Pico day 8

[el-staplador.livejournal.com]

Here is the post for any comments, snippets or thoughts.

May the magic be with us all!

Comments

Terminus, Chapter 6

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Am I first again? That's odd. Anyway, I wrote more than two pages this morning (still no idea where the dratted word counter is hidden in my word processor) and have just finished typing it up.

Excerpt:

“I thought one would consider Lieutenant Worf dangerous,” Data said thoughtfully. “Or Commander Riker, when he is in the mood. I never considered myself a threat. My failsafes have always worked within normal parameters.”

“There are different kinds of danger,” s/he answered. “Not all are so obvious as an ill-tempered Klingon in the middle of a bunch of pacifists. Why, do you think, Lieutenant LaForge needs to shield me from the rest of the engineering crew most of the time?”

“I do not know,” Data confessed. “I thought your team-mates liked you.”

Rina laughed ruefully. “They do. That’s the problem. They like me too much – unfortunately, not for the person that I am. My pheromones, when I’m in stress, are too strong for humans to resist… and Engineering is a stressful environment. They can’t afford to be distracted at work – and I am a distraction, whether I want it or not.”

RE: Terminus, Chapter 6

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

More alien details. Excellent stuff.

RE: Terminus, Chapter 6

[akane42me.livejournal.com]

A very good day - two pages! Rina is a fascinating character - great job here.
I like Data's comment about Riker being dangerous, when he's in the mood!

RE: Terminus, Chapter 6

[elmey.livejournal.com]

Two pages is great. And a really fascinating discussion, Rina is such a good, well-detailed character.

RE: Terminus, Chapter 6

[saki101.livejournal.com]

Ah, that is very interesting and explaining things to Data is always fun.

RE: Terminus, Chapter 6

[el-staplador.livejournal.com]

Now there's a management conundrum! Sounds like you've made excellent progress.

Re: Terminus, Chapter 6

[avon7.livejournal.com]

I liked the discussion of the other crew.

RE: Terminus, Chapter 6

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

The voices are very clear and distinct, even to me who doesn't know them :)

RE: Terminus, Chapter 6

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

Interesting conversation - hopefully Data will learn from Rina.

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

390 words and research on travel times done - my answer is a bit vague, but it does not have to be exact (just close enough to make sure it is plausible as there are so many different factors) as it is mostly a matter of order of events and so on.

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

All very productive.

[akane42me.livejournal.com]

Very good word count - good going. And good for you, for working out the details on the travel times. That's the nitty gritty work that has to be done, even when it's tedious. I bet you're glad to have it done!

[elmey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, travel times and sequencing events, it's easy to make mistakes there if you're not careful. Sounds like you have it well in hand though.

[saki101.livejournal.com]

Lots of progress! I'm always amazed at the amount of research time that goes into things that aren't used explicitly, but need to be sorted for the background to work.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Good for you!

[el-staplador.livejournal.com]

Sounds like good work. Kudos on the research, which is the kind of thing that I always find excessively tedious.

[avon7.livejournal.com]

Yay for nearly 400 words and well done on the research too. I hate research.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

And is VERY important... because someone will notice and tell you if you get it wrong, right?

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

I managed to get my red pen scribbles typed up this evening, so that's another two scenes dealt with for now. A little clinky in places, but I'll smooth things in the next editing pass. First off, Edward has to tell Kate his news:

Edward took a deep breath. "I know it's always worried you that I don't have a direct heir."

"Nonsense. I accepted that years ago." Kate took a drink. "I just wish you'd put more effort into contacting your cousin Alexander, and making sure he and his family know their obligations."

"Alex isn't my cousin." Descended from Grandfather Victor's younger brother, Thomas, Alex was closer to a third or fourth cousin, depending on how one calculated it. Edward took a drink, and then topped up both glasses. "And he's not my heir, either."

"A secret marriage at the beginning of this century?" Kate frowned. "No, that would disrupt the line right back to Duke Victor., unless it was Thomas that got up to no good. It wasn't anything to do with him, surely?"

[akane42me.livejournal.com]

Great progress, getting those two scenes settled for this pass! Good snippet - a tangled family tree with a mysterious branch. Always fun to see how things work out.

[el-staplador.livejournal.com]

290 words today. Here's a 'morning after the night before' snippet - the catch being that I haven't yet written most of the 'night before'. That may follow tomorrow!


Emma laughed harshly. 'Good God, Jay. What a way to spend the night before your wedding.'

He took a gulp of coffee. 'What, ending up in the cop shop? Happens at every other stag do. At least I didn't end up handcuffed naked to a lamp post.'

Helen giggled.

'You reckon we'll make it in time?' I asked, to cover the embarrassment I thought she ought to be feeling.

[akane42me.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on the word count! Good job! I do look forward to seeing a bit of the 'niight before', and imagine you're going to have a good time writing that part:) Have fun!

[akane42me.livejournal.com]

I had obligations this morning, and had to work late on a project, so I made sure to work on my story right after work before I l ran out of steam. I am very glad I did, because I got an unexpected visit from my brother! He's just left, and I'm just going to review the scene I've been revising over the last couple of days.

This morning, I almost fell into the trap of thinking I really hadn't accomplished much after a week of working on the story. But I made myself stop thinking that way and reminded myself that I'd met my goal - to write every day - to pick up on whatever bit I'm trying to improve, and enjoy the process.

So here's to all of us - wishing everyone a good Week 2. Happy writing to alll.

[elmey.livejournal.com]

You're doing great, keeping the momentum going--and not getting caught up in negativity. You should be enjoying yourself!

My brother is coming back tomorrow. Can I send him to your house?

[elmey.livejournal.com]

I was hijacked by work e mails this morning and had to set to before I could do any writing. I think I have to do my writing before I open my e mail in the mornings, out of sight out of mind... And this afternoon I got a call that a couple we've known forever just separated. I realise that other people's marriages are always a mystery, but this one shocked me. So, I'm distracted. I'm just going to read everyone else's snippets today and start from scratch tomorrow.

[saki101.livejournal.com]

I think the writing before email idea is a good one. Email can devour one's life.

People are mysterious. So much acting is required.

[saki101.livejournal.com]

There was very little writing-related activity today and most of what there was concerned a sequel to another story that I should not be thinking about. Ah, well. I edited the end of yesterday's scene. Here is a miniature snip.

***
The gate opened onto the cobbled court of a mews, the old brick festooned with young ivy and the bare, sharp branches of rambling rose springing from terra cotta urns and metal tubs.

[elmey.livejournal.com]

Sometimes other stories just crop up!

The description of the ivy and the rose branches is perfect, it makes the mews come alive.

[candidlily.livejournal.com]

Headache tonight that made it hard to get started tonight, but eventually sat and wrote 366 words. Feeling okay about it, I just feel like I could've done more if I'd made myself start earlier.

[el-staplador.livejournal.com]

Impressive wordcount, even apart from the fact that you weren't feeling well.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

Many humble apologies - I got hit by an unexpected bit of travel and there really wasn't any way to post (and not a lot of time/energy to write!) but I will catch up on comments, and be back with you tomorrow!

(Real life - what we could do without it sometimes...)

[avon7.livejournal.com]

Yes, RL does have this nasty habit of intruding into VL. ;-)