Day 1

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Here's today's prompt for you to post your updates and any excerpts and thoughts etc in comments.

I also thought I'd provide a link to a simple word counter, the Picometer at Writertopia.com. To make it easy, just copy the following HTML, changing 1340 to the number of words you've written, and 5000 to whatever your target is:

<img src="http://picometer.writertopia.com/words=1340&target=5000" />

The result for this example is:

Comments

[kerravonsen]

I did not get any words written. 8-(
But I did get some research done. 8-)

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

Research is always good (mind you, I tend to have so much fun reseraching that I don't actually get onto the writing - I have some spectacular world-building on my hard drive...)

[fallingtowers.livejournal.com]

But research definitely counts as well!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

This is a very good thing though. What are you writing, Doctor Who? Or perhaps Harry Potter? I'd like to read some HP from you. :-)

[kerravonsen]

The first thing I'm writing is Highlander, for hlh_shortcuts; the research was re-watching a particular episode. There's another episode I'm going to have to re-watch, hopefully tonight.

When I finish that story (goal: 500 words), then I have to decide what second goal-story I'll write. I'm a bit torn, because I actually am in the mood to write HP, but the two major plot-bunnies which are jumping at me, both of them require me to re-read (and make notes) at least one, probably more, of the HP books. One story, I need to re-read Chamber of Secrets; the other, I need to re-read Half-Blood Prince and Philosopher's Stone at the minimum, but would be better if I re-read all of them and made exhaustive notes. Which I'll never find time to do! Arrrgh!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Can you use the HP wikis and encyclopaedias? I'm sure there are lots.

[elmey.livejournal.com]

Sometimes the research is harder than the writing--I'm always hoping for the one book or the one web site that tells me what I need to know. I've yet to find it.

[avon7.livejournal.com]

i'm always just hoping for the story that requires no research at all. There's a reason why I'm writing fantasy ;-)