» I hate the rain. It can go away now. Along with the headache and moodiness it brings out in me. :P

» dragyncat has a funny blue line going down the left side. I rebooted and it didn't go away. I haven't made my rescue disc yet either. I'm very upset about this. It wasn't there last night, and I guess I'm taking her in for a look see tomorrow.

And I'm buying CDs to make the rescue disc. I just hope she's not broken. I just got her. (And it would be the one time that I couldn't afford the store warranty that I might need it.)

» I've lost my mind. I signed up for the DII Writing Challenge: Crits 3/wk, New Novel Material 1500/wk, and World Building 3000 words/wk. I might be able to manage it, but I haven't made my 3900/wk in a few weeks, so 4500? Pushing it. Granted, a release went nuts and got in the way for a bit there, but, um, yea. This will be interesting.

» Working on two comps today: dragyncat has all my writing and the 98 has my email, which I need to use today. Even if I didn't need both comps, I would be at the desk to work—being downstairs causes a lot of distractions and a lot less work.

» Today's to do list: DII newsletter, 1 or 2 crits, a try at 2400 words, and maybe work on a short. Suspect that's more than I'll manage.


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whysper frustration :: journey Looking Ahead :: booklog The Queen's Bastard

I just went and entered my first paragraph (of chapter 1) of A.C. into the The 2nd Sort-of-Annual Stupendously Ultimate First Paragraph Challenge. There were 372 other comments when I posted. There are now 439.

I am insane.


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whysper hair & kids :: journey I Need To Write :: booklog The Assassin Journals: Hunter

With only 2 weeks left and actually a chance of making it, I had to drop from my DII challenges. With Snow needing my attention first and foremost, I won't get to anything this weekend, which means I will officially be too far behind to catch up.

At least I know I had a chance of actually making it this time. And I really like Snow, so it's a reasonable substitute. ;)

Okay, off to do more work on Snow. I want it out no later than Monday. We'll see if I manage anything else today, but I'm pretty much planning to just work on this for the day.


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whysper sleep away :: journey Progress? Not So Much :: booklog The Assassin Journals: Hunter

Covering the last 2 days, I present my world building word counts and completion of this past week's goal of 4500 words.

*falls over*


Kree Nation (the 11th)
starting count: 822
ending count: 1119
gain/loss: +297
Actual (processed) word count: 297

Kree Nation (the 12th)
starting count: 1119
ending count: 3812
gain/loss: +2693
Actual (processed) word count: 2693

Elahi
starting count: 503
ending count: 1356
gain/loss: +853
Actual (processed) word count: 853


Total New Words (Day/Week): 3546 / 4572
Total for the Day: 3546
Total for the Week: 8486


I have just under 9k to do over the next 2 weeks to make my challenge goal. Go, me.


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whysper sleep away :: journey Challenged :: booklog The Four Forges

Once again I've been failing at the goals. I suspect I'll have to drop out of my challenges, except maybe the critique one (which is just too easy, if you ask me :P). I honestly don't know what's up. I had a week of sick/stress/pain and crap, but this past week...I haven't a clue. Still too tired from all the recent stress? Having problems getting back into the swing of things after spending a week doing nothing but sleeping? Just too damn lazy? All of the above? Not a clue.

I'm not giving up yet, but I do know the revisions challenge is going to be a tough one now. Still haven't revised 28.4 to 28.5 (looked at it a few times, just haven't done anything more than that) and 29 has notes but that's about it. I did revise and post a flash piece the other day, but that's not even on the challenges. So, yea, kind of in trouble with the novel revisions in particular.


Goals This Week
Work:
» catalogue
» slush

Writing/Personal - Challenges
» A.C. 28.5, 29.4 & 29.5
» A.C. world building, 4000 words: Kalenthias, Cheranai, Tiroshen (fin. country, work on culture)
» 4 DII crits :: 1 done

Writing/Personal - Other
» 750 on Phoenix
» White List update
» new Meta
» journals: whysper, journeys
» exercise :: 3 days + grocery store
» bed time reading


Okay, today...1 or 2 crits since I need to get 4 done, world building, a journeys entry, and maybe the White List. We'll see what happens, especially since I have admin stuff to do today and that takes quite awhile. I have notes for who to watch for crits from over the next few hours, but I'm not holding my breath that they will get posted -- it's rare for people to post their crits on warning day. Really, if they'd just get them done early in the month, then I wouldn't have to wait to see if they eventually post. And I hate sending out warnings and removals. Hate, hate, hate.

Guess I better get started since I just might get knocked offline by the weather soon -- lovely overcast that the weatherman said we wouldn't have today. >_<

Which reminds: I will probably be offline for a few days this week. Phone service is AT&T. 'Nough said. :P


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whysper his thing, my thing :: journey Challenged :: booklog The Four Forges

And there will be a part 3! lol

Tiroshen (country)
starting count: 2104
ending count: 3132
gain/loss: +1028
Actual (processed) word count: 1028

Total New Words (Day/Week): 1028 / 1028
Total for the Day: 1028
Total for the Week: 1028

total/remaining for the week||challenge: 1028 / 1972 || 1028 / 22,972


And I've done 2 days in one. Keep that up and I just might be able to bump up the w.b. challenge to journeyman and take on a word count challenge at student level.

*takes a hold of herself*

No, really, WHAT is it about challenges that has me diving into way more than I can do? lol

I probably could have kept going, but I do have a few things I need to think about, so I figured I had found a good stopping point. I've been thinking about Tiroshen for a long time, so this isn't so hard for me to do.

Now, the remaining character profiles for A.C.? Different story....


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whysper not over yet :: journey Challenged :: booklog The Four Forges

I didn't quite make 1500, but at least I got something done on it. For some reason, I end up more distractable after dinner on nights when I don't need to actually stay up until 6:30 am, and it ends up harder to get things done.

Phoenix Rising building draft
starting count: 39,681
ending count: 40,520
gain/loss: +839
Actual (processed) word count: 1064

Total New Words (Day/Week): 1064 / 3614
Total for the Day: 3978
Total for the Week: 9130


I think for Writing Challenge months, I'm going to bring my Phoenix draft work down to 750 words/week rather than the full 1500. The world building challenge always kicks my butt, so I don't want too much pressure to write on top of that.

For now, I need to work my counts for this week -- where I am in the goals, work on my goals for next week, finish dishes, and start A.C. ch. 27 (really, all the changes needed aren't going to get any better by delaying, and I get a full day head start with the holiday tomorrow). Knowing me, I'll be ready to sleep around 3 or 4 AM, so that doesn't give me much time to get started.


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whysper cornered :: journey Build Me A World :: booklog The Four Forges

Two crits down and getting ready to work on world building for Phoenix. Had to hunt down my notes for Tiroshen, but I did finally find the suckers. I probably should begin the character profiles for A.C., but the earliest I need any of those is in chapter 28 -- at least a week away from now. Besides, the ending of A.C. is such a mess, it might change and none of the characters would be needed.

My ADHD kicked in again this evening for some reason, but I'm managing to do what I'm supposed to be doing. Let's hope the world building doesn't bore me and throw me off track. I have a lot still to finish this weekend.


Goals This Week
Work:
» editing: TP (round 3!)
» slush as it comes in
» the TP blurb (review, edit, tweak, etc)
» TP line edit check & formatting
» TP author bio check

Writing/Personal
» A.C. 26.4 & 26.5
» A.C. world building: ch. 28 walk-ons, Aerenfyal, and Kalenthias
» 3 DII crits :: 2 done
» DII Admin stuffs
» 1500 on Phoenix
» Phoenix world building: Elahi, Tiroshen, Kree, Tanere, House Thalionrhoe
» alden.nu resources update :: started
» new Meta
» journals: whysper, journeys


I just realized that Monday starts the DII Writing Challenge for fall/winter. I've signed up for the following:

The Novel Challenge Level I - Revisions: student (revise 7 chapters)
World Builder Challenge: student (500/day for 6 days; 24,000 words total)
Critter Challenge: journeyman (critique 3 DII elist submissions/week -- 24 crits total)

The revisions and world building challenge are for A.C. -- that's the novel I most want to get done, though some of the world building can also be used for Phoenix. I want to sign up for new novel material, but am afraid that will be too much. I have a few days to think about it, but the minimum count is 12,000 words: 1500/week, which I aim for but do not make consistently without the challenge. When you throw in the world builder challenge, um, yea, that might be a tough one to take on. The crit level is almost silly for me since that's what I do pretty much anyway, but I figure one "easy to make" challenge is a good idea.

If I add the new material challenge, I could also add the word count challenge...world building and new novel material combined can make the 6000/week, 48,000 words total...right?

Lord, why do these challenges always get to me. I commit...then commit to more, and the next thing I know, life has jumped up into my face and made it impossible to complete anything.

Will I ever learn? lol


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whysper cornered :: journey Build Me A World :: booklog The Four Forges

So, I suspect the tired will eat away my usual progress until the iron is back up where it should be. I hope that's soon, too--I'm already tired of being tired.

Anyway, A.C. progress and 2 crits completed, which also means 2 of my challenges at DII are done. Go me. As for counts....


Assassin's Choice ch20 v4
starting count: 3032
ending count: 4085
gain/loss: +1053
Actual (processed) word count: 4085


A significant chunk of that will be bumped to chapter 19 in v6.

For now, though, I'm done. I'm going to go lay down, eat some supper, watch some TV, read some msagara, maybe even start notes for my v5 revision of chapter 20 and my v4 revision of chapter 21.

Or I may just sleep. :P


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whysper paid! :: journey A Few Quiet Weeks :: booklog Nine Princes In Amber

This morning is the first time I met with my online Friday Break writing buddy, wishwords. We both have larger projects that generally get all our attention and smaller projects that get ignored. FB is designed to ive us time on those smaller projects. I've been trying to do FB for awhile, and sometimes I make it, other times...well, other times I don't. Hopefully having a buddy specifically for FB will make the times I do more consistent.

Anyway, she's off to take care of a few things, so I'm going to break from my FB project and work on a DII crit. However, this morning was a smashing success:


Phoenix Rising Notes Draft
starting count: 28,055
ending count: 28,869
gain/loss: +814
Actual (processed) word count: 1168

Total New Words (Day/Week): 1168 / 1168
Total for the Day: 1168
Total for the Week: 1168


That's just over 1/3 the words I need this weekend towards my DII Challenge--words I may not have written in my focus to work on A.C.. And that count should go up later today when she comes back for more FB madness.

I am quite pleased. :)


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whysper paid! :: journey Writing Through Stress :: booklog Nine Princes In Amber

Assassin's Choice ch17 v4
starting count: 2690
ending count: 2876
gain/loss: +186
Actual (processed) word count: 2876

Total New Words (Day/Week): 0 / 0
Total for the Day: 2876
Total for the Week: 2876


This chapter was quite a fight. I think I like the changes I made--just have to remember a few things for the next chapter. I'm sending it off to shade53 for a "does it work" look see, then I'll revise it into v5. Some of the changes are still pretty rough, so this v5 revision will be a bit more extensive than usual.

Because of the weather, I haven't gotten as much done this weekend. This is the downside to pushing all your personal writing things to only 3 days a week. A Georgia tornado can come along and eat away your time. We're okay since we're at least 20 minutes away from any of the touchdown points reported, but I did keep the machine pretty much off until this morning. It's the only thing I have (and it's not a laptop) and I can't afford to replace it, and that lightning and thunder was something else...not to mention the rain.

I did get 2 crits done today, and I'm going to try to tackle some words on Phoenix, but I think my world building challenge has officially sunk.


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whysper bravery :: journey Trying To Find The Track :: booklog Nine Princes In Amber

My 1500 for the week is done! :)

Phoenix Rising notes draft
starting count: 27,506
ending count: 28,055
gain/loss: +549
Actual (processed) word count: 717

Total New Words (Day/Week): 717 / 1960
Total for the Day: 717
Total for the Week: 12,428


Total include the small bit of words I managed on world building yesterday. I swear, that's going to be the one challenge that kicks my butt. :P

Okay, still need about 2800 words of world building and have chapter 17 of A.C. to mark to death. ;) Plus I would like to try to get the next chapter of N.P.B. started, but we'll see on that.


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whysper rogue bottom :: journey Trying To Find The Track :: booklog Nine Princes In Amber

Phoenix Rising notes draft
starting count: 26,848
ending count: 27,506
gain/loss: +658
Actual (processed) word count: 1062


Moving right along today. I wish every weekend were this good, especially since weekends are about the only time I have for my own work. How do the rest of you keep productive even when you don't feel motivated to be productive. I mean, even when I don't feel like it, I manage something. But I'd love to see 10-12k/week be NORMAL for me, not something that happens once, maybe twice, a month, you know?

Anyway, also posted my 2 crits for the weekend. Now...world building or more A.C.? Guess I better work on that 3k for world building since I already have 2 chapters down for this week. :P


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whysper rogue bottom :: journey Trying To Find The Track :: booklog Nine Princes In Amber

I have to scoot because boyo is home, but the first step to the world building stuff is done. I've sorted through the file pile and split it up by book. A lot of it is more general to Alden and will need to be gone through as I work through what I need for the 2 books I'm actually working on. I also managed a couple of VERY minor updated to a few character profiles (for 3 whole words!) and discovered that my major badass in A.C. is incomplete--which makes it even scarier that I write her so well. I must be a sadistic, dominatrix bitch inside with plans to wipe out an entire race of people for imagined wrongs they have committed against me. ;) (Seriously, she is one twisted bitch, and several people have told me she is very well done in the book--she's probably the one character that WON'T need any changes!)

I am seriously amazed at how many hand drawn maps I've managed to keep from over the years. And with Gygax's recent death, they brought up some interesting memories.

And there's stuff for other books--Mists & Shadows, Keepers, and one or two others that are not being worked on at this point. Obviously those files will be set aside until as such time as I AM working on them. ;)

Anyway, I'll have to see if I can get on later to tackle more. For now, tea to make, a boy to keep an eye and keep entertained, and A.C. chapters to revise. If my notes are correct, I need to get on the world building soon, though. Chapter 19 has stuff that I haven't done anything for yet. :O


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whysper rogue bottom :: journey Trying To Find The Track :: booklog Nine Princes In Amber

Phoenix Rising notes draft
starting count: 25,654
ending count: 26,185
gain/loss: +531
Actual (processed) word count: 791

Total New Words (Day/Week): 791 / 791
Total for the Day: 791
Total for the Week: 1233


So, finally, something done. I'll try to get another 600 on it tomorrow so I can make my 1250 for the week, plus I'm doing new novel material for the DII Challenge and need to get 12k before the end of 2 months. Sounds easy except I've been notoriously inconsistent when it comes to Phoenix and i have 3 other challenges on my list.

Which reminds, I need to go and do a crit now too. :P


In other news, the man is becoming an old softy. Look at what he brought home:



So far we haven't got any better pictures of her, but she's a "faded" calico he found with 2 other cats living right near a very busy street. She's made it into the house while her brother has been transferred to our backyard. He's going to keep an eye out for cat #3 since that one seems to have run away. If he finds her, she'll probably get transferred to the backyard as well.

And this is a man who would swear up and down he is not cat a person but a dog person. I think I've managed to convert him no matter what he says. ;)


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most recent

whysper rogue bottom :: journey Dealing With Demons :: booklog Night Pleasures