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Writing Practice

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22:23 / 16.06.03

Oh, and what's digested and undigested?

05:03 / 17.06.03

Okay - I've followed Mr Messy's lead. Get on the case everyone else!

Gingerbop - adject said that non-de4giested people get their emails as they are sent to the list and digested members get all mail in one go per day.

.

12:02 / 17.06.03

Hi, I'm a real late comer here (I don't even have the excuse of being a newbie- just an unobservant long time lurker), but this sounds like a rockin idea and I really wanna join in. I guess I'm prolly too late for this round, but I'm happy to join in for the next one. Currently I have a load of ideas for a novel, but am totally lacking the confidence to put them together, so this sounds like the perfect thing. Although I'm kinda busy so pieces will be short, I promise to do something for everything, and in good time.

Furthermore, I promise not to write in this terrible BBS-speak, unless required.

Can I suggest that some assignments be non-fiction too? Personally I feel like it would be beneficial to set exercises across different genres, without being too restrictive of course.

08:09 / 18.06.03

. - Personally, I think it's fine for new people to join - you can just add your name to the mailing list. I too like the idea of some non-fiction assigments, but I think the general idea is that you write whatever you like - so you could write non-fiction if you chose to. This a group about writing practice, not style.

Everyone, as far as the list goes, I've now managed to join it. I had major email problems before (like my software refusing to open) but as yet I haven't received anyone's assignment. When I do I will give feedback, but do I do this by mailing list?

10:40 / 18.06.03

Yeah, I was wondering about this too.
We could PM feedback to each other, which might feel safer. Or we could send feedback to the group and open up a bit of a discussion. Either way suits me, but I guess I'll PM until everyone else states a preference.

12:43 / 20.06.03

I posted, be gentle. Its the first time I had off in ages and I'm back in work today so it had to be done quickly, its not a masterpiece, and its not very long either.

05:48 / 21.06.03

Oh by the way the "warrens" concept is totally nicked off Kathyrn S. Starbucks "House on the Hill" but I figured it was okay to use since the situation in the story is real the names and characters have been changed to protect their identities yadda yadda yadda... just like a reconstruction on crimewatch uk.... sorry I'm coked up... and actually on the trademarked coca cola type...

Less searchable M0rd4nt

07:55 / 21.06.03

Didn't manage to do the thing on Charm by the deadline, coz my BRANE died. I'll try and revive it for the next excercise.

22:57 / 22.06.03

Ick. Can i be a complete annoying bitch? 1- my brAne is also dead, and 2- i dont feel up for it at the moment with lotsa other shit. So sorry but think im gonna have to shrivel up and dissapear. Muchas luck to the rest of you with it xx

Phex: Dorset Doom

19:07 / 24.06.03

Okay, I'm in the army of TMD

'The Darkness' huh? Sounds like a chucklesome yarn, expect a posting within a few days. It's my first time so be gentle.

05:35 / 25.06.03

Righteo then...
What's happening? Are people still writing The Darkness... or are we moving on?

09:58 / 27.06.03

Ah, am I too late to join the exciting writing party? I promise to work hard and long and produce the fruits of my labour dead on time.

G'wan.

I need discipline.

17:01 / 27.06.03

The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned.

Our Lady of The Two Towers

15:42 / 28.06.03

Gah, look what happens when I don't bother looking at the creation for ages, you all get together and do fun things. Will sign up post haste. I should be able to do some stuff, whatever it is, during the week as I'm on holiday and apparently it's going to be storms all the time. When I'm back to work the week after next, will have to see...

Less searchable M0rd4nt

14:12 / 29.06.03

Are we on "Darkness", or are we on "Charm" now? What flavour words did we want next?

15:05 / 29.06.03

I don't know is there even a set due date a due date? and the topic is charm?

.

17:01 / 29.06.03

Hi, I'm in, but I'm waiting for the next round... Have got the mailing list thing all set up, am awaiting the assignment...

08:00 / 30.06.03

Hello all.
A mystery person sent a mail to everyone on the list, which had the next assignment cunningly placed in the title of said email, i.e.: 500 words approx about Charm.
So, I'm all set to go for this one. Have been rather busy work wise this last week, but will pull my finger out now.
Also I will post my last bit on The Darkness again as I believe it came across as gobbledygook before and thats probably why no one gave me any feedback.

13:23 / 02.07.03

Hi, Nobody seemed to post anything on CHARM. Did I miss it?
I'm new to Barbelith etc.

20:14 / 02.07.03

OK, I've posted by CHARM piece to the tmd list.
Hope I did right.....

Is anybody else playing this game?

We're The Great Old Ones Now

21:30 / 03.07.03

How's it going, guys? And are you scaling up, ever up? Are ye reachin' fer that elusive pirates treasure, the buried novel, arrrr?

Sorry. I'd be playing too, but my life is not cooperating. And I'm only here because I just read Jack Quill's post in the Conversation and convinced myself I hadn't made myself obnoxious down here for a while.

21:06 / 11.07.03

My excuse is that I'm very very busy helping my sister organise her wedding which is rapidly approaching and the only thing I could thing of was a Pinky and the Brain story where Brain builds a Charm harnessing machine to "Try to take over the world". But long story short it was crap........

Should I start a thread called "Is TMD dying"?

Less searchable M0rd4nt

21:23 / 13.07.03

I've bunged a "Charm" thing onto the list. It's a bit under the 500 words specified, but not too much. I'm already looking forward to the next project.

I've been enjoying everyone else's work so far-- it's class. Also, I've found it helpful to have something to shoot for. After I finished the "Charm" piece I thought of a way I could parlay it into a full-length story, which looks like being finished in a day or two. I'm chuffed.

23:43 / 13.07.03

I'm really interested in this. I hope its not to late to join in, perhaps someone can contact me or reply with the correct information. The only thing I'm missing when it comes to writing is a starting point and sadly the only thing I can come up with is a overload of procrastinating. In anyone can help me I'd love to be apart of this.

11:09 / 14.07.03

Mordant C@rnival loves what you've done with your *hair*.
>I've bunged a "Charm" thing onto the list. It's a bit under the 500
>words specified, but not too much. I'm already looking forward to the
>next project.

I didn't get Mordant's mail, and it doesn't seem to be on the tmd archives either. (They're at the http://lists.hypostatic.net/private.cgi/tmd-hypostatic.net site.)

And is it me or does everybody just seem to be sitting waiting for the next topic to come up, when nobody's said that it'll be their job to send in topics? "Jump out of the plane. There is no pilot."

10:16 / 16.07.03

Autran: As you appear to be the only one to have written charm - why don't you pick the next one? To be fair I haven't and probably won't do charm, and from the looks of it, no-one else is either.

So, go on!

13:58 / 18.07.03

OK Jub, the next tmd assignment is:

500 words on BALD to be submitted by 20th August 2003

(Yes I did need to say what year. I know how the lazy mind works.)

I'll send it to the tmd list as well, to confirm.

Less searchable M0rd4nt

06:59 / 19.07.03

I posted a piece to the list (using tmd@hypostatic.net) and it's not showing up in the archives. What happened?

Less searchable M0rd4nt

07:01 / 19.07.03

Wotthell. I'm just going to re-post it.

09:19 / 23.07.03

Right, I'm setting the next topic then.

I've made a little breakthrough of sorts. I've discovered that its easier for me to write/create something if I use pen and paper rather than a PC. This use of pen and ink seems to provoke a different sort of activity within me. I urge you all to try it, if you aren't already that is.

I'm wanting to have a topic here every week, so I'm just going to go ahead with stuff now.

I think we should try and write a story or scene using dialogue only. No word count. Have it done in one week, write something every day if you can. I want your stuff in by Weds 30th August.

Personally I think this will be a helpful exercise in developing this technique, and focusing on conflict between characters.

And lets give each other some feedback please. Otherwise what is the point of having a group at all?

I agree with Mordant. The stuff being produced is class. Lets have more of it.

09:54 / 23.07.03

500 words on BALD to be submitted by 20th August 2003

fuckety fuck fuck. Will get this done autran, and your dialogue thing Mr MEssy.

And by the way, I have papers by autran, Mordant and Mr M (sent to TMD) to reveiw and will try and do this tonight!! Sorry for being crap.

We're The Great Old Ones Now

10:14 / 23.07.03

I've made a little breakthrough of sorts. I've discovered that its easier for me to write/create something if I use pen and paper rather than a PC. This use of pen and ink seems to provoke a different sort of activity within me. I urge you all to try it, if you aren't already that is.

I believe there was a study recently showing that (whether by nurture or nature) holding a pen and approaching a keyboard create different activity in the brain. I alternate between the two.

10:39 / 23.07.03

Right on Mr Messy,

> I want your stuff in by Weds 30th August.

Did you mean "Weds 30th July" ?

Also, what kind of feedback do people want? I'm not a pro writer.

11:30 / 23.07.03

Autran: Did you mean "Weds 30th July" ?

Yep. Sorry.

Also just realised that your deadline was 20th August not July.

I guess I'm just keen.

I do believe that I'm only going to get better at writing through practice (and thats the central tenet from which this thread sprung).
Therefore I do think we should all be writing a lot more regularly. I've been carrying a pad with me everywhere and writing stuff when I have 5 minutes.

Also, what kind of feedback do people want? I'm not a pro writer.

Well, we are all learning. I'm certainly not a pro either, but I read a lot and usually have some kind of response to the things I read, which may prove useful to share.

When giving feedback I tend to pick out bits I liked and bits which I thought may have sounded better to me when done a different way. I ask questions about what has been written, what the author intended etc.

As for receiving feedback, well thats up to each individual. I may disagree with whats been said, or it may get me thinking about how I might do things differently. But the point is that I want feedback to stimulate me creatively. Otherwise I wouldn't be here.

As for you Autran, and Phex. I know, I know, I still need to comment on your work. I'll PM you later today.

I asked a question of the group a while back as to how you'd all prefer to do the feedback thing. Individually or as a group. I'm still waiting for a response.

Nick - I shall try the alternation method.

05:37 / 31.07.03

Just a note to say that I've posted my dialogue exercise to the tmd list.

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