Well, fellow MAYkers, I’m going to be honest with you. Super, super honest with you. I’m MAYkingItAppearOnMyComputer, but not so much MAYkingItWork.
Ugh.
As we know, the point of this challenge isn’t so much the challenge, but still, I was hoping it would help to propel me, at least a tad. This week, not so much.
I did get a flash fiction story done with a nice little nudge from Breaker of Things and his prompt with Debs at Fiction Can Be Fun, and it got me thinking about prompt exercises and how useful they can be. A concert pianist practices scales; we writers (those among us this month who are working on our writing) should be practicing our writing exercises. So I’m going to keep that in mind, that maybe a warm-up will help. Who knows.
But we’re locked in a three-way battle of wills, me and my manuscripts. There’s always next week, right?
How’s it going everyone?
#MAYkingItWork Blog Links:
Check out my full-length novels:
Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only)
Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended)
The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management.
And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s free!
A Bit to Read 
Hey all! I’m moving Donna’s comment with her link here! I’ll add it to the post as well!
“Well, since this is my first week of reporting in, not sure if you will have a new post for us to report on, or if I missed a linky list, or do I post here. LOL!”
So, here is up #MAYkingItWork #MAYkingitWorkUpdate https://dbmcnicol.blogspot.com/2018/05/maykingitwork-may-11-2018.html
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I know what you mean. Writing wise to things have been a bit flat this week, for a number of reasons. I did get the #FF story done (thanks for joining in!), although it took longer than I would have liked. And I did finish turning the AtoZ posts into a Scrivener file, broken up by scene. Who’d have thought it – we finished the month with 45k words! And I’ve found the gaps in my 5k story and have a plan…but actual writing? Not so much. I’m also aware that the Envelope is languishing and needs some attention. Still, Life, y’know.
Sigh.
Back in the saddle! Onwards and upwards! Good luck fellow #MAYkingItWorkers! See you back here next week.
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Yes, I stopped by and saw you haven’t posted in a while…I’m glad I’m not the only one, but I think, considering everything, you’re doing really, really well!
The #FF story was good for me, I think, it got that part of the brain going so I appreciate that. But 45k words?? HOLY MOLY! That’s quite an accomplishment!
Also plans are good. We’re not through May yet, and I think you’re on solid footing.
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You just about did a NaNo month!! Well done!
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I did some looking into getting started. I actually feel like I made measurable progress! Not measurable like I’m actually writing, but I’m at least doing SOMEthing. I liked the comments last week about trying for a short story, but I still have a big plot problem – I don’t know what the conflict will be! That’s pretty big. I’m starting on outlining, but can’t get much further without deciding on a conflict. I do have a seed of an idea, but I’m not in love with it. I actually feel like it might be from something I read long ago. Is there any resource for looking up books by plot, so I can be sure I don’t plagiarize something?
I also started looking into doing a children’s book instead. I have a clear idea for that, but just don’t know how to do it! Every time I start writing, I get lost in the weeds. Maybe I should go with that and skip the bigger work.
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Congrats on getting started! That can be the hardest part I think.
My own method with conflict is I just start writing and it usually presents itself, which is really of no help if you’ve tried that.
One thing you can do is define your characters. Who are they? What do they want? What do they need? What will they do to get there?
What won’t they do?
Maybe try some writing prompts, just to get a no-pressure flow, it certainly helped me. Writing exercises geared toward conflict could also help.
How fun with the children’s book! That’s sounds like fun.
As for looking up by plot…I don’t think so but sometimes google can surprise you with how vague you can be and how accurate it can be. I try not to think about how creepy that is.
But woo-hoo! You really seem to be on your way! That battle with the blinking cursor is real.
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Like Isa-Lee, I just start writing. I often end up with too many conflict ideas. LOL!
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Thanks, guys! Also, I suddenly remembered late last night that years ago I wrote a 1-act play for my local theatre’s One-Act festival, so maybe it would be easier to just transition that into a book. I don’t know though. I think book into screenplay is more natural than vice versa. Dear god, I have TOO MANY ideas! MAYking it Work may cause a lot more work for me!
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I’ve never tried that. Is there enough there for a book? How long was the play?
How about writing all the ideas on pieces of paper and picking one randomly? Or assigning them numbers and then using a random number generator to choose one?
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We’re nearly half-way through the month and – more importantly – through #MayKingItWork and I’ve written not one single word. I’ve thought LOADS of them, but none are publishable – unless regular exclamations of the “how many xxx can one woman have?” are anything other than dull! My mental capacities have been used up in deciding how to cram the contents of a 6-bedroom house into a 2-bedroom apartment without it looking ridiculous.
But now that I’m home again, I find my mind wandering in a more creative way once more. So, I’m in – if only for the second half. I’ll update on Friday(ish).
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Yay! Glad to have you. And you can always work out your move frustrations in a short story. Just to get them out of your head!
So far we all have some ups and downs with it, but hey, that’s what we’re here for, to share the misery! I hope you wrangle that muse, and this month makes all stops so jump in at any time. 🙂
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Oooo, I never thought of making it into a short story – what a damn fine plan! 🙂
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