Need structure? Want to find camaraderie? Tired of writing in solitude? Join our virtual office space. At TPR someone is always in the cubicle next to you.
Here's how the practice room works:
First of all, EVERYONE IS WELCOME!
At the given date and time (weekly schedule posted below), meet at post 1. It appears 30 minutes in advance of the hour (barring unusual circumstances), giving us a chance to set our goals in the comments. Declare your goal. Work toward furthering your project; word counting, revision, or whatever it needs - you decide.
Post 2:WE ARE UNPLUGGED!announces our hour. During that time, we write! The rules: no procrastinations. Please feel free to make tea or stand on your head as needed.
When the time is up,Post 3 appears with a chat box and we will get a chance to converse, or you can comment old-style to tell us what you got done! We are dying to know!
Read about a typical first time here. I make the schedule every Sunday. It will remain up in the side bar until I post the next week's schedule (feel free to make requests for particular times in the comments - I take them into serious consideration). All additions will be noted in in the side bar. Come back and check it often. (The schedule times are listed in Eastern Time Zone but the blog posts in Central - Tina's time zone. Our visitors are from all over the map.)
Please email me with questions, comments, or just to introduce yourself! tina dot laurel at gmail dot com
Don't forget to sign the guestbook at the bottom of the page!
Apr 12, 2010
Reconvention!
So, let us know what happened? How did that time work for you?
I made a good amount of progress--I'm now in chapter 13--even though I had to feed a baby doll at one point. :) It was a good hour, and I'm already wondering if I've got time for another one in the afternoon...
Marisa--awesome!! I hope that you had earplugs in or were far enough away so that the icky baby talk of the Wonder Pets didn't invade your sub-conscious!
Yay, Marisa. Yay for The Wonder Pets! It is always good to take the pressure off. Good work on the two pages!! Every word is good for something--it's all practice, even when deleted!
Going to check out Casey's post. How did it go Heather?
Aw, sad that Casey would feel down about writing. Hopefully it is just a minor funk. Writing is hard.
Awesome that you have new ideas, Tina!!
Also, I am SO glad I joined you all today! I always leave my writing time for when the kids are in bed, but by then I'm too tired to accomplish much and I always feel guilty. Now I'm happy to have written for an uninterrupted hour, and I still have the rest of the day ahead of me!
I let my five year old play the Wii (he only plays usually once or twice a week). And I really got some stuff done! Thank you for this. I ordinarily don't carve morning time for writing, but this forced me to do some. I did do some Snowflake method stuff, but it was kind of like cheating because my book is written, but it helped me go deeper, add more conflict. So I did some snowflake stuff and also added words into my ms.
Good work, Kelly. I think the work during the day is easier to justify if it is ONLY and hour, right? Especially when I have other stuff I got to do. I go back and forth on the Snowflake Method. Sometimes it is so hard for me to apply it to something already written. Glad you went deeper. Hope it pays off later in the week!
Thanks, Tina, it was wonderful, and I can go about the rest of my day knowing that I got a lot done, already, with my writing! Thanks, Kelly and Marisa for trying it out!! We'll have to get Tina to do it again soon. Do you have time preferences? Time of the day when you'd be more likely to be able to unplug?
I had so much fun doing this you all. Thanks so much for joining.
I would love to do it again later this week if a time works out. Or the beginning of next week, if you are wanting at all to try again.
It is fun knowing that somebody cares that I have accomplished something. Around my house people only notice when I don't make dinner or do the dishes! So thanks you all for being here!!
This time worked great for me. I'm in TX, so it was from 11 to 12, and that was perfect for me to have my wake-up coffee, play with my kids, then get them set up with TV while I get ready to write. Now they are eating lunch and we have the whole rest of the day to play. :D
Yes, that time was fine as it was 11-12 for me as well! I may or may not be there as I don't know what time my hair appt that day is. My stylist is making my hair into a fauxhawk (fake mohawk). I'm not kidding! :)
This is fabulous! Kelly and Marisa, thanks for joining Heather and I on the support Tina wagon. I'm told we'll be held close to the throne when Tina goes queen.
Marisa, when we get going on a certain fun thing-a-majig, this'll totally keep us on track and in constant communication!
Okay, I read and kept reading and made lists. Not a ton of words but some good ideas. How did it go for you all?
ReplyDeleteI made a good amount of progress--I'm now in chapter 13--even though I had to feed a baby doll at one point. :) It was a good hour, and I'm already wondering if I've got time for another one in the afternoon...
ReplyDeleteKids were bribed with an hour of The Wonder Pets, and I got about two pages written. YAY!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure most of my word vomit will be deleted later... but hey, at least its a start, and that's what the practice is for, eh?
I've never thought of my first attempt at a scene as practice... I like that! Takes the pressure off.
And--did anyone see Casey's post today--makes me so sad that she's feeling down about writing...
ReplyDeleteMarisa--awesome!! I hope that you had earplugs in or were far enough away so that the icky baby talk of the Wonder Pets didn't invade your sub-conscious!
ReplyDeleteHad to take a break to feed a baby doll... LOL, I love that Heather!
ReplyDeleteI listen to headphones when I write. That is the only way I can block out my kids and their awful Nick Jr shows! :D
ReplyDeleteYay, Marisa. Yay for The Wonder Pets! It is always good to take the pressure off. Good work on the two pages!! Every word is good for something--it's all practice, even when deleted!
ReplyDeleteGoing to check out Casey's post. How did it go Heather?
And Yay for headphones!
ReplyDeleteSorry there is a delay in my comments! getting them all out of order. Ha!
ReplyDeleteAnd I have to admit, my kids are too old for The Wonder Pets. Shall I say yay to that?
ReplyDeleteAw, sad that Casey would feel down about writing. Hopefully it is just a minor funk. Writing is hard.
ReplyDeleteAwesome that you have new ideas, Tina!!
Also, I am SO glad I joined you all today! I always leave my writing time for when the kids are in bed, but by then I'm too tired to accomplish much and I always feel guilty. Now I'm happy to have written for an uninterrupted hour, and I still have the rest of the day ahead of me!
I feel like one more hour of unplugging and maybe I will be able to officially call my juggernaut jettisoned.
ReplyDeleteTina, you can definitely say YAY to your kids being too old for The Wonder Pets. Once I hear the theme song, it plagues me for an entire day. Yuck.
ReplyDeleteI let my five year old play the Wii (he only plays usually once or twice a week). And I really got some stuff done! Thank you for this. I ordinarily don't carve morning time for writing, but this forced me to do some.
ReplyDeleteI did do some Snowflake method stuff, but it was kind of like cheating because my book is written, but it helped me go deeper, add more conflict. So I did some snowflake stuff and also added words into my ms.
Good work, Kelly. I think the work during the day is easier to justify if it is ONLY and hour, right? Especially when I have other stuff I got to do. I go back and forth on the Snowflake Method. Sometimes it is so hard for me to apply it to something already written. Glad you went deeper. Hope it pays off later in the week!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tina, it was wonderful, and I can go about the rest of my day knowing that I got a lot done, already, with my writing! Thanks, Kelly and Marisa for trying it out!! We'll have to get Tina to do it again soon. Do you have time preferences? Time of the day when you'd be more likely to be able to unplug?
ReplyDeleteThat last question was for Marisa and Kelly, as well as Tina.
ReplyDeleteI had so much fun doing this you all. Thanks so much for joining.
ReplyDeleteI would love to do it again later this week if a time works out. Or the beginning of next week, if you are wanting at all to try again.
It is fun knowing that somebody cares that I have accomplished something. Around my house people only notice when I don't make dinner or do the dishes! So thanks you all for being here!!
This time worked great for me. I'm in TX, so it was from 11 to 12, and that was perfect for me to have my wake-up coffee, play with my kids, then get them set up with TV while I get ready to write. Now they are eating lunch and we have the whole rest of the day to play. :D
ReplyDeleteAnd I would love to do it again later this week!
I will announce the next unpluggage to be Thursday (Thursday the 15th--TAXDAY) at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThanks you all for joining. I hope it works again!!
Awesome! I just added it to my date book. I will be here!
ReplyDeleteYes, that time was fine as it was 11-12 for me as well! I may or may not be there as I don't know what time my hair appt that day is. My stylist is making my hair into a fauxhawk (fake mohawk). I'm not kidding! :)
ReplyDeleteKelly- Come if you can! A fauxhawk? Awesome! I want pictures! (yes, I totally sound like Anita!)
ReplyDeleteMarisa- Yay!
ReplyDeleteThis is fabulous! Kelly and Marisa, thanks for joining Heather and I on the support Tina wagon. I'm told we'll be held close to the throne when Tina goes queen.
ReplyDeleteMarisa, when we get going on a certain fun thing-a-majig, this'll totally keep us on track and in constant communication!