D
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What's even scarier is that I hear my own voice reading it to me..... 
Thanks folks.
Had a hoot writing up a couple of short funny ones today: "I'm Not Dreaming Terror" and "Just Swish It Around." The first caused me to remember a true-life scary (in a spooky mystery sort of way) and funny tale that I had long ago forgotten. I'm just itching to write that one up tomorrow. Or maybe late tonight, when it's dark outside and things start to go bump...
Jeff
Thanks folks.
Had a hoot writing up a couple of short funny ones today: "I'm Not Dreaming Terror" and "Just Swish It Around." The first caused me to remember a true-life scary (in a spooky mystery sort of way) and funny tale that I had long ago forgotten. I'm just itching to write that one up tomorrow. Or maybe late tonight, when it's dark outside and things start to go bump...
Jeff
D
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Three days into the writing and it's going great!
I've been putting in my 2-3 hours each day as planned and am finding it really hard to push away from the keyboard - it's that much fun.
I'm tackling what I consider to be the more difficult stories first. It goes without saying that all of the stories have to bein some way "entertaining" to the reader, and it's easiest to do that when the story is inherently humourous, but more difficult when it's not. So, for example, "Super Mike" which I've told at a GTG ,will practically write itself whenever I get around to it, while "Fight or Flight " which I tackled today, took a bit more effort. There's nothing inherently funny about that actual story, so I told it with just a soupcon of Mickey Spillane. In that case the humour is in the storytelling, not the story, resulting in what I think is another entertaining tale.
Of course some of the stories will be entertaining without any humour involved. While I don't really like using the word, "inspirational" comes to mind. "A Son's Duty" is like that. I'm steeling myself to write "Go Grayson Go!" next - which is the story of the birth, and near death, of my grandson.
Jeff
I've been putting in my 2-3 hours each day as planned and am finding it really hard to push away from the keyboard - it's that much fun.
I'm tackling what I consider to be the more difficult stories first. It goes without saying that all of the stories have to bein some way "entertaining" to the reader, and it's easiest to do that when the story is inherently humourous, but more difficult when it's not. So, for example, "Super Mike" which I've told at a GTG ,will practically write itself whenever I get around to it, while "Fight or Flight " which I tackled today, took a bit more effort. There's nothing inherently funny about that actual story, so I told it with just a soupcon of Mickey Spillane. In that case the humour is in the storytelling, not the story, resulting in what I think is another entertaining tale.
Of course some of the stories will be entertaining without any humour involved. While I don't really like using the word, "inspirational" comes to mind. "A Son's Duty" is like that. I'm steeling myself to write "Go Grayson Go!" next - which is the story of the birth, and near death, of my grandson.
Jeff
D
Deleted member 133
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Oh yeah!
The working title was "The Shaved Head Tribute" but it's now "Maxi-Me"!
Jeff
ps. And just think what a story it could have been had you not woken up for a piss at this year's GTG.
The working title was "The Shaved Head Tribute" but it's now "Maxi-Me"!
Jeff
ps. And just think what a story it could have been had you not woken up for a piss at this year's GTG.
Hey Zing, some of the coolest things about your "Roman Angelo Chronicles" were the snippets, and then rough mixes, and then even completed tracks for your project that you posted here.
It really whetted our appetite. Made us sweaty with anticipation. Trembling with yearning.
Yeah, those Samples were great!
Built up our excitement for the Finished Product!
Nothing like some Samples to keep our interest up.
Yeah!
:eusa-whistle:
It really whetted our appetite. Made us sweaty with anticipation. Trembling with yearning.
Yeah, those Samples were great!
Built up our excitement for the Finished Product!
Nothing like some Samples to keep our interest up.
Yeah!
:eusa-whistle:
D
Deleted member 133
Guest
I used this thread as a "now you can't look back" kick in the butt to actually launch this project - which I'd been musing about for quite some time.Flint said:
I'm now using it to chronicle the process involved in actually doing it. Call it my own writer's diary.
That I get to share that diary, as it's being written, might seem a little "off" (I see your point) however the opportunity to get real-time feedback (yours included) is much more valuable to me than any potential raising of expectations.
Speaking of which, one of my concerns is whether or not people will eventually like (let alone appreciate) the final product. See my next post for more on that.
Jeff
D
Deleted member 133
Guest
Botch,Botch said:
Believe me I've thought of doing so - and have come close already.
However I've decided that other than dropping some story titles (with perhaps an explanatory snippet of text) here and there, until I have a final edited text, and am then moving to the promotion / publishing stage, and until that strategy is in place, I will not be "publicly posting stories / content.
HOWEVER there will be a role for some of you...
I will very occasionally PM a first draft of a story to a chosen member and ask for their feedback. Not an editing. Not a re-write. Just a simple testing of whether you liked it, what you liked about it, and whether you think that others might like it as well. Especially early in the writing process, such feedback will prove invaluable. And I thank everyone who I will eventually choose, in advance, for any such feedback provided.
The first such solicitation went out yesterday. I have no planned schedule of when others might be contacted. It will happen when it does.
Jeff
D
Deleted member 133
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Well I tackled two longer stories today: "A Crasher's Tale - Part 1" and "Opportunity From Tragedy."
The former is the first of two planned stories dealing with my all-time greatest event crashes. Think Wedding Crashers - and then think much bigger!
The latter involves NASA's shuttle program and the small role that I played in its post-Challenger success.
As mentioned in another thread, I'm heading to Chicago tomorrow for a swim race, and then some fun, so I'm going to down keyboard for the rest of the week, knowing that the first eleven stories have been written-up.
Back at it on Monday.
Jeff
The former is the first of two planned stories dealing with my all-time greatest event crashes. Think Wedding Crashers - and then think much bigger!
The latter involves NASA's shuttle program and the small role that I played in its post-Challenger success.
As mentioned in another thread, I'm heading to Chicago tomorrow for a swim race, and then some fun, so I'm going to down keyboard for the rest of the week, knowing that the first eleven stories have been written-up.
Back at it on Monday.
Jeff
D
Deleted member 133
Guest
True to plan, I did not write any stories while in Chicago this past weekend. However my stroll past the Chicago Hilton and Towers, reminded me of one to which I've given the working title of "The Scotch Tab" which I'll eventually write up. (Yes it is set in that very same hotel.) And the ride on the CTA train to O'Hare this morning reminded me of the noise and rocking and rolling of the Bakerloo Line in London, and from there the new "Mind The Gap" story which I wrote up today when I got back home. I also tackled "Stroke One - Having a Sharon Stone" which got a serious re-write an hour after the first draft was done, and which I'm now very happy with.
Speaking of happy, I was very pleased to receive feedback on the first story that I'd PM'd to a member for comment. Building on that experience I sent a copy of another story to another member, and once I get feedback on that one I'll send yet another out to another member.
I'm just itching to tackle a few more stories tomorrow, including "Stroke Two - I Smell Curry."
Jeff
Speaking of happy, I was very pleased to receive feedback on the first story that I'd PM'd to a member for comment. Building on that experience I sent a copy of another story to another member, and once I get feedback on that one I'll send yet another out to another member.
I'm just itching to tackle a few more stories tomorrow, including "Stroke Two - I Smell Curry."
Jeff
D
Deleted member 133
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Well I've just downed keyboard for the weekend. After 15 writing days, I'm now at 34 stories written - which is about a dozen more than where I expected to be by now. I've identified a few more story ideas along the way and am currently at 123 in total. As I go back through my list I see a handful that I'm not as keen on including as I was at first. So allowing for them to be dropped, and a few more to be added, I'll probably end up with around 120 written by Xmas. So I'm more than 25% finished the first drafts!
For a change of pace I'm hoping to tackle as many "fun" stories as possible next week. There's a bunch that I've been saving including "The Sea of Tits," "Walking to Chicago Stadium," "The 21 YO Springbank," "The Best Darn Margaritas in the World," "The Snap of Rubber Gloves," "The Boyfriend Killer," "The Ruby Ring" and "The Kilts." A few of these will likely be among the longest stories in the book, so I'll need to find some long stretches of uninterrupted time, since I'm finding that once I get on a roll with a story that it's best to run it right through to the end without stopping.
Jeff
For a change of pace I'm hoping to tackle as many "fun" stories as possible next week. There's a bunch that I've been saving including "The Sea of Tits," "Walking to Chicago Stadium," "The 21 YO Springbank," "The Best Darn Margaritas in the World," "The Snap of Rubber Gloves," "The Boyfriend Killer," "The Ruby Ring" and "The Kilts." A few of these will likely be among the longest stories in the book, so I'll need to find some long stretches of uninterrupted time, since I'm finding that once I get on a roll with a story that it's best to run it right through to the end without stopping.
Jeff
mudder17
Active Member
Babs said:
Me too! This is going to be an awesome book! I will definitely be buying an autographed copy to share with OUR kids!!! Looking forward to reading more updates on this!
eta: And I've been checking out the titles you've shared so far, and you have my itching to read some of those!!!! Have to say, some of those titles remind me of some stories written by a fabulously hilarious writer Laurie Notaro. Course that could also be because I can hear you tell some of your stories in my head from the GTGs. As an aside, I discovered her because she is the sister of one of my friends.
D
Deleted member 133
Guest
Once again I'm done writing for the week.
I sort of stuck to plan - writing up 6 out of the 8 that I had shortlisted. The other two will be done next week. However I also did 4 others, including one that was originally planned as a one-pager but grew to three when I remembered new, but related, topics that went well when combined with it. So I'm now up to 44 written.
At this point I would like to again thank the eight members who have received and provided feedback on one different story each. It was all very much appreciated and is shaping my approach to the entire book. I'm not planning to send out any others, but if the urge strikes I just might. If anyone would really like a shot at one, send me a PM. No promises but I'll certainly keep anyone who does in mind if I send any more out.
Actually, a thought just occurred to me. As I stare over at my notebook, it's turned to a page where I had jotted down the "Maxi-Me" story idea. So here's what I propose to do. Everyone and anyone who was present when this story happened (and if you don't know from the title then you were not there!) who would like a sneak peek and a chance to perhaps contribute to it, including anyone who has already reviewed a story, should post a reply in this thread saying so. When it eventually gets written-up you will each be sent the first draft. I think it will be super neat to have everyone's take on it, from a participant's / observer's perspective. Whatcha think?
Have a great weekend.
Jeff
I sort of stuck to plan - writing up 6 out of the 8 that I had shortlisted. The other two will be done next week. However I also did 4 others, including one that was originally planned as a one-pager but grew to three when I remembered new, but related, topics that went well when combined with it. So I'm now up to 44 written.
At this point I would like to again thank the eight members who have received and provided feedback on one different story each. It was all very much appreciated and is shaping my approach to the entire book. I'm not planning to send out any others, but if the urge strikes I just might. If anyone would really like a shot at one, send me a PM. No promises but I'll certainly keep anyone who does in mind if I send any more out.
Actually, a thought just occurred to me. As I stare over at my notebook, it's turned to a page where I had jotted down the "Maxi-Me" story idea. So here's what I propose to do. Everyone and anyone who was present when this story happened (and if you don't know from the title then you were not there!) who would like a sneak peek and a chance to perhaps contribute to it, including anyone who has already reviewed a story, should post a reply in this thread saying so. When it eventually gets written-up you will each be sent the first draft. I think it will be super neat to have everyone's take on it, from a participant's / observer's perspective. Whatcha think?
Have a great weekend.
Jeff