucked away.

And! I shall marvel at the fic that will come of this! I hope!

[patchworkdragon.livejournal.com]

Exactly. The access from anywhere is worth the hassle of keeping track of which journal you're logged into.

[foxmonkey.livejournal.com]

overwriting the old versions when I download it. It's the only way I can keep stuff straight!

Which is what I should have done with these things, overwritten them (or deleted the old ones) when the newer versions came along. Much with the oy-ness!

I've done the email thing, too, when I've wanted to work on a certain section of a story at lunchtime or something. Hmmmm.

Thanks, woman. :-)

[foxmonkey.livejournal.com]

Yes! The at work thing - not that I'd do that, or anything.

I meant the above in a *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* kind of way, but I see now that it didn't come off that way.

So yeah, were I the type of person to write at work *cough*, that would be handy. ;-)

[scot-ty.livejournal.com]

Good luck with your writing. I'm looking forward to all of those series being updated. They're all really wonderful.

[ex_halo669]

I recently started a writing journal, mainly to keep track of the (several) WIPs I have. it's useful to see them all in one place, along with other snippets I think of, pieces of dialogue etc. at the moment, it's private (I only have my jchalo journal friended so I can view it while I'm logged into this account), but as time goes by, I may open to up to my betas.

I also have a filter on my main journal, in which I post fic-in-progress to a handful of friends, in order to get some input on scenes I'm unsure of. it's useful to have it all 'centralised' in one place.