LJ Idol Presents:

I just saw your post over in the Work Room.

What's going on?

:concerned kizzylook:

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I'm feeling kind of anxious about the deadline on Monday. I've got Plans for Shenanigans and Hijinks this weekend (at least I didn't get taken out by the birthday curse!) and um, yeah. There's going to be a lot of sneaking over to a corner to frantically write. Once I figure out what the hell I want to write, frantically or otherwise. Luckily I've got most of the day to myself to figure that out.

Also, feeling both enormously relieved and sad about the results. That loooooong wait for the results last night took a toll, Gary, I swear.

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One of the things I think you need to ask yourself is "Why am I writing?"

Part of it should probably be "for my own enjoyment!" If that is your intention, then simply sitting down and writing is the goal!

If you want to "hone your craft" for the purposes of publication or just for the sake of "I want to get better", there are definitely people here and elsewhere who can work on that with you.

That's kind of the point of the Work Room and the Killing Floor - writers helping each other/giving advice.

Which ultimately is what those Gatekeeper comments were about. They weren't saying "So and so did this", it was general "here is some advice. These were things we noticed". It was stuff that anyone can use, and writers of every level need to be reminded of from time to time.

You made it into the Top 35 in your very first try! That's a lot to be proud about!

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I had to write four posts! :)

(The Gatekeeper, Results, Topic and Work Room)

Oh, and finalize the results!!

(My time beforehand was cut because I was summoned to "attend school" as soon as I got home. Apparently now I have middle school homework. :D)

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reckless-blues.livejournal.com

I'm in a good mood! I posted some selfies to my Tumblr before going to bed, and whenever I do that it's pandemonium so I go to bed all happy. (Though it feels odd taking compliments for my looks - it's not like I did anything. I don't even work out.)

I got a new video game a while ago that I'm waiting until after finals to play, and apparently at some point at least one of the main guys gets tied up with barbed wire? My friend is spamming me fanart of this over Skype. Unf. (Also I think the game is from Japan which means the two male leads are beautiful and spend half the game clinging to each other. Awesome.)

Cheered me up pretty good, but unfortunately I'm now too distracted to study for my finals.

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You made it into the Top 35 in your very first try! That's a lot to be proud about!

Hear, hear :nodding: That IS quite an accomplishment for the first time playing!

Is what the Gatekeepers said eating you? I know many of them. I know none of them would be intentionally unkind in their concrit. You have to remember, though, that a few of them have been "in the biz" for awhile (rm, for example), so their concrit tends to be more to the point. And it was overall general concrit to. Only a couple of them pointed out specific people as examples of what they themselves were looking for in terms of criteria. Doesn't mean that every single Gatekeeper felt the same way.

Of course if I'm wrong in all this please feel free to slap me with a dead chicken :p

Edited Date: 2014-12-12 04:28 pm (UTC)

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Oh, I know it was a lot of work. A LOT of work. And I appreciate it! But the refresh party had me biting my nails. Heh.

What subject was your homework on?

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I had 7 periods. We got through the first day of school with Science, Language Arts and Reading (with the bell ringing in between each class) when school was dismissed early due to an emergency.

(we were being called to come eat). :D

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dmousey.livejournal.com

I'm fine with everything truly. I just definitely want to hone my craft and am at a loss with where I should start.

I do write for me(always)
... I just want to do better. :)

I just thought I'd ask. Because I'm poor, LOL. I thought I could take advantage of someone else's knowledge.

Of course I do realize people have busy, very busy lives.

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I tend to select people with *very* different ideas in what they like/don't like to balance the process out.

So yes, their ballots looked *quite* different from each other, much in the same way that Contestant Only ballots are all over the place!

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Is it weird that my wrist feels much better today? Hand Doc said that I'd be cursing him for the next day or two. My poor joints must suck up cortisone like somebody stranded on the Sahara, I guess?

I still can't pick up anything heavier than a full coffee cup, though. I know, I know, give it time.

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Post something to the Killing Floor. That is *exactly* why it is there - to get the kind of feedback you are seeking.

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I appreciated the selfies. :) Muchly so. And even sent you a thing!

(And I hear you on the "feels odd taking compliments" thing -- I feel the same way, but I'm not traditionally attractive for my presented gender, so.)

STOP BEING DISTRACTED AND STUDY. STUDY FOR FINALS. *baps you*

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The cheapest option I know of is finding a "writing buddy". The buddies I know give themselves a short-term goal (say, 500 words a day) and every few days they exchange what they've written and provide concrit. It's very helpful having another pair of eyes becoming familiar with your words and offering suggestions as to what works and what doesn't.

As to where to find a buddy? I'd mention it either here in the GR or in the Work Room.

There are some free online courses around (I think Coursea had one not too long ago -- I remember

kehlen_crow mention it -- but I have no idea as to its quality or such. I know somebody who's more knowledgeable about this, so I'll bounce the question to her and get back to you :)

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reckless-blues.livejournal.com

But this guy from this video game is soooo hottttt.......

...yeah, I do need to finish up my lab work. You know how dogs bury bones? My cat buried a chicken bone in my microbiology homework pile. I was staring at her wondering why she was scratching in it and then, bam, food came out.

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https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/start-writing-fiction

The course is almost over but that doesn't mean you can't try to read and absorb what you can. ;) There will probably be another one in a few months, too.

But I also agree with Gary: the Killing Floor is a good place to go. Or, you can message

kickthehobbit and ask if you could be part of her Writing Workshop. I'm not a current participant, because I kind of fell off the face of the Earth thanks to work and Idol, but the crit Sarah's received was good. :)

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I think, as someone who's done a lot of improving over the last few years, that there are two huge components to improving at writing - writing and reading. Read a ton (you already do this). Read widely (I bet you already do this too), at all levels of skill and style, across genre, particularly focusing on the kinds of things you'd like to write. And write write write write write. Write daily. Write even if you don't want to. Sign up for 750words (http://750words.com) (you get badges for writing streaks and other accomplishments!). Take breaks in the day and set a timer for five minutes and see what you can do with that time (you may find the answer to be "diddly squat". But you'll have learned something else about how you write). Write to prompts. Freewrite. Write write write.

And then comes revising and editing and honing craft. If that's the factor you feel is missing, there are some resources out there for you. The Killing Floor is still a great space and I hope lots of us will continue to use it, but if you'd like a venue with a wider range of folks participating, you might try critters (http://critters.org). Looking at things critically - including your own stuff - is a skill, and practicing helps. :)

There's also this list of 50 free resources to improve your writing (http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/06/28/50-free-resources-that-will-improve-your-writing-skills/) (some more useful than others, I suspect). Grammar Girl (http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl) is a thing I check frequently myself. You don't need to have all the nuts and bolts down for a first draft, of course, but recognizing which screws may be a bit loose and what needs tightening for your second or third pass is handy.

And most importantly? *hugs* Keep having fun with it. Elimination stings. It's ok to feel kind of rotten for a while. Try not to be too down on yourself or your skills. I know that's easier said than done. Treat yourself to something nice, reread one of your favorite books, and look back over the HELLA impressive body of work you produced during your run in this season. It's pretty damn nifty. :)

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I, too, am frequently distracted by The Hot*. It's why

n3m3sis43 and I end up watching things like Suits or White Collar, because they just make it too easy to ship certain pairings. xD

OMG. That's hilarious. My cat work me up last night by screaming in my face because I forgot she was in my room when I passed out before work. Woops. She usually doesn't get that close to me when she's trying to wake me up to let her out, lol.

*Official Term for any distractingly hot male/female entity.

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Look, if there is ever a Season 10, and I decide to compete in it, AND I make it to Week 30, AND I get voted out that week again, I'm gonna think it's cursed. ;)

Especially if we're dropping from whatever to the Top 25. Then it's especially cursed. Because I have missed the Top 25 by a hair both full season I've competed. AND I've gotten eliminated in Week 30 in both.

Kicking myself for not playing a little more strategically last week; I think I could have squeaked by if I had posted an old post in the Topic Thread instead, because I have several that really knock it out of the park that I considered doing just that with. But. Well.

Such is life.

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And that's how it's supposed to be :nodding:

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Echoing what everyone else has said, but I'll add Scribophile (http://www.scribophile.com) which was recommended by a friend of mine. It's a forum format where you earn "karma" for your concrit, and you have to give X number of concrits before you can post anything yourself. My friend found it immensely helpful.

I'm awaiting a reply from a non-LJ writerly friend to see what she recommends :)

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With all of these links to other sites - I certainly hope people are going to those places and telling them to come to Idol! ;)

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Heh. For what it's worth, though I've been praising Critters all over the place, I'm not actually signed up with them. I have friends who are, but I looked at the stuff on my own plate, thought about adding more by signing up and just noped right out of that.

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