Promises, promises

[jadesfire]

Right. I'm making this a public post when normally it would be f-locked, on the basis that I might find it harder to wriggle out of it that way.

#1. I've decided to have a go at NaNo this year. I won't be talking about the content too much over here, although I may complain about the writing process at frequent intervals. I know some of you are doing it too - let me know where to find you! Unoriginally, I've registered as 'Jadesfire' so come find me too :D Lately, encouragement to write something has come from diverse and unexpected sources, so I'm feeling more confident about it. Plus, the other half has said that if I write and sell a novel by next year, I can go to Writercon. Now there's an incentive!

#2. In order to do this, I need to clear up my outstanding fic commitments. Apart from artword, which has one more week to run for writers, there's one more coming in the form of sga_santa, but last year I wrote mine and a pinch-hit, so I'm not too worried yet. It's due by 10th December, which gives me 10 days after NaNo finishes, which should be plenty. If you see me lurking near or mentioning other challenges, you have my complete permission to throw a stapler at me.

#3. In order to meet my outstanding commitments (apart from artword), I need deadlines. So. This is them:

Fri. 10th October: Teyla and Lorne fic for archae_ology
Sun. 12th October: artword Writers Round 3
Tues. 14th October: SGA Gen fic for pollitt
Fri. 17th October: TW Ianto and Tosh fic for noveltea
Sun. 19th October: artword Writers Round 4
Thurs. 23rd October: Jack&Nine&Rose fic for fajrdrako
Fri. 31st October: Come As You Aren't Fic [this one's a bit iffy, depending how much research I need to do for NaNo and if Z decides to join me on the costume]

You are all welcome and encouraged to nag me on these deadlines. If anyone wants to make an extra claim on one of these stories, that'll definitely give me an extra nudge too. I need motivation, I need deadlines, and that means being accoutable for what I'm writing.

Right. *rolls up sleeves* Let's get on with it!

#4. In real life...
If anyone's clicked the cut expecting a litany of cutting yet amusing complaints, I'm afraid you're in the wrong place. Both my Manual Handling course yesterday and my Introduction to Finance course today were interesting, entertaining and useful. There's a sentence I never thought I'd type! Over the years, Staff Development seem to have put real effort into improving, not the quality of the training, but the manner in which the trainers deliver it. both yesterday and today, the women giving the courses were engaging, knowledgeable, and really took the time to say *why* the training mattered, as well as giving the actual content. This makes a huge, huge difference to people like me. I honestly don't mind doing boring, routine tasks, as long as I understand why I'm doing them, and that what I do affects someone somewhere else, whether that's my manager or someone in an office on the other side of Oxford. So explaining the why meant that I was happy to sit through the boring bits of the 'what' and 'how'. The Manual Handling was a good reminder of common sense, and the Finance stuff will be useful as I attempt to use the university's accounting software.

Wish me luck...

Comments

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is a lot of writing to be done by you - so, after your last prompt, which I really enjoyed, - feel free to feed me more to cheer you up / encourage / distract you in the middle of it all!

LOL

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Heh, it sort of looks more than it is. Most of those are short fics, and low pressure so I can just sit back and enjoy the writing :)

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

that's ok then, but my offer still stands :)

[travels-in-time.livejournal.com]

*stares*

Wow, that's a whole lotta deadlines in a very short time-frame...and starting like two days from now? You are a brave, brave woman.

Tell other half that there's supposed to be someone from a publishing house taking pitches from aspiring writers at WriterCon...it could be a big break for you, if you come prepared!

I'd like to sit back expectantly and wait on the Jack-Nine-Rose fic, please!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I...just need deadlines. It's a thing. The closer the deadline, the better I write! I've had the Fandom Free For All stuff on there forever, and have totally failed to write them. And there's no point setting the Artword ones earlier than they're actually due, because my brain doesn't work like that, so this is my best chance of actually clearing the decks and having a proper go at NaNo.

Heh, I could tell him that - is it true? Even if it is, I'm not sure I can justify min.£700 ($1400) for the chance...

Thanks - I need that extra nudge to get these things done :)

[travels-in-time.livejournal.com]

Well, they had someone there last time, and they certainly plan on having someone there this time. I hate to say they WILL, because it's nine months away and you never know what'll work out, but it's intended!

I don't do deadlines so well. My brain just goes into Automatic Fail Mode.

[hllangel]

I'm over at Nano as well, and have found/friended you there. :D

I'm so excited about my NaNo plot this year that I'm seriously holding back on writing it. I keep thinking of new little details and scribbling them furiously in my notebook (mostly at work) or typing them out into my 'research' document. can't wait!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Cool! Have added you back :)

Ooh, you're way ahead of me. I'm still prodding at ideas gently, since I know myself, and if I figure it out too far in advance, I won't be able to write a thing. Part of the point of NaNo for me is to figure out if the idea works even vaguely - I'm not actually that fixed on hitting the word count, as long as I can figure out whether or not this idea has legs!

but it's going to be good to have so much time to devote to something of my own for a change! Should be fun!

[hllangel]

Normally, I don't really start forming ideas until it starts, but this plot's been simmering at the back of my brain ever since I saw specific dare last year at NaNo.

I'm doing ten thousand other things to keep myself from burning out on it ,because I really really want to finish it this year. (including a mini-NaNo with limmenel where we write 1k/night until November. Once I get karaokegal's birthday fic and my come-as-you-aren't fic wrapped up, I'm going to get a jump start on my BigBang fic for round 2.)

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Nano? *yipes* which fandom?

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

None! I'm going to work on something completely original :)

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

ooooh, original!fic! *shudders at thought*

GO YOU!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*grin* Well, I've had some unexpected sources of encouragement lately, so we'll see what happens...

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

*puts on cheerleader outfit just in case*

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

I'm over there as Derek Des Anges, but I NEVER go on the forums because that counts as procrastinating.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Then I shall add you anyway and use it to stalk keep up with your word count ;)

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

*g* LJ is usually better for that, I post one of those wee blue things every day to try and goad myself into inching it closer to the total. :D

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

I was looking on the NaNo site yesterday, just to check and see what the word count goal was, and when I saw 50,000 I choked a little. This is the first year I've had a solid concept of how many words that is. Like, I know you've written 20,000 words in a week, but I also know the most I've written is 10,000 in a month (just last month actually!) and when I was setting weekly goals for myself today, I decided that 1000 words on a longer story would be a good weekly goal for me. Just knowing the way I write. Heh. BUT I know part of NaNoWriMo is really pushing yourself. 1666 words a day for a month still sounds crazy to me but not impossible. When you know what kind of encouragement you need, just ask and I'd be happy to pitch in!

really took the time to say *why* the training mattered, as well as giving the actual content. This makes a huge, huge difference to people like me.

In my teaching, I found that when I started taking an approach that was as transparent as possible and took pains to explain why I thought such-and-such task or unit was important and how the students could use it later, the complaints about the material scaled way back. It really does make a difference, I think. I'm glad you're getting something out of your courses!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

My record is 40k in 6 days, but that nearly killed me, and I couldn't have done it without a really, really boring job... That's not possible right now, nor is 1666 a day, really. My plan is to do what I usually do and speed write for a bit, then leave it for a day, then speed write again. My chart is going to be bumpy, but I think that's more realistic - I'll probably set interim goals rather than daily ones. The thing with NaNo is that you just write, and fix everything later, which is pretty much how I write anyway, but you're a much more careful writer than I am, so I can imagine it would be torture for you!

When you know what kind of encouragement you need, just ask and I'd be happy to pitch in!
*adds you to filter* ;)

It makes a HUGE difference, if I can see the point of what I'm doing, and the results at the end. My training is definitely off to a good start :D

[miss-zedem.livejournal.com]

I read the comment about them explaining why, and thought 'but doesn't everyone do that?'. I've trained a lot of people to do a lot of things over the years, and I've always explained why. I also always explain to customers why I'm doing something when I'm doing it - I've learnt that people don't mind having to wait for something if they know why they're waiting. I had no idea I was in the minority on this...

In other news, I can't help but notice that I don't have a fic being written *pouts* Not that I would ever try to guilt you into adding to your already full list of fics, of course 0:-)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Most of the courses I've been on, it's been assumed that you know why you're doing it. It's because you're being paid to, and it pretty much stops there. But the last couple of trainers have really made the effort to put what we're learning into a wider context, which just makes a huge difference.

*sigh* I refuse to add to my guilt burden! You've already given me a word list AND I'm writing Lorne-fic. What more do you want? Demanding woman... ;)

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

*rolls sleeves up for quick beta turn-around*

I have two that I need to complete before NaNo, but I fully intend to join up. I'll probably be writing an original story.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Hee. Yes, it's going to be all hands on deck for the next couple of weeks...

Ooh! Awesome! Come find me when you join :D

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is a lot of writing to be done by you - so, after your last prompt, which I really enjoyed, - feel free to feed me more to cheer you up / encourage / distract you in the middle of it all!

LOL

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Heh, it sort of looks more than it is. Most of those are short fics, and low pressure so I can just sit back and enjoy the writing :)

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

that's ok then, but my offer still stands :)

[travels-in-time.livejournal.com]

*stares*

Wow, that's a whole lotta deadlines in a very short time-frame...and starting like two days from now? You are a brave, brave woman.

Tell other half that there's supposed to be someone from a publishing house taking pitches from aspiring writers at WriterCon...it could be a big break for you, if you come prepared!

I'd like to sit back expectantly and wait on the Jack-Nine-Rose fic, please!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I...just need deadlines. It's a thing. The closer the deadline, the better I write! I've had the Fandom Free For All stuff on there forever, and have totally failed to write them. And there's no point setting the Artword ones earlier than they're actually due, because my brain doesn't work like that, so this is my best chance of actually clearing the decks and having a proper go at NaNo.

Heh, I could tell him that - is it true? Even if it is, I'm not sure I can justify min.£700 ($1400) for the chance...

Thanks - I need that extra nudge to get these things done :)

[travels-in-time.livejournal.com]

Well, they had someone there last time, and they certainly plan on having someone there this time. I hate to say they WILL, because it's nine months away and you never know what'll work out, but it's intended!

I don't do deadlines so well. My brain just goes into Automatic Fail Mode.

[hllangel]

I'm over at Nano as well, and have found/friended you there. :D

I'm so excited about my NaNo plot this year that I'm seriously holding back on writing it. I keep thinking of new little details and scribbling them furiously in my notebook (mostly at work) or typing them out into my 'research' document. can't wait!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Cool! Have added you back :)

Ooh, you're way ahead of me. I'm still prodding at ideas gently, since I know myself, and if I figure it out too far in advance, I won't be able to write a thing. Part of the point of NaNo for me is to figure out if the idea works even vaguely - I'm not actually that fixed on hitting the word count, as long as I can figure out whether or not this idea has legs!

but it's going to be good to have so much time to devote to something of my own for a change! Should be fun!

[hllangel]

Normally, I don't really start forming ideas until it starts, but this plot's been simmering at the back of my brain ever since I saw specific dare last year at NaNo.

I'm doing ten thousand other things to keep myself from burning out on it ,because I really really want to finish it this year. (including a mini-NaNo with limmenel where we write 1k/night until November. Once I get karaokegal's birthday fic and my come-as-you-aren't fic wrapped up, I'm going to get a jump start on my BigBang fic for round 2.)

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Nano? *yipes* which fandom?

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

None! I'm going to work on something completely original :)

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

ooooh, original!fic! *shudders at thought*

GO YOU!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*grin* Well, I've had some unexpected sources of encouragement lately, so we'll see what happens...

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

*puts on cheerleader outfit just in case*

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

I'm over there as Derek Des Anges, but I NEVER go on the forums because that counts as procrastinating.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Then I shall add you anyway and use it to stalk keep up with your word count ;)

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

*g* LJ is usually better for that, I post one of those wee blue things every day to try and goad myself into inching it closer to the total. :D

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

I was looking on the NaNo site yesterday, just to check and see what the word count goal was, and when I saw 50,000 I choked a little. This is the first year I've had a solid concept of how many words that is. Like, I know you've written 20,000 words in a week, but I also know the most I've written is 10,000 in a month (just last month actually!) and when I was setting weekly goals for myself today, I decided that 1000 words on a longer story would be a good weekly goal for me. Just knowing the way I write. Heh. BUT I know part of NaNoWriMo is really pushing yourself. 1666 words a day for a month still sounds crazy to me but not impossible. When you know what kind of encouragement you need, just ask and I'd be happy to pitch in!

really took the time to say *why* the training mattered, as well as giving the actual content. This makes a huge, huge difference to people like me.

In my teaching, I found that when I started taking an approach that was as transparent as possible and took pains to explain why I thought such-and-such task or unit was important and how the students could use it later, the complaints about the material scaled way back. It really does make a difference, I think. I'm glad you're getting something out of your courses!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

My record is 40k in 6 days, but that nearly killed me, and I couldn't have done it without a really, really boring job... That's not possible right now, nor is 1666 a day, really. My plan is to do what I usually do and speed write for a bit, then leave it for a day, then speed write again. My chart is going to be bumpy, but I think that's more realistic - I'll probably set interim goals rather than daily ones. The thing with NaNo is that you just write, and fix everything later, which is pretty much how I write anyway, but you're a much more careful writer than I am, so I can imagine it would be torture for you!

When you know what kind of encouragement you need, just ask and I'd be happy to pitch in!
*adds you to filter* ;)

It makes a HUGE difference, if I can see the point of what I'm doing, and the results at the end. My training is definitely off to a good start :D

[miss-zedem.livejournal.com]

I read the comment about them explaining why, and thought 'but doesn't everyone do that?'. I've trained a lot of people to do a lot of things over the years, and I've always explained why. I also always explain to customers why I'm doing something when I'm doing it - I've learnt that people don't mind having to wait for something if they know why they're waiting. I had no idea I was in the minority on this...

In other news, I can't help but notice that I don't have a fic being written *pouts* Not that I would ever try to guilt you into adding to your already full list of fics, of course 0:-)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Most of the courses I've been on, it's been assumed that you know why you're doing it. It's because you're being paid to, and it pretty much stops there. But the last couple of trainers have really made the effort to put what we're learning into a wider context, which just makes a huge difference.

*sigh* I refuse to add to my guilt burden! You've already given me a word list AND I'm writing Lorne-fic. What more do you want? Demanding woman... ;)

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

*rolls sleeves up for quick beta turn-around*

I have two that I need to complete before NaNo, but I fully intend to join up. I'll probably be writing an original story.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Hee. Yes, it's going to be all hands on deck for the next couple of weeks...

Ooh! Awesome! Come find me when you join :D